Paul Cowley went to prison at seventeen, spent nearly seventeen years in the British Army, worked as a gym manager for Mark Birley’s Club in Mayfair, and became a priest in the Church of England.
Thief Prisoner Soldier Priest recounts his remarkable transformation after an encounter with God at the age of thirty-eight and offers insight into his trials and human nature: how he sees his mistakes and is able to learn from them. His book will inspire others, particularly men and women who are imprisoned, to have hope in something beyond themselves.
What was it that set you on a path that landed you in prison?
As a young lad I was living in an explosive environment with alcoholic parents who lacked interest in my education. They had no faith in God and were unable to give much moral or spiritual guidance. Shortly after being expelled from school, due to truancy caused by being bullied, my dad kicked me out of home. I was invited into a squat by a group of skinheads and educated into a life of petty crime. This led to a relationship with the police, probation and ultimately, Magistrate’s Court. After repeat offending and failure to pay the fines, I was sentenced to a spell in HMP Risley.
What do you hope readers will learn from your experiences?
That whatever situation life throws at you… not to lose hope. That hope from God ‘which does not disappoint’ may come in very unexpected ways or through the least likely people. Sometimes we get stuck in hopeless situations and want to give up but I have come to realise through my trials that God will shine His light in the darkness if you are prepared to seek Him and get down on your knees and pray!
Did you learn anything by putting your story into words?
I learnt that writing a book isn’t easy and would never have been able to do it without my wife, Amanda. We both struggled with the process because a lot of my life was quite traumatic and painful to recount, especially where I hurt people. However, it has also been a very cathartic process and has helped me come to terms with my past and how to use it constructively for my present work and ministry.
How did your new found faith in God change your life?
It was a seismic shift. It made me realise that if I wanted to be ‘normal’ it was me that had to change. To begin with I was very black and white and didn’t realise that God operated in the grey areas of life. Fearful of marriage, having been through two divorces by the age of thirty, Amanda and I lived together for eight years. When I became a Christian at thirty-eight, I felt convicted to marry her. I also wanted to be a better father to my son from my first marriage and eventually earned his trust, and this has been such a blessing in my life. After my trip to HMP Dartmoor in 1996, I had a heart to help the marginalised, an unusual desire for me, and knew I had to change my life and my career.
Were there any situations you found yourself in when you really felt God was watching over you?
With hindsight, yes – many. Especially when I was in Kenya leading a military climbing expedition. My colleague fell from a great height and died and I tried to rescue some soldiers stuck on a ledge. The outcome was pretty miraculous and I know I didn’t have anything to do with it. Also, years later, during my selection process for the Church of England, I had great doubts in my academic ability but once again God showed up and did something surprising.
Were there any aspects of your life prior to your conversion that you felt somehow prepared you for Christian life?
All aspects of my life have prepared me for what I do now as a priest. I certainly understand the mindset of an offender and the problems they face when they leave prison. I also have a heart for military personnel, having been on several tours of duty, and understand the pressures and temptations they face. But above all I believe God had a plan for my life, and every situation I went through was instrumental in moulding me and preparing me for life as a person who can contribute to, rather than drain, society. Much of my life was about making a lot of mistakes, but the rest has been about utilising those mistakes for good. But it is only by the grace of God that it has been possible!
Paul Cowley
Together Magazine
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