Paul Woolley contemplates the lessons of Raynor Winn’s fall from grace. Raynor and Moth Winn’s 2018 book The Salt Path captivated millions. A story of hardship, love, and resilience, it chronicled their 630-mile journey along the South West Coast Path after being betrayed by a childhood friend, losing their home, and receiving a devastating medical diagnosis. It became a global bestseller and, this year, a major film. The Sunday Times praised it as ‘a tale of triumph: of hope over despair, of love over everything.’ But last week, The Observer uncovered a different, and darker, tale.
This article is from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity section on Connecting with Culture
The article stated that the Winns, whose real names are Sally and Tim Walker, lost their home as an indirect result of Sally embezzling £64,000. She was arrested, questioned, and told to report to the police the next day; instead, she disappeared. The article also asserted that the couple had stayed on the land of a house they owned in France before claiming to be homeless. Furthermore, medical experts have cast doubt on the alleged terminal brain illness of Moth, noting both the lack of typical symptoms and his apparent recovery.
The backlash has been swift. Many readers, and plenty of others, feel betrayed, not just because facts were misrepresented, but because a ‘true’ story that inspired so many is not, in fact, true. This episode reveals something significant about our culture and ourselves.
Truth and authenticity matter. In a world of spin and fake news, The Salt Path stood out because it seemed real: a raw, unfiltered look at human vulnerability and resilience. When that truth collapses, so does the emotional power of the story.
In June 2017, theologian Stanley Hauerwas delivered what may be the shortest graduation address on record at the University of Aberdeen: ‘Do not lie,’ he said. But Hauerwas insists that truthfulness goes beyond not telling lies and encourages people to be truthful in their actions and words, even when it’s difficult. Imagine if people not only told the truth but lived truthfully. It would start a revolution.
To truly live truthfully, we need more than good intentions – we need to look to Jesus. He didn’t just speak truth: he is the truth. If we want to understand what’s real about ourselves, about life, and about God, we need to look to him and follow him, in every part of life. Because unlike The Salt Path, his story really is a tale of triumph: of love over everything.
Paul Woolley is CEO at LICC.
This article is from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity section on Connecting with Culture