Kelsey Grammar Explains Why He Refuses To ‘Apologize’ For His Faith
It changed his life.
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock & YouTube Faith and religion play an integral role in many people’s lives — so much so that some are moved to tears when reflecting on what their religious and spiritual journeys have contributed to their lives.
Kelsey Grammer is one of those people who recently opened up about his faith and how being a devoted Protestant Christian has turned his life around when experiencing difficult times.
His most recent role, playing a pastor in the newly-released film “Jesus Revolution,” only enhanced his religious journey and connection to God, and now the actor is explaining why he will never apologize for his beliefs.
Kelsey Grammer refuses to apologize for his faith since he claims that Jesus ‘made a difference’ in his life.
The 68-year-old, who was raised as a Christian Scientist, recently sat down for an interview on the “Kelly and Ryan” show discussing his new movie.
“Jesus Revolution” is based on a true story centered around a young hippie named Greg Laurie (played by Joel Courtney) on a quest for belonging and liberation. While in southern California, he meets Lonnie Frisbee (played by Jonathan Roumie), a hippie-street preacher hoping to connect with younger generations and spread the word of God, and Pastor Chuck Smith (played by Grammer), who is struggling to keep his Church afloat due to lack of visitors.
Together, Frisbee and Smith combine forces and open up Church doors to youths by incorporating rock and roll into their sermons. This counterculture movement became one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in the United States.
Although the real Pastor Smith passed away in 2013, portraying him in the movie had a profound impact on Grammer, who was overcome with emotion explaining the movie to Kelly and Ryan.
“I love this movie, I really love it,” he says. He shares that when he and his wife, Kayte Walsh, saw the first cut, she was moved to tears, describing it as “the best thing” her husband has ever done.
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Grammer became well aware of the impacts Chuck Smith had on the lives of many other Christians, with many of them informing him that they were baptized or married by the pastor.
In a February interview with USA Today, Grammer revealed that portraying Smith enhanced his religious beliefs and helped him develop a deeper connection with Jesus.
“What Chuck did went back to one of the basic precepts of Christianity, which is inclusion,” he claims. Smith’s beliefs helped Grammer get in touch with his own faith, something that he credits for guiding him through hardships in his life.
“I've had hiccups. I've had some tragic times. I have wrestled with those and worked my way through them: sometimes rejecting faith, sometimes rejecting God even, in a period of being pretty angry about it, like, ‘where were you?’ kind of thing,” he says.
However, he recognizes that his faith has helped him overcome his “hiccups” and for that, he will never apologize for his religious beliefs, even if they may not align with others.
“I have come to terms with it and have found great peace in my faith and in Jesus. It's not cavalier – Jesus made a difference in my life. That's not anything I'll apologize for,” he declares.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.