John Hamilton was born into a spirited Irish-American family of singers and storytellers, paving the way for a life journey intertwining passions for both God and music.

Breaking with his strict Catholic upbringing, he embarked on a career in music that immersed him in the colorful but perilous world of drugs, alcohol, nightclubs, and dangerous characters.

A debilitating onset of panic disorder abruptly halted his musical pursuits, propelling him into the business world where he thrived as a creative director in advertising. Despite professional success, Hamilton’s persistent quest for the transcendent led him to seminary and, eventually, to two decades of parish work as a United Church of Christ pastor.

In “Honest To God,” he eloquently chronicles the ongoing search for meaning in a world where institutions are crumbling, realizing that each discovery only marks the beginning of a new quest.