'I was a staunch atheist but reading medieval theology led me to Christ'

Charlotte Gauthier wanted to save people from believing in God. Encountering the beauty of an ancient church building unexpectedly stopped her in her tracks 

I was raised by my grandparents in a post-industrial town about an hour from New York City. By my childhood in the 1990s, Middletown had lost most of its former prosperity, though it still retained the many beautiful churches built in its heyday. My childhood was largely spent in the company of older people, and their stories about life during the war sparked a lifelong love of history. As a shy, serious child I mainly read history books and classic novels. Jane Eyre in particular gave me what grounding I then had in a mature Christian faith.