Ted Haggard’s fall from the pulpit

Ted Haggard is a humbled man, said Kevin Roose in GQ. Haggard was one of the nation’s most visible evangelicals as pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs. It all came crashing down when a male escort named Mike Jones came forward in 2006 with scandalous allegations that Haggard had paid him for sex and crystal methamphetamine. “We never had sex sex,” Haggard says today, while conceding that sexual contact and drug use had occurred. As part of his separation agreement with New Life, he was banned from any contact with church members. “I used to think the church was the light of the world,” he says sadly, “but I’ve completely lost my faith in it.”

He’s started a new ministry in Colorado Springs for sinners like himself. “I don’t judge people anymore. I know life happens to everybody. Sometimes it’s self-imposed, other times it’s imposed from the outside. But I think we’re qualified to hold people’s hands when they go through that.”

He’s repaired his marriage, and says he still believes that “homosexuality is not God’s best plan for people.” But he no longer denies he’s attracted to men. “I think if I were 21 in this society I would identify myself as bisexual.” Through effort and prayer, he says, “It’s not a temptation anymore.” Still, he remains a pariah to many old friends, and his scars are deep. “People are at their cores hateful. I don’t want to believe that, but the facts have prevailed over my idealism.”

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up