Show Daily: Interview with Dr. Timothy Johnson
Inspired by Schweitzer
by Sean Fowlds -- Publishers Weekly, 6/10/2004
Dr. Timothy Johnson is widely known as the medical editor at ABC News,
but few people know that he is also an ordained minister. Johnson talks about
that aspect of his life in Finding God in the Questions: A Personal
Journey [click here to read the review].
For some 30 years, Johnson has appeared regularly on
Good Morning America, World News Tonight, Nightline
and 20/20, while holding joint positions in medicine at Harvard
University and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Before attending
medical school, Johnson graduated from seminary and was ordained by the
Evangelical Covenant Church of America, based in his hometown of Chicago.
But it took the milestone of turning 65 to prompt Johnson to chronicle
his personal journey of faith by asking himself what he believed and why he
believed it. He worked on the book over a four-year period, and last year it
landed in the hands of Bob Fryling, publisher of the evangelical Christian house
InterVarsity Press.
Upon receipt of the manuscript from a mutual friend,
Fryling quickly called Johnson to express his interest. “That was good enough
for me,” says Johnson, who calls such contacts gifts from God, adding that he
has never had an agent for television work or writing projects.
After
revisiting the life of Albert Schweitzer during research for the book, Johnson
says that he became convinced there were shortcomings in his spiritual life and
vowed to make radical changes. “While I’ve exceeded my expectations as a medical
journalist, I’ve fallen short of them as a follower of Jesus,” he
comments.
As a result of his epiphany, when Johnson’s contract with ABC
expires in a year, he plans to curtail his duties with the network to make time
to serve the less fortunate, perhaps following in Schweitzer’s footsteps and
conducting clinics overseas. All of his proceeds from sales of the book are
going to charitable organizations serving the poor and disadvantaged, says
Johnson, identifying the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and the Albert
Schweitzer Fellowship as likely recipients.
With a $75,000 promotional
budget from IVP and endorsements from such media colleagues as Ted Koppel,
Finding God in the Questions is likely to receive a
warm welcome at both religious and general bookstores. Paving the way, IVP hosts
a dessert reception with Johnson in its booth (1356) today, 2:30–3:30 p.m., and
he’ll sign copies of his book at table 29, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
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