The Truth About Who We Are: Letter to My Grandchildren

As his forty-year career in ministry comes to an end Douglas Brouwer finds himself wondering about one of the oldest questions there is: who am I? To find his true identity Brouwer undertakes extensive genealogical research probes the meaning of his family name explores his ethnic heritage asks what genealogies are for (biblical genealogies and his own) reflects on the meaning of his DNA testing and tells sometimes-unflattering family stories. In the end he arrives at one of the most basic answers its possible to give about our identity as human beings created in the image and likeness of God. The Truth About Who We Are is written as a letter from Brouwer to his grandchildren but the story is a universal one. The answer he discovers at the end applies to all. Every grandfather should write a book like this. Its perfectly pegged for grandchildren telling them who they are by lineage heritage patrimony--embarrassing or not--even DNA and a grandfather who drove an electric car a hundred years ago. A cleric Brouwers heritage is Dutch Calvinist and West Michigan but anyone can use this book as a template. --Robert P. Swierenga Professor of History Emeritus Kent State University Albertus C. Van Raalte Research Professor Van Raalte Institute Hope College Holland Michigan This sparkling gem of a memoir reflects on history memory and theology in a poignant very personal way. Dutch-Americans particularly from West Michigan will appreciate Douglas Brouwers excavation of their native soil. More important people of faith will appreciate his reminder of where our true identity and loyalties belong. A timely book. --James D. Bratt Department of History Calvin College Douglas J. Brouwer is the author of four previous books including most recently How to Become a Multicultural Church (2017). He has been a Presbyterian pastor for nearly forty years and retired in 2018 from the International Protestant Church in Zurich Switzerland. He lives with his wife and dog on Lake Michigan north of Holland Michigan.