HJ Book Reviews

Divine Nobodies By Jim Palmer

2007-07-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

A number or years ago I started reading a series of books called Chicken Soup for the Soul. Over those years those books took a variety of routes that ended up developing quite a franchise. As much as I enjoy the books, I have to admit, I consider them not much more than “fluff.” Fluff is a term I use for something that is fun, but not a lot of meat or substance. It is like comparing an ice-cream cone to a Banana Split. Of course one realizes there are times in ones life that fluff sustains and provides all you need to get through the moment.

What happens when one needs more than fluff, more than an ice-cream cone, or for that matter, more than ice-cream? There are times we need the basics, things like meat and potatoes with healthy vegetables, a cold glass of sweet tea, and a batch of grandmas’ banana pudding for desert. Usually with those types of meals comes not only a full belly, but a great time with family and friends, a time where we know we have garnished more than a snack, a meal, or a desert. We know we have garnished an experience that will last for a long time.

In the last year I have gotten to know Jim Palmer through our MySpace friendship. I knew Jim to be a brilliant author who has a way of describing deep theological truths in the simplest of ways. In his writings Jim often uses a photograph and a couple of sentences that gets the reader to think about something often deep, and always spiritual.

Jim recently sent me a copy of his book Divine Nobodies published by the W Publishing Group. What I found was a book that would use the form of Chicken Soup for the Soul, but instead of fluff would provide something special. Using short stories Jim has weaved together a series of stories that reminds us all, it is in the observation of those often considered Divine Nobodies that we can find God. In fact the subtitle of Divine Nobodies is Shedding Religion to Find God, (and the unlikely people who help you).

Divine Nobodies is hard to put down, it is a book that if contemplating the deep spiritual truths interwoven among the stories, will lead each reader to a place where they will discover God in ways they hadn’t expected. It is a book for those with no spiritual leanings; they may be able to understand for the first time, the difference between a religion and a relationship with God. Jim Palmer makes it uniquely clear; there is a difference. Once one sees the difference, I can’t help but think people will be drawn closer to God than ever before.

Jim Palmer has received great reviews by people such as Brian McLaren author of The Secret Message of Jesus and an individual many consider a leader in the Emergent Church Movement. Many would consider Palmer among those leaders. I must comment here, one of the negatives I have heard from some Christians is the specific concept that the Emergent Church denies the need for Jesus and the Bible. I found this to be quite the opposite while reading Divine Nobodies. My personal observation is that some need to reconsider their negative opinions of at least towards many within the Emergent Movement. Divine Nobodies is filled with illustrations of Jesus life, his examples, the need to follow his teachings as well as Scripture that supports a relationship with Jesus. It is done in a non threatening way, not compromising the person or message of Christ. While many will say this is a book primarily for Christians, it is also a book that effectively shows non Christians the person of Jesus in a new and unique way.

I have to admit, not since Chicken Soup for the Soul has a book brought out the variety of emotions Divine Nobodies did. I laughed, I cried, I prayed, I contemplated. I went through just about every range of emotion one can go through while reading this. I’ll read it again and likely again. There aren’t many of those books that exist. It is so good I am considering buying a batch to give to people searching for God. In my own travels I have run into so many who would have benefited from the stories in Divine Nobodies.

From a disc jockey to a mechanic, from a priest to a little girl and a father in a photograph in a library book, Jim Palmer tells us short stories of people who have touched him and helped shed religion to find God. Palmer has found a way to let those very people who inspired him bring the reader closer to God, it is what makes Divine Nobodies so unique and so beautiful.

I normally do ratings for the movies I review, but choose to not do that for books for a variety of reasons. What I will say is this; do you ever feel ordinary and like you need a purpose? Do you ever look to find examples of Jesus so you can understand what faith and God is all about? If so, I strongly recommend this book. Then again, if you want fluff, I also encourage you to get Divine Nobodies, not because it is fluff, but because it gets you thinking you are going to the soda shop for an ice-cream, but leaving well satisfied with a three scoop banana split. Divine Nobodies is a rarity. One you will have a hard time putting down, one you will be glad you read.

Just a note, be on the look out over the next couple of days with an interview between myself and author Jim Palmer.

To find out more about Jim Palmer check out the following:

http://www.divinenobodies.com/ You can also visit Jim at MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/divinenobodies

To see a video of Jim Palmer talking about his book Divine Nobodies double click on the video. If the video don't appear, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pODiiU2q0UY

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Existentialism and the Vine: The Ruins Book Review

2006-08-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Hill

There’s something about the Kafkaesque. That bizarre, unescapable situation. Its being thrust forth, with no explanation, yet with a sense of destiny. Control. The resulting struggle, questionings, perhaps hope, perhaps angst/ennui, perhaps good ending, perhaps not—the inevitable character revelation and development that comes from being surrounded by the psychodramatic mirror of the Kafkaesque scenario. Sartre’s No Exit epitomizes it, along with Kafka’s works. Lost has it to popular appeal. Natali’s Cube has it in spades. And Scott Smith’s The Ruins has it. It’s dark, matter-of-fact, insightful, exciting, and thematically deep. And (necessary cliché alert): I couldn’t put it down.

The story is simple, though hard to fully explain without spoiling things. The book’s four main characters are on vacation in Mexico. They party, they meet new people, they be their innocuous selves. Quickly, however, a German fellow tourist they befriend invites them to come along on a day trip to find his brother. The brother, it seems, had met a girl, and returned with her to the titular ruins, where she was working as an archaeologist. The four hem and haw, their characters beginning to emerge in response to this new prospect, but end up going.

Once at the ruins, for reasons I won’t divulge, the four—plus the German, plus another fellow tourist, a Greek—are unable to leave. The ruins, in fact, place them all in great danger, and the remainder of the book is spent describing their navigation of this danger. Life or death, that’s the question. Suffice to say: the ruins are a scary place, and a place where that Kafkaesque scenario really begins to underline the book’s two strong suits: exciting, horrific, mysterious, page-turning plotting, and adept character development.

Not much more can be said about the former without spoiling things, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find that The Ruins is already optioned to be made into a film—and it’ll hopefully be a good one. If the pacing, symbolism, and foreshadowing is preserved, and the gravitas respected (Ben Stiller’s production company holds the rights), it should make a great horror/thriller movie for some summertime release . . . though I bet they’ll change the ending, at least a little.

The latter, however, is even more key, and it’s also what brings out the thematic elements of the story. The six characters who end up on the hillside of the ruins all become more distinct and complex in the midst of their crisis. And they also all begin to conform to types—yet in a good, insightful, easy-to-identify-with sort of way. Who becomes the leader? The one who knows how to ration food and store water and care for wounds? Jeff the Eagle Scout, of course. Do we need a vamp? Does sex come into this picture? Absolutely. Hence Stacy. Comic relief? Check. Eric. What about the strong, silent, mysterious type? The guy who got them into this in the first place? Mathias, the German who lost his brother.

All of the six, in some way, fulfill and question these kinds of classic story roles, even to the point of a very meta and funny conversation between the characters about who will play who when they escape the ruins and a movie version is made of their story (apparently Adam Sandler, Bruce Willis, and Madonna should be expecting calls). But there’s more to it than just how Smith uses these archetypes to flesh the characters out. It’s how language barriers come into play to make us think about communication itself. How what we say in secret sounds when it’s shouted aloud. How our past dictates what people think of us in the present. How being in extremis brings out who we really are, especially in relation to others. And, like all stories of this kind, it’s how easily the reader slips into the shoes of first one, then another of the characters, until we see ourselves, a bit, in all of them.

Thematically, seeing ourselves in the characters is paramount, especially in extremis. This is where The Ruins can become a metaphor—as is so easily done with these Kafkaesque stories—for life and how we react to it. Some characters remain hopeful, vigilant, productive. Would we? Some go mad. Would we? Some give up? Is that me? You? In the end, though, in this particular version of the metaphor, it doesn’t matter how we react to the scenario. Smith gives the impression that the characters, we, are doomed to the outcome—good or bad, I won’t say. He even goes so far as to make these characters’ plight on the ruins circular: it’s happened to others before, it happens to them, it will happen to others in the future. Just like life.

And while there is something to be said for this stoic perspective—even a place for it to be parsed Christianly in an appropriate way—Smith’s take on it is dark, and hopeless, and as embracing of what he perhaps sees as the angst of the real world, as his characters are at times of the angst of their fictional situation. One character even decides, at the end, that she doesn’t, after all, in face of the direness of it all, believe in God . . . a final rejection of hope or meaning in the midst of something that screams for it, amidst their screams.

So is The Ruins finally some big allegory about the meaningless, cyclical, Darwinian nature of life? Are we “the ruins”? Is the world “the ruins”? Are our attempts at meaning “the ruins”? Perhaps we’re meant just to understand: “get through whatever you have to get through, dealing with the other people you happen to be in it with, hoping that hell is not ‘other people,’ and knowing that it’ll end soon.” Or, perhaps, this is only one side of the story. Perhaps Smith would agree with this basic existentialism, yet unlike his character at the end, say that God may yet offer a toe-hold. Perhaps he’d say that life is absurd, meaningless, non-communicative, cyclical, etc., but that God can change all of that—like Kierkegaard, let us not forget, the “father of existentialism.”

Or, maybe that’s just what I’d like him to think, how I’d like to read it, being generally of a Kierkegaardian bent myself. Or maybe, it’s just a good book and doesn’t need to be torn all apart to be enjoyed. In fact, finally, this is for sure the case: regardless of how you interpret the tone, the ending, the characters, and all of that, The Ruins was the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time. Definitely a page-turner, definitely worthwhile, and definitely inviting of deeper looks. I give it three Fs for Freaky Flowering Flora, and a high recommendation.

Dark Star Confessions of a Rock Idol

2006-05-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Dark Star Confessions Of A Rock Idol
By: Creston Mapes
Format: Paperback: 400 pages.
Publisher: Multnomah Pub (06/01/2005)
ISBN: 1590524721

Review by: Mike Furches

Not in a very, very long time, have I had as much joy and pleasure with reading a book as I just had with Dark Star Confessions of a Rock Idol by Creston Mapes. This book, the first of a three part series is in one word, G-R-E-A-T!

Mapes recently sent me Dark Star along with the second in the series book Full Tilt. I had had the book for a month or so and finally decided to give it a read. Well, to say the least, I couldn’t put the book down. Not only is Dark Star responsible for giving my mind a good work out, while working out at the gym, doing my cardio, it gave my body a work out. I didn’t miss a day at the gym until the book was completed and the read extended my workouts on the exercise bike for the longest time frame in about 3 years. I was so enthralled with the story in Dark Star, that my body literally forgot it was working out.

I love Rock N Roll as is evident from my past experiences. Unfortunately, in most “Christian” circles you see the genera knocked down and ridiculed, the truth is that what has been written in the past, from a Christian perspective, including the novels has been largely trash. Not worth the trees it took to make the books. Dark Star is as far on the opposite end of that spectrum as one could imagine. It is a breath of fresh air, that not only Christians will read and enjoy, but so will those who simply love a good story, whether Christian or not.

Mapes does as good a job of story development as anyone I have read since Ted Dekker, Rene Gutteridge, Dean Koontz, and Tim Downs. He understands the importance of characters the reader can relate to. It is why all kinds of people, no matter what their religious persuasions will enjoy these books. They will find someone in the story that they can relate to, thus drawing them deeper into the story.

Dark Star revolves around Everett Lester a young man growing up in a troubled family. His father doesn’t understand the concept of love. As a result Everett turns at an early age to Rock N Roll. What transpires is every boys or girls dream who has ever dreamt of being in a Rock N Roll Band. He along with several friends forms the group Dark Star and the rest is legend. All of the stories about Sex, Drugs, and Rock N Roll are found to be true and Everett indulges in all of them as much as is humanly possible.

Everett Lester is an individual we see as searching though despite his own indulgences. He is searching for meaning and truth in life, he realizes his escape mode and just don’t know how to get out of it. It is through his association with Endora Crystal, a popular psychic to the stars that the story unfolds. Creston mixing in murder, mystery, the occult, hypnotism, a trial, and Rock N Roll has written one of the great stories of the last year. What we have is a page turner that will have you laughing, crying, angry, sad, and every other imaginable emotion that you can think of.
Dark Star is not just a book that is a fun read; it is a book that will cause you to reflect on your own life, and your own journey. What role have others played in the development of your personality? How much are you willing to compromise truth for your own self gratification? What is the reality of consequences for your actions? And on and on questions are asked and the reader provoked into thought. One of the beautiful things about this book is that not only does it ask the questions; it dares to give the answers to those questions. It gives the answer in such a way that some will appreciate and have life changing experiences, and others will scoff at and go on in their own way, experiencing their own reality of never experiencing joy of fulfillment.

I can’t think of any author right now that I would rather read than Creston Mapes. He has earned a spot right up there with Ted Dekker, Rene Gutteridge, Tim Downs, Dean Koontz and I could name numerous others.

The book was so good, that it wasn’t 5 minutes after finishing it that I picked up and started reading the next book in the journey Full Tilt. I appreciated them both so much that I listed them in my Virtual Pew Store for sale. I became not only a reviewer of this work, but a fan, and that is saying something. I can’t think of any book I can recommend more than Dark Star. If you are wanting a good read, while at the same time getting some valuable nourishment you could do yourself well by visiting the Virtual Pew and ordering a copy.

On a scale of 1 – 10, for one of the most enjoyable reads of my life, I give an energetic and exciting, very rare 10.

Scimitar's Edge

2006-05-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Scimitar's Edge
By: Marvin Olasky
ISBN 0-8054-4183-2
Broadman & Holman
Review by: Mike Furches

I recently finished reading Scimitar's Edge by World Magazine editor Marvin Olasky. This Middle Eastern thriller is written with an insight into Islamic thought and tradition not often tackled by contemporary writers, certainly not writers who are concerned about being Politically Correct. Olasky, takes his hard hitting approach used in World Magazine into a world of political and religious zealotry not many consider when looking at the contemporary world we live in.

I should note that I read this book and saw the movie United Flight 93 during the same time period. It is with the refreshment of memories related to September 11, 2001 from watching the movie that this book caused me to think in ways I hadn't contemplated, or for that matter, even desired.

The story of Scimitar's Edge centers around former college roommates Hal Bogikian, and Malcolm Edwards, both who are atheists who despite their disagreements on most every subject, decide to take a transatlantic trip to Turkey alongside Malcolm's aunt Phoebe du Pont a wealthy Christian widow and her beautiful assistant, Sally Northaway. While on this trip, the four become targets of a terrorists kidnapping. What transpires is a delving into the Islamic terrorists mind and reasoning as presented by author Olasky.

I have to be honest, what transpires is not an enjoyable story. Olasky doesn't take the typical perspective in Scimitar's Edge, unfortunately, he takes an all too realistic approach which helps drive home the horror, and conflict that currently exists in our world. As I was reminded while watching United Flight 93, Olasky presents a story where we have no easy answers to the world's problems. I think that is part of his intent. He could tell a beautiful story, with a wonderful conclusion but that wouldn’t represent the real world we live in or, the realistic difficulty in trying to understand the minds of terrorists.

While there are characters and components of Scimitars Edge that I really liked, I didn't find this an enjoyable read. Truth be told, I wish there had been more character and story development. I wanted to know more about the mind of the Islamic Terrorists, as well as the conflicts and inner thoughts of the primary characters of the book. If anything I think the book focused on to many sub plots and thus the story itself was not as easy of a read as I would have anticipated or it could have been.

Those things being said, it does not mean I wouldn't recommend the book. I would strongly recommend it, especially to those who think the solutions to the issues between Islamic thought and the West are easily dealt with. The truth is, there is much disagreement between the religious thoughts, and the history between the two worlds. Scimitar’s Edge does as good a job at presenting that conflict as anything I have read in recent years.

Does Olasky have a hit novel on his hands? The June release of the book will answer that, and while I think the book will do well, I also believe that readers will have some of the same issues I did, not just from a storytelling perspective, but from a thought provoking, confused as ever perspective regarding the political issues that exist.

On a scale of 1 - 10 for a thought provoking story, minus the four primary characters and Turkish Police Officer I'll give a compelling and interesting 5.

The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero

2006-05-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Reviewed by Scott Roche

Product Details -
Author: Steve Skelton
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (May 15, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0736918124

Amazon Link

Sample chapter here.

When I was first contacted by Steve Skelton about this book I was a little skeptical. I'd seen a number of books sitting on shelves that look at my religion in light of some pop culture icon. My favorite concept (haven't read it yet) is The Gospel According to Harry Potter. Personally I have nothing against either the Potter books or movies. I read the first book and have seen the first three movies. Harmless and fairly well written fantasy, but hardly the first thing I think of when I think of Christ. This sort of book always struck me as being very gimmicky. I then chastised myself. After all, some of the reviews I've written attempt the very same thing on a much smaller scale. And, I asked myself, "Self, isn't Supes arguably one of the best known pop culture icons of the twentieth century?". Combine those two things with the fact that Superman Returns is coming out this summer and I was sold.

When I got the review copy in my sweaty paws I was excited to see that the last chapter contained clues as to what we might see in the movie. Out of respect to the author and to you my dear readers I won't dish, but what I read (and yes I waited and read everything in proper order) didn't disappoint. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I knew going in that the original creators Siegel and Shuster were Jews and I saw parallels to Moses and other Old Testament figures. I also knew that I saw some definite Christic parallels in both the comics and the movies. I was eager to know how much of that was on purpose and what details I might be missing so I plowed ahead.

Skelton spends the first three chapters doing an excellent job of laying out the groundwork. He shares the origin of his love for Superman which stemmed largely from the movies. This was reinforced later in life by Smallville and rumors of an upcoming movie sequel. We're also given a clear picture of his approach to looking at entertainment and looking for the gospel in it. He points out that both Christ and Paul used stories and concepts found in everyday life to communicate eternity and our place in it. In his eyes this makes movies, books, and television fair game. In some cases he believes that the authors may be sending these messages intentionally, but that is by no means a necessity.

The rest of the book is divided into three sections; Origin, Mission, and Destiny. The chapters in each section do a thorough job of examining the similarities between the two men. In spite of the fact that the comics were not central to Skeleton's youth as the movies were he has done his research. He uses examples not only from the comics (1940s-Present), but also the radio series, all of the television shows, and a host of books and articles. No detail goes unexamined from his uniform and symbol to the names of the people in his life. I was amazed at the number of connections and I agree with most of his conclusions.

Now lest I come across as some blathering fanboy, I have to say that the book isn't perfect. Some of the detail he goes into seems to stretch the point more than a little. I'm thinking mainly here of when he's talking about the suit and symbol. The "Afterword", a chapter where he deals with other possible ways of looking at the man in blue is rushed. He raises some interesting contrasting opinions, but then dismisses them too quickly. I'm also confused as to who the audience is for this book. It would seem to be limited to Christians, but he makes a few attempts to make it accessible to "seekers". In spite of these limited shortcomings though, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Given its timing (impeccable), research (thorough), and narrative voice (engaging) I think you will too. Especially if you like what we do here.

Q&A with the author.
I was able to ask Steve a few questions.

1) Describe the purpose of your ministry.

At The Entertainment Ministry, we believe that many stories which transcend social, racial and cultural barriers today, do so because they contain spiritual truth for which all people have a God-given hunger.

For example, we've done a series of video-based Bible studies using classic television episodes as modern parables. In our study with the Andy Griffith Show, we've identified an underlying theme of love for fellow man. In our study with the Beverly Hillbillies, it's an underlying theme of morality versus materialism. Or Lucy, with an unerlying theme of forgiveness and grace.

The ministry promotes a grassroots approach to using popular entertainment to engage a Christian worldview. In doing so, whether it is with Superman of Metropolis or Andy of Mayberry, we equip the church with ways to reach the world beyond.

2) Who do you view as the audience of your book?

Superman fans. All kinds--young and old, male and female, believer and nonbeliever. Here's a pertinent example. There's a review of the book over at www.supermanhomepage.com. The review is by a writer named Neal Bailey. Neal is an atheist...and he loves the book. In fact, in his review he says something along the lines of, If I like this book and I'm a-religious, I can only imagine what it will mean to those of you who are religious.

3) What did writing this look like? What sort of research did you do?

The book has been in the works for about two years. Lot of research through all the different ways we've seen Superman. Starting with the newspaper comics, then on to the comic books, then the radio show, the George Lowther novel, the George Reeves television show, the Christopher Reeve movies, the Death of Superman comic book storyline, Smallville and up to the minute with Superman Returns. These are the works that I believe make up the popular canon. They define the generally known story of Superman. And they parallel the Gospel story in amazing ways.

4) Do you write any fiction?

Only when I bounce a check. Which is never on purpose, mind you. Other than that, it's nonfiction.

Actually, some of the things I wrote in the book were looked at as if they were fiction until the sources were checked. Such as the quote from the Superman Returns teaser trailer. You know what I'm referring to. As Superman floats over the Earth, his father says, They can be a great people, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capactiy for good, I have sent them you--my only son. Some folks had a hard time believing that quote at first. But it is simply the latest illustration of how the movie makers have purposefully promoted Superman as a Christ figure.

And he addressed some of my concerns:

First thing. You mention similar books, such as the Gospel According to Harry Potter. I think, if I do say so myself, that the thing that distinguishes this book is that we have the Superman storytellers themselves on the record confirming that they make the connection between Superman and Christ. In other words, it's not just Steve's opinion.

I'm thinking specifically of Tom Mankiewicz, the writer of Superman: The Movie with Christopher Reeve, who said, "The metaphor was clearly there when Jor-El [the father] sends Superman to Earth with God sending Christ to save humanity."

Or David Nutter, the director of the Smallville pilot, who said: "I thought there were a lot of metaphors between Clark [Kent] and Jesus actually. And I tried to throw in as many of them as I could." (While the two Executive Producers of Smallville, Al Gough and Miles Millar, voiced their approval in the background.)

And Bryan Singer, the director of Superman Returns, who said: "Superman is the Jesus Christ of superheroes." And that Superman Returns is "a story about what happens when messiahs come back..."

IMHO, not only is the confirmation of the Superman storytellers themselves what sets this book apart--but from the standpoint of equipping folks with the knowledge of the spiritual history of Superman, the confirmation of those Superman storytellers is HUGE. (I, myself, have seen it convince the skeptical.)

Second thing. In the review, you wonder who the audience for the book is. I always intended it for the general Superman fan first, the Christian Superman fan second and the skeptical Superman fan third. However, the actual response is even better than I could have hoped for.

The best, most public, example of what I'm talking about can be seen in the review of the book at www.supermanhomepage.com. There, Neal Bailey begins his review by stating that he is an atheist...and he loves the book! You can see his review at the link below:

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/other/book-reviews/book-reviews.php?topic=gospel-superhero

Hope that wasn't information overload, but I think this book deserves every bit of attention it can get.

Back to the book index.

The Da Vinci Code

2006-02-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

For the past two years, I have barely gone a full week without having Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” in my hand. If it’s not in my hand, it is most likely within a ten foot radius of where I am standing. And the idea of not seeing it in front of me first thing every morning? Unacceptable. The thing is, I didn’t read it until a few months ago…I just work in a bookstore.

To put it simply, “The Da Vinci Code” has been THE book of the past two to three years. It jumped onto bestseller lists soon after its release. It has stayed on them almost every week since then. It has stayed in the top three or four spots during the majority of its time on the lists. And when it comes to personal favorite lists, let’s just say it is either at the very top or the very bottom.

“The Da Vinci Code” is an action/adventure story with a historical/religious twist. It is the story of a secret, the quest to uncover that secret, and a determination to keep it hidden. It pulls readers in with a fast-paced action-filled story of numerous escapes and revolutionary discoveries. And it hooks anyone who has ever been curious about faith, religion, or history.

With its pull and with its hook, “The Da Vinci Code” has been read by millions of people since it first came out in 2003. Many of the millions who have read it claim it as their favorite book. But just as many people have no shame in calling it trash.

As a novel, “The Da Vinci Code” is far from a literary masterpiece. Brown’s writing is “popular” writing, blow-by-blow, action-packed, ready to be pasted directly onto the big screen, and easily reproduced at the rate of one to two books a year. The story isn’t that complex. And his characters never become much more than skin deep personas. But even so, “The Da Vinci Code” has garnered more attention, more praise, and more condemnation than any of Clancy’s, Cussler’s, or Grisham’s similarly adventurous intrigues.

Although “The Da Vinci Code” is not a masterpiece, its story delves into faith, into religious institutions representing faith, and into both convictions and curiosities we all have about faith. The claims and conclusions made in the story have angered many, but they have also drawn many to them. Numerous scholars may have proven them to be unsubstantiated, but still the ideas presented pull readers in.

Many people may hate “The Da Vinci Code” for even suggesting an alternate reality to standard Christian history. But the fact is, the idea presented, even if it is not a reality, has drawn people to it. It has caused people who would never even think of discussing faith to talk about faith. And, it has caused people to think of the Christ Story as real.

More than any other book recently published, “The Da Vinci Code” has caused masses of people to consider who Jesus Christ was. It has brought him closer to the common man than almost any religious institution has ever been able to do on any sort of large scale. And although the details that “The Da Vinci Code” uses to point to Jesus’ humanity may not be true, the reality of his humanity is.

The idea of Jesus as God is nice, but if he is only God, he is difficult to connect to, sometimes hard to even see as real. Sometimes it is difficult to remember that Jesus was also human like us. Not just sort of human, but fully human, a human man who experienced life as we experience it and knew life and its struggles as we also know life and its struggles. Perhaps the most amazing thing about Jesus is that he became human so that he could actually meet us and help us right where we are. And even if its writing is average and ideas controversial, “The Da Vinci Code” reminds us of that fact.

Today “The Da Vinci Code” still sits on the bestseller list. It will be out in paperback very soon and out on the big screen soon after. It has connected with people all over the world and made its mark. Love it or hate it, all of us should at least stop and think about why the story has connected with us or those around us and what that has to say about what we seek.

A Million Little Pieces

2006-02-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Review by Elisabeth Leitch

James Frey's A Million Little Pieces

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Anchor (September 22, 2005)
ISBN: 0307276902
Amazon link

Oprah’s staff cried when they read it. The Smoking Gun launched an investigation before her book club could finish it. Late night hosts and early morning anchors began flipping through it as soon as it made its “smoking” debut. And if they had not already, people all over the world ran to the shelves to buy it.

Meet the new addiction memoir of our time—James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces.”

Grabbing you with both hands on its very first page, “A Million Little Pieces” is an emotional rollercoaster ride unlike any other recently published book. It is a portrait of people at their worst. It is a tale of friendship at its best. It is an uncensored look at humanity and a reminder of perhaps one of its most real states. And told in a voice that makes us feel like we are inside Frey’s own head, it becomes a reality check that cannot help but reach inside us all and make us take a closer look at our own lives.

While “A Million Little Pieces” is certainly no grammatical work of genius, its unique voice reinforces what is an already captivating story and makes the book worth every minute spent reading it. For the most part, the story never lets you go and rarely drags. Even without its sometimes teeth clenching events, it characters and the depth to which Frey allows readers to know them keep you reading just to know how they are doing.

But even with its strengths, even with its widespread praise, “A Million Little Pieces” was not able to avoid a question knocking at its door as soon as its sales began to rocket—Is it too good to be true? Or rather, is it too bad to be true? Some of the horrors a bit exaggerated, a few events described not quite as they occurred, a few characters slightly altered?

In all reality, the “smoking” claims are not that surprising. Frey’s plot points do work out a bit too well for a true story. Some of his trials do seem to defy a realistic ability to pull through. And some of his dramatic “escapes” are a bit unbelievable. But, still the story is the same.

James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces” may not be the fully non-fictional tale of addiction and recovery it first presented itself to be. But nonetheless, the story and the powerful way it is told have not changed. It still speaks to us about facing our own failures and dealing with trials that seem too large to overcome. It still leaves us with beautiful pictures of true friendships and actual reasons to believe in hope. And even if “A Million Little Pieces” is not completely true, it is still a story told by a man who has overcome, a story that challenges us to not merely acknowledge our failures but to also know that they need not control us, that we can decide whether they will control us or not, and that we can choose to let something better carry us through this life instead.

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PostSecret

2006-01-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

By Elisabeth Leitch

PostSecret : Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives (Hardcover)
by Frank Warren

Product Details

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Regan Books (December 1, 2005)
ISBN: 0060899190
Amazon link

Sometimes secrets are hard to keep. Other times secrets are hard to tell. Sometimes they are a fun surprise. Other times they are the key to complete destruction. Sometimes they are funnier than any joke we’ve ever heard. Other times they are just as hard to hear as the worst diagnosis our doctor could ever give. But no matter what, no matter who we are, and no matter where we live, we all have secrets.

In his ingenious book released in 2005, Frank Warren shares the secrets of people all over the world, secrets they have never told anyone, and secrets that are now laid bare for everyone to read. They range from funny—“When I’m mad at my husband…I put boogers in his soup,” to blatantly truthful—“I waste office supplies because I hate my boss,” startling—“he’s been in prison for two years because of what I did. 9 more to go,” and very often heartbreaking—“Sometimes I wish that I was blind just so I wouldn’t have to look at myself everyday in the mirror.”

More than just words on paper, each secret is revealed on a homemade postcard sent to Warren. Each card is unique, filled with drawings, colors, photographs, or magazine cutouts. One is written on a Starbucks coffee cup. Another on a parking ticket. It is as if a piece of a person has actually been pasted on each postcard and sent out for the entire world to see.

The project started when Warren began handing out and leaving postcards with instructions to write down a secret in a creative way, a secret that no one else knew, and mail it back to PostSecret. For Warren, it began as project of healing for himself. But as is so evident in the book, the project turned into an act of healing for so many people who sent in cards.

“After I created my postcard, I didn’t want to be the person with the secret any longer,” writes a person from Texas. “I ripped up my postcard and I decided to start making changes in my life.”

Although I do not yet have a coffee table to call my own, “PostSecret” has become my favorite coffee table book. It is beautiful and it is intriguing. It is like no other landscape or painting book I’ve ever browsed through on a coffee table. And although it certainly is not as innocuous as “The Ultimate Picasso” or “National Geographic’s Greatest Photographs,” it is a book that will impact every person who reads it.

I want this book on my coffee table because it is real. I want to share it with others because it helps us to know we are not alone. I want people to look at it because it is filled with a sense of freedom and of finally being able to let go. I want "PostSecret" on my coffee table because it truly is book of courage, understanding, and healing. And if I could give anything to everyone I meet, that would be it.

As Warren says: “We all have secrets: fears, regrets, hopes, beliefs, fantasies, betrayals, humiliations. We may not always recognize them but they are a part of us…I believe that each one of us has the ability to discover, share, and grow our own dark secrets into something meaningful and beautiful.”

Beautiful, depressing, funny, heartbreaking, liberating, madding, thought provoking, and hopeful all at the same time, “PostSecret” is nothing short of trip through an emotional scrambler and into the depths of the human heart that is sure to be one of the most powerful books you will ever read.

PostSecret also exists as a traveling art exhibit and on the website www.postsecret.blogspot.com. New postcards keep arriving in Warren’s mailbox every day.

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The Wonder Within You

2005-12-15T21:27:00.000-08:00

Review by Jenn Wright

Author: David Manners, edited by David Morgan Jones

Trafford, ISBN: 1412050138

Nonfiction

Many people may recognize the name David Manners from his days in Hollywood. While his acting career was relatively short (1930-1936), his work was indeed prodigious, with nearly forty films to his credit, including such artistic classics as Dracula, The Mummy, and The Millionaire. Unlike many big-name stars, however, David Manners left the life of monetary success and became rather an ascetic, spending the next half-century as “a metaphysician and philosopher,” plumbing the depths of his own soul for wisdom not only for himself but to share with others. His prolific and vulnerable writings on the soul, spirituality, and the self embrace teachings from Jesus Christ, Buddha, Lao-tzu, Emerson, and Rumi, among numerous others.

In recognition of the 75th anniversary of David Manners’ break into fame, David Morgan Jones has selected and organized a compilation of many of Manners’ journal writings, incorporating entries and letters spanning his entire lifetime. Included is a brief biography of the actor-philosopher, which traces the beginnings of Manners’ search for enlightenment from childhood through his reclusive adulthood. The book is then arranged somewhat topically, with reflections, musings, and excerpts from personal letters grouped by theme rather than by chronology.

Despite my foundational disagreements with Manners’ general concepts of enlightenment and the soul, I found his thinking and expression challenging and insightful. His observations regarding emotion, self-awareness, and Being may take some effort to grasp, but show serious contemplation and a definitive commitment to sharing his enlightenment with others.

It is perhaps this admirable commitment that leaves the reader feeling as if he is reading the same thought over and over, just expressed in a different way. While this is certainly helpful, as different people will connect with certain forms of expression more easily than others, it lends a certain sense of repetition to the compilation as a whole. This is not to belittle the existent wisdom and expression; it is more a recommendation for how to approach the book most effectively. Consider it best served as contemplative hors d’ouevres, most palatable when taken in small bits and savored, rather than making a meal of them and trying to digest them all at once.

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The Gospel According To Oprah

2005-10-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

Author: Marcia Z. Nelson
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (September 28, 2005)
Amazon link

Summary
Oprah Winfrey is arguably the most well-known and most well-liked woman in the world today. Every day her television show reaches millions of viewers, and if you include her magazine, Web site, book club, television network, and movie production company, her influence is without comparison. Indeed, she has been nicknamed "The Queen of All Media." Yet unlike many celebrities, Winfrey's is an overwhelmingly and unerringly positive public persona. In this book, religion reporter Marcia Nelson explores the spiritual dimensions that are prevalent in all aspects of the Oprah Winfrey media empire. Though Oprah is rarely explicitly religious on her television show or magazine, Nelson points out that there are several major Christian themes that weave through these aspects of her life and work: confession, redemption, healing, mission, forgiveness, and salvation. Nelson concludes that Oprah is a "compelling spiritual teacher in a spiritually eclectic and ever-practical America." This book will appeal both to Oprah fans and people who are fascinated by the intersection of religion and popular culture.

Review

Coming rather late in the game in terms of the “Gospel According to…” genre (which has featured books on The Simpsons, Harry Potter, and Dr. Seuss, among others), one might expect The Gospel According to Oprah to fall into the “day late and a dollar short” category. Far from it. Seeking to discern the mystery of Oprah’s allure to millions of viewers and readers around the world, author Marcia Z. Nelson has written a taut little book that is bound to appeal to Oprah fans and foes alike.

The first thing that struck me about this book is how much it resembles Oprah’s show: Pleasant to look at, emotionally and intellectually engaging, conversational and yet not too familiar, nutritious and yet easily digestible, and just long enough to whet your appetite for her subject matter without making you long for a commercial break. Seeing as Nelson’s research involved watching Oprah’s show for one year, reading dozens of O magazines, and corresponding with fans via Oprah’s web site, it’s no surprise that her tone and format are so ideally suited to the Queen of Daytime’s fans. And yet, it is an achievement worth noting, seeing as few people have been able to emulate Oprah’s ability to give the people what they want. Perhaps it won’t be long before Oprah, herself, comes calling…[1]

The other thing that impressed me about this book is the clarity of Nelson’s thinking. Neither overly gushy nor overly critical and without wasting a word, she accurately—I think—discerns “ten reasons why Oprah is a compelling and successful spiritual teacher in spiritually eclectic and ever-practical America.” Some of these reasons include Oprah’s humanness, the way she provides community for her viewers, her ability to listen, her emphasis on generosity, gratitude, and forgiveness, and her ability to keep things simple. These ten reasons form the skeleton of Nelson’s book, with a brief, insightful chapter devoted to each.

Beyond simply explaining Oprah’s appeal, however, Nelson goes a step further by seeking to understand what function Oprah plays in society. Is she an entertainer? A preacher? A confessor? A self-help guru? A scam artist? All of the above? Also, what does her popularity mean? What does Oprah’s appeal say about her? What does it say about us? I won’t divulge all of Nelson’s answers to these questions, but I will say that she comes out with a decidedly positive verdict, and her reasons for doing so are definitely worth the read.

Love Oprah or hate her—Is there really another option?—I can guarantee you will enjoy this book. In fact, as was the case with me, you may discover that your opinion on Oprah reveals as much about yourself as it does about her, which merely proves Nelson’s fourth secret to Oprah’s appeal: Oprah encourages self-examination. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

[1] Which would be ironic, seeing as Oprah’s people would not allow Nelson access to her during the writing of this book.

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Inside Narnia: A Guide to Exploring the Lion, the Witch And the Wardrobe

2005-10-26T21:44:00.000-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

Author: Devin Brown
Publisher: Baker Books (September, 2005)
Amazon link

Summary

Insightful and thorough, "Inside Narnia" will dig deeper into C.S. Lewis's magical world to reveal biblical truths that often go uncovered.

Review

As if the scholarly and popular appetite for new books on C.S. Lewis and his works knows no bounds, Baker Books has brought out nothing less than a full-length literary analysis of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe—just in time for Christmas and the upcoming movie.

While the book’s subtitle bills it as “A Guide to Exploring The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” if you substitute the word “guide” with “commentary,” you’ll have a much better idea of what Inside Narnia is all about. In true CSI fashion, author Devin Brown dusts for fingerprints and shines his ultraviolet light into every nook and cranny of Narnia seeking clues that will deepen our appreciation of Lewis’s best-loved book. Ever wonder who Lucy is and why Lewis dedicated this book to her? Look no further. Ever wonder why Lewis chose beavers as the first talking animals the children encounter in Narnia? Wonder no more. And if you’ve ever been puzzled by the appearance of Father Christmas in this story, don’t worry, Brown offers an opinion on this and dozens of other major and minor details as well.

To be honest, my first response to this book was “Enough already!” Agreed: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of the greatest pieces of children’s literature ever written, but do we really need to subject it to this sort of comprehensive literary scrutiny? Surely a work of this nature will only be of interest to Lewis scholars and the most dedicated of fans. Then again, I suppose Brown has correctly identified a gap in the marketplace. As he notes in his preface, most of the scholarly and popular books on the Narnia stories take a devotional rather than a literary approach, and the few non-devotional works devote merely a single chapter to each of the Chronicles. Furthermore, even though The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe “can be simply read and enjoyed as a child,” the meaning and satisfaction we derive from this story will only be deepened by Brown’s painstaking effort to draw connections between different passages within the book, other works by Lewis, events in Lewis’s life, and the work of writers who influenced the writing of the Chronicles.

So perhaps this book is justified, if only to provide fodder for the ever-growing cottage industry of grad students and professors who scour Lewis’s works like they are the Scriptures themselves. I can only imagine that if this book is successful, Brown plans to follow it up with six more of the same, one on each of the other Chronicles. And if he does, more power to him. Just because I think it borders on overkill does not mean it contains nothing of value. In fact, if I were an undergrad student writing a paper on the Chronicles, I would be delighted to discover the existence of this tome. Inside Narnia reflects a tremendous amount of research, and I am certain that dedicated Lewis fans as well as those who have just entered the wardrobe will be forever grateful for the work Brown has done here.

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Comes a Horseman

2005-10-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Review by Jenn Wright

Author: Robert Liparulo
Westbow Press, ISBN: 0785261761

Synopsis: A recently widowed FBI agent and his tough-as-nails female partner are on the case of a serial murderer. The case turns ugly, though, when the agents themselves become targets of the killer. The resulting drama unfolds as the pair travels to the Middle East, following apocalyptic leads and shady characters through a network of deceit and megalomania, and, ultimately, to the man suspected to be the Anti-Christ.

To be honest, it is difficult to review this book in the “Pop Culture from a Spiritual Point of View” context of Hollywood Jesus. In this case, a more appropriate approach would be “Spiritual Culture from a Popular Point of View” (a great tagline for a different website). Unfortunately, Comes a Horseman reads like a strange Jenkins-LaHaye-Peretti-Oke hybrid—perhaps a Left Behind in This Present Darkness with a side order of romance. The novel is clearly written to a Christian audience, and will likely not be recognized beyond that scope.

I admit that I was somewhat disappointed in the book—not due to any deficiency in writing talent or plot development or characterization on Liparulo’s part, but because the book tries to be too many things to too many people. For those who enjoy crime thrillers, Liparulo’s general story may be intriguing—two FBI agents investigating a serial murder case, who end up as potential victims. Likewise, the apocalyptic bent of the storyline is engaging and rather on the creepy side. But other elements of the story dull the potential intensity of a crime thriller by detracting from the action with moments of religious introspection and transparent romance.

These literary distractions prevent the reader from thoroughly engaging in the spine-tingling thriller the story could be. Every time the drama takes the reader to the edge of his seat, the suspense is interrupted (and subsequently diminished) by a touchy-feely moment of Christian reflection or unfulfilled romance. The “spiritual” diversions include numerous “insider” references that only Christians would recognize—Christian song lyrics, biblical allusions, theological positions, and questions of sin and evil pervade the larger story arc in a rather obtrusive fashion. Similarly, the romance angle between the tragically-widowed-single-father and his career-addicted-but-oddly-feminine partner is predictable as an overused convention. What I found most disappointing is that the general plot of Horseman is most certainly strong enough to carry itself into the vast array of popular crime fiction; unfortunately, the heavy-handed Christian aspects and the out-of-place romance keep this novel from appealing to an audience beyond the conservative Christian who wants to feel like he’s reading a thriller without the associated guilt of enjoying “worldly” (and more believable) drama.

In short, Comes a Horseman is a well-written, engaging novel, with an unfortunately narrow audience. A bit more thrills (sans cheesy romance) and fewer overtly “Christian” references, and Liparulo would be in contention with the best “worldly” thrill writers of the day. Perhaps we can look forward to a broader focus in coming works.

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Story: Recapture the Mystery

2005-10-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

(Steven James. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell: 2005, 208 pages.)

In a recent article[1], I criticized overzealous evangelicals for tripping over themselves to make the gospel relevant. Underlying this evangelistic fervor, I conjectured, is not so much a love of Christ as a fear that the gospel can’t stand its own. If we don’t do something to jazz it up or dumb it down, non-Christians won’t get it. Steven James’ new book Story: Recapturing the Mystery is a prime example of my hypothesis. Billed as “a postmodern retelling of the Christian story,” it is essentially a collection of brief personal essays, poetry, and black and white photographs that attempts to jazz up the gospel while at the same time dumbing it down. It’s the worst of both worlds.

It’s difficult to put my finger on exactly what rings false here. The best I can say is that James—like many other Christian authors commonly labeled as “postmodern” or “emergent”—sounds like the smart kid in class who knows the right answers but pretends he doesn’t so he’ll fit in. I’m all for making the Bible accessible to the masses. But if we’re going to do it, let’s do it honestly, and let’s do it well. Unfortunately, I think James blows his opportunity here on both counts. A good example is his opening essay on creation. Here’s a wonderful chance to hook readers with some probing questions about life’s origin and purpose, to give them a glimpse into the glory and wonder of God. Instead, James opts for passages like the following:

“God finally got tired of the cloak of darkness, so he told his first story. He spoke and light appeared.

'Let there be,' he said. And there was.

I’m not exactly sure why he did it. I don’t think anyone knows his precise motivation. Personally, I think he got sick of the darkness. I think since God is love, he couldn’t stand the thought of spending eternity alone in the dark without someone to love. He needed companionship, because love gives, shares, sacrifices, woos. It has to. Or else it isn’t love.”

Pay attention to the last paragraph. James begins by coming alongside the seeker and pretending like he has no idea why God created the universe. Then he rushes in with a trite, Sunday school level theory that burns like acid on the face of intellect. For starters, it’s obvious James has no idea what the term “eternity” (time without beginning or end) means. Otherwise he would never say that God couldn’t stand the thought of spending eternity alone in the dark, because if God truly is without beginning or end, he had just spent eternity doing just that! Furthermore, if you look at the Scriptural account of Creation, it wasn’t God who was in darkness; it was the earth (Genesis 1:2). And surely God was not in need of companionship, seeing as he exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who are the epitome of community and selfless adoration. I’m sorry, but if I were a non-Christian, I would have put the book down right there, assuming James was nothing more than a poorly educated wolf in sheep’s clothing—an old school propositional apologist who figured the way to be postmodern was to phrase every statement as a question.

Theological quibbles aside, however, what is sorely lacking in this book is the one thing that would endear it to modern and postmodern readers alike: authenticity. Please don’t confuse this term with “sincerity.” I believe James is quite sincere, but his musings in this book are far too safe and trite to be authentic. What James and others seem unable to understand is that people of a postmodern bent don’t just respond to any narrative. They respond to narratives that ring with the genuine cry of human experience that logical, propositional arguments for God do not, narratives that recognize that life is often dirty, painful, messy, disappointing, and unpredictable, that we don’t have all of the answers and that it is unlikely we ever will. But amidst the muck and grime and grief, there is always a glimmer of hope, a reason for taking that next, boot-sucking step. That light is nothing less than Christ, the Light of the world (John 8:12).

James’s impulse is correct here: In our story-based culture, Christians need to develop fresh ways of telling and re-telling their stories. But such innovations should never be motivated by fear of the gospel’s irrelevance. The gospel is relevant today, tomorrow, and forever. We can rest in that fact. We don’t need to jazz it up, and we certainly don’t need to dumb it down. All that is required is an honest, authentic expression of our experience with Christ. Offer that up to the world, and trust God to take care of the rest.

[1]“The Misguided Quest for Relevance,” Clarion: Journal of Spirituality and Justice, Easter 2005.

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Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

2005-07-24T21:54:00.001-07:00

Review by PETER "PapaBear" CRUIKSHANK

Author: by Anne Lamott
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (March 3, 2005)
Amazon link

Summary

Few people can write about faith, parenting, and relationships as can the talented, irreverent Anne Lamott. With characteristic black humor, ("Everyone has been having a hard time with life this year; not with all of it, just the waking hours") she updates us on the ongoing mayhem of her life since Traveling Mercies, and continues to unfold her spiritual journey.

Plan B finds Lamott wrestling with mid-life hormones and weight gain while parenting Sam, now a teenager with his own set of raging hormones. Her observations cover everything from starting a Sunday school to grief over the death of her beloved dog, Sadie; lamenting the war to bitterness over her relationship with her now-departed mother.

As she tugs and pokes out the knots in a slender gold chain necklace, it becomes a metaphor for letting go and learning to forgive. "…any willingness to let go inevitably comes from pain; and the desire to change changes you, and jiggles the spirit, gets to it somehow, to the deepest, hardest, most ruined parts." It’s her willingness to show us the knotted-up, "ruined parts" of her life that make this collection of sometimes uneven essays so compelling. |
"Everything feels crazy," writes Lamott, adding, "But on small patches of earth all over, I can see just as much messy mercy and grace as ever…." Lamott’s essays will serve as reminders to readers of the patches of messy mercy and grace in a chaotic world.--Cindy Crosby

Review

When someone generally says they are a Christian, most people will automatically (right or wrong) envision a Right Wing supporter of President Bush. Well, Anne Lamott (author of the best seller “Traveling Mercies”) proves that not all Christians fall into this category. First off, you need to picture a 50 year old white woman with dreadlocks who is an ex-drug addict raising a 15 year old son on her own and is a self proclaimed Right Wing Christian. And, by the way, she really has problems with the Bush Administration. Ok, now you are beginning to get an insight into the author of the book “Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith”.

When asked if I am a Liberal or Conservative I just shrug my shoulders and say “depends”. It depends on the issue. Sometimes I can be pretty conservative, and on other issues I might be extremely liberal. Sometimes I may be middle of the road. I guess I just don’t fit into a nice neat box. So there are many things I could relate to in Anne’s book, but then there are some things that she comes up with that I found a little extreme, even me.

But all-in-all, I feel like Anne Lamott provided a lot of insight into our daily life, especially for those of us in the second half of this (sometimes) wonderful and glorious life. Yet even those who still think their physical body is immortal can find nuggets of wisdom that might help them find their way the complex maze of what we call life.

Life is tough. For anyone who has had any experience in life knows that this is one of life’s truer statements. Anne Lamott has had a tough life and has taken her hard earned wisdom and put it down on paper. Again, her perspective takes on a highly liberal viewpoint on many issues, but even in this she speaks what many of us (both liberals and conservatives) have thought ourselves, just not put into words. For those that believe there is only way to look at a subject, they might not “get” Anne’s book. But for the majority who look at the many angles of an issue, regardless of whether they are Christian or not, this book holds a lot for them to think about. It is a book about faith in everyday life and faith that knows no bounds. Or for that matter, structure. That’s why those of you who have never felt comfortable in a traditional church will soak up this book.

To really understand where Anne comes from and how she interprets daily life, it is best to highlight some of her observations that I found of interest:

Anne tells the story of trying to start up a Sunday school at her church, though at the time she did not particularly like having more than two children around at any time and she has self proclaimed mediocre self-esteem. As she put it, “I grow anxious on my way to the dump with a car full of garbage, convinced that my garbage and I will be rejected, either because I am throwing out perfectly good stuff, or because it is so disgusting that the people who run the dump wouldn’t want it.”

So why start a Sunday school. She tells a Hasidic story [Anne leverages all people to get to her point] of a rabbi who when asked why God puts Scripture on their hearts rather than in their hearts. The rabbi answered “Only God can put Scripture inside. But reading sacred text can put it on your hearts, and then when your hearts break, the holy words will fall inside.”

The Iraqi war started during the writing of Anne’s book and greatly influenced much of the book’s content. In one chapter she relates of how the war made her feel the same as when her mother had Alzheimers and her entire family felt totally helpless. You didn’t know quite what to do as the old rules just no longer applied. She remembers a decal she saw that helped her through her mother’s debilitating disease and also through the beginning weeks of the Iraqi war. It had a picture of a gorilla on it and a caption that said “The law of the American jungle: Remain calm, share the bananas.” Her family tried to make one another laugh and stay calm, and shared their bananas. This is what she says we all need to do every day – share the bananas because we are all in this together and faith is about relying on each other and God.

Anne pulls on wisdom she has garnered from many different wise people (Christians, Buddhist, Hindus, whoever). There are a number of things that Anne says that really stuck with me. One was something she learned from reading the memoir by a Hindu writer; which she says is basically the same thing she was told by a close Priest friend of hers, “…when you pray, you are not starting the conversation from scratch, just remembering to plug back into a conversation that’s always in progress.” I now find my self sitting down and rather than beginning with a lot of re-introductions (after all, God probably knows me well enough from all my past failures), I just start right off like I had stepped out of the room to get a soda and was returning to an on-going conversation. Sometimes, I just sit and say “I’m back God”.

The book is really humorous, but I do caution – this is not your normal “Christian life insight” book, and if you consider yourself more on the conservative side and not really interested in getting into the mind of someone a bit different, you won’t enjoy this reading. One example I can give you is that Anne feels that there are times when only profanity is the proper response and she is not bashful about using it from time-to-time to express her feelings. Overall, though most Readers will probably not agree with all Anne’s observations, I believe that there is something for everyone in this book. Whether the parent of a teenager, an ex-hippy, recovering addict, single parent, or Sunday school teacher and devout Christian, you will recognize something in this book that you can relate with and will find yourself going “hmmm”.

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Behind the Sceen: Hollywood Insiders on Faith, Film, And Culture

2005-07-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

Author: Spencer Lewerenz (Editor), Barbara Nicolosi (Editor)
Publisher: Baker Books (November 1, 2005)

Summary
Hollywood: Devil's playground or God's mission field?

Joan of Arcadia, Mission Impossible, Batman Forever, and That '70s Show have been some of the biggest productions in film and television. But did you know that Christians have been behind the scenes of these and other box office smashes? Industry professionals Spencer Lewerenz and Barbara Nicolosi have discovered that the church is very much alive in Hollywood--and making a difference!

Behind the Screen presents a fascinating look at Hollywood through the eyes of Christian writers, producers, and executives living out their faith behind TV shows, on movie sets, and in studio offices. In their own words, they will take you behind the screen to reveal what Hollywood thinks of God and what you can do to close the gap between Christianity and culture.

Author Bio:

Spencer Lewerenz is a writer and editor whose editorials have appeared in The Washington Times, Crisis, Doublethink, The World & I, and First Things.

Barbara Nicolosi is the founder and director of Act One, an organization whose mission is to train committed Christian writers to work in the Hollywood film industry. Both editors live and work in Hollywood, California

Review

After a spate of books about Hollywood written by Christians who are observing the industry from a distance, it’s refreshing to see a book like Behind the Screen, which was written by a group of individuals whose day jobs place them at the heart of the most influential cultural enterprise on the planet.

The book was produced by the faculty and staff of Act One, a non-profit organization founded to train people of faith for careers in mainstream film and television. The list of contributors includes writers like Janet Scott Batchler (Batman Forever), directors like Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), producers like Ralph Winter (the X-Men franchise, Fantastic Four) and Dean Batali (That ‘70s Show), story consultants like Linda Seger (Making a Good Script Great), and many others. Their essays cover topics such as why Christians should be involved in the entertainment industry, how to know if you’re called to the industry, how to survive in Hollywood once you get there, and even practical advice on how to break into Hollywood on both artistic and financial levels. (On this latter approach, check out Charles B. Slocum’s fascinating essay “The $10 Billion Solution,” wherein he argues that if Christians really want to make a lasting impact in Hollywood, they should put their money where their mouth is and buy up one of the major studios.)

Some of my favorite contributions include “A Filmmaker’s Progress” by Scott Derrickson, where he uses Pilgrim’s Progress as a rough outline for his own spiritual and artistic journey; “Changing the Channels” by Dean Batali, in which he instructs Christians on how to communicate effectively with people of influence in Hollywood, and Linda Seger’s essay “What Kind of Stories Should We Tell?”, which issues a call for Christians to abandon overtly prescriptive stories in favor of those that take a more subtle, descriptive approach.

Apart from their association with Act One, I quickly got the sense that the contributors also share something else in common: strong feelings of frustration with Christians outside Hollywood who: a) treat Hollywood as if it is the whore of Babylon, b) assume there are no Christians working there, c) are shocked and appalled when they find out there are Christians in Hollywood or d) attempt to “take over the entertainment industry for Christ” without having the slightest idea about how the industry works, what audiences want or how to create a compelling, theologically significant piece of cinematic art. Clearly, this book was written to head such people off at the pass, and it definitely accomplishes that goal.

One thing I do want to take issue with in this regard is Lewerenz and Nicolosi’s opening remark about how Christians don’t like Hollywood. If they had prefaced the word “Christian” with the word “evangelical” or “fundamentalist,” and if they had written these words even five years ago, they may have been closer to the truth. However, today these and other Christian groups are embracing Hollywood like never before. (Remember that spate of books I mentioned earlier? Box-office attendance also bears this out.[1]) As it stands, such negative statements merely create a false picture of conflict—much like the one that has maligned the relationship between Christianity and science for the last few centuries—and ultimately work against the spirit of reconciliation this book is striving to create. That said, if I had to deal with as many sincere but ultimately ignorant Christian zealots as they have over the years, I would probably share their pessimistic view.

Part how-to manual, part meditation on what role Christians should play in the entertainment industry—and what role the entertainment industry should play in the lives of Christians—Behind the Screen is must reading if you’ve ever cast a stone at Hollywood, wondered how we can span the gap between Christianity and culture or considered getting involved in the entertainment business yourself.

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[1] According to a survey conducted in 2004 by the Barna Group, born again Christians who are neither conservative nor liberal on political matters are among America’s most prolific movie watchers. (http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=167)

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Movies and the Meaning of Life

2005-07-20T22:09:00.001-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

Author: Kimberly A. Blessing, PAUL J. TUDICO (Editor), Kimberly Ann Blessing (Editor)
Publisher: Open Court Publishing Company (April 10, 2005)
Amazon link

Summary
"The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions," said Albert Camus. And philosopher Woody Allen has wondered: "How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?" Claims about what gives life meaning have not only been analyzed by philosophers but by the primary mythmakers in contemporary culture: Hollywood filmmakers. Movies and the Meaning of Life shows how a wide variety of films have tackled — to sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprisingly pointed effect — the same questions that have obsessed the deep thinkers. These essays draw on such sources as The Truman Show and Contact to explore the nature of reality; Fight Club and Being John Malkovich for cogent lessons on finding one's true identity; American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption for pointers on life's purpose; Pleasantville and Spiderman for nuggets of wisdom on how to live one's life; and more.

Review

In the introduction to his essay on American Beauty, philosopher George T. Hole (one of the contributors to this book) says the film “does more than entertain us with yet another story of a man going through a mid-life crisis. It offers us a philosophical challenge, not simply to intellectualize about the meaning of the movie, but to examine our assumptions about the meaning of our own lives.” I could say much the same thing about this book. While it is definitely entertaining, and quoting from it certainly will make you sound more intelligent than you are, its greatest value lies in its ability to use film as a window into the soul. Reading this book won’t just give you a greater appreciation for cinema; it will also give you a greater appreciation for life.

In their effort to broaden our understanding of life and the movies, editors Kimberly A. Blessing and Paul A. Tudico bring together a sizeable team of philosophers who use some of the most popular, controversial, and memorable films of recent years to help us reflect on five of life’s most important questions: 1) What is reality and how can I know it? 2) How can I find my true identity? 3) What the significance of my interactions with others? 4) What’s the point of my life? 5) How ought I to live my life? The book is divided into five parts or “takes,” each based around one of the five questions.

One thing I found appealing about this book is that the authors did not restrict themselves to foreign, underground, or arty films that no one has ever heard of. Contrary to what you may think when you hear the term “philosopher,” the authors aren’t snobby at all. They look at controversial films like Pulp Fiction and Fight Club, comedies like Crimes and Misdemeanors and Groundhog Day, sci-fi films like Minority Report and Spiderman, as well as more serious, dramatic works like Shadowlands and Contact. The good news is, there’s something for everyone here, no matter what your taste in film. And if you’ve never cared much for philosophy, that just might change after you see how viewing a film through philosophical eyes can deepen your appreciation of the art form and life as a whole.

Something else I appreciated about this book was the opportunity it afforded me to revisit some of my favorite films from a completely different perspective. In this regard, my favorite chapter has to be James Spence’s essay “Grace, Fate, and Accident in Pulp Fiction.” While many critics—especially Christian critics—wrote off Tarantino’s film as nothing more than the soft, squishy stuff from which it takes its name, I have always suspected there was far more going on beneath the surface of this picture than most people give it credit for. Spence’s essay more than confirms my suspicion, revealing Pulp Fiction to be a masterpiece of modern cinema and Tarantino as far more than a former video store clerk who happened to strike it rich. Other standout chapters for me include Michael Baur’s chapter on Memento, Shai Biderman’s essay on Kill Bill, Volumes 1 and 2, and Nir Eisikovits and Shai Biderman’s chapter on Minority Report.

While I certainly got more out of the chapters that reflected on films I had already seen, for the most part, it didn’t really matter which point of entry I chose, because each chapter—and each film—had something profound to say about the human condition. My only real critique of the book is that it excluded one of the most popular genres around: horror. I would have loved to see an essay or two on zombie films, slasher films, or serial killer films, for example. I am certain that such movies (and our fascination with them) have much to say about the big questions of life. In addition, a chapter that looked at animé would also have been appreciated. But perhaps the authors are merely saving up such essays for the sequel—if and when they decide to write one, that is. (I certainly hope that they do.)

This book argues that, as with most things in life, movies are definitely worth a second look. I agree, and I encourage you to take a first look and then a second look at this book as well.

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Holy Superheroes!

2005-05-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Review by KEVIN MILLER

Holy Superheroes: Exploring Faith And Spirituality In Comic Books
by Greg Garrett
Navpress Publishing Group

One of the great joys of searching for truth in unlikely places is that every once in a while you turn up a gem. Having already read and reviewed two “okay” books—Who Needs a Superhero? and Comic Book Character—that sought to extract spiritual insights from the world of comic books, I had pretty much given up on finding anything substantial on the topic. Then someone handed me a copy of Holy Superheroes! by Greg Garrett, co-author of The Gospel Reloaded.

The book sat on my desk for about a month before I finally picked it up, certain it was going to be “more of the same.” But twenty-six pages in, I began to suspect I had finally hit the jackpot. As it turns out, the world of books is not much different than the world of superheroes: Things are not always as they seem. Just as Lois Lane had no idea that behind Clark Kent’s mild-mannered visage lurked the greatest superhero of all time, I had no idea that Holy Superheroes! would turn out to be not just a great book about the spirituality of comic books. For me at least, it also turned out to be one of the most insightful books I have read on any topic in a long time.

Perhaps part of the appeal for me was that Holy Superheroes! also turned out to be the right book at the right time. The day before I read it, I had written a lengthy reflection on the film Kingdom of Heaven, wherein I discussed the futility of responding to violence with more violence. Seeing as taking such a stance has left me bruised and battered at the hands of my fellow believers in the past, I was feeling somewhat apprehensive, like a disobedient child waiting anxiously for his father to return home from work, not sure if he was going to be swatted or not. However, rather than upbraid me for my audacity, Holy Superheroes! actually affirmed and expanded upon what I had written—pretty surprising considering superhero comics are some of the most violent forms of entertainment around. Lest you think I only liked this book because it agrees with me though, let me share a few other things Holy Superheroes! has going for it.

What Garrett attempts in this book is a “philosophical reading” of comic books, a study of comics to see if they can offer wisdom on how to live our lives. Why comic books? Because they and the superheroes that populate them have become the primary mythology of our society, Garrett says. Even though not all of us read comics, we all know the stories and characters. Our society has chosen reason and empirical data as its primary source of truth, but the power of myth cannot be ignored. And if we do ignore it, it is to our peril. As Garrett says in the foreword, “We’ve gotten in the bad habit of thinking of myth as something false, or at best, untrue—like those old Greek gods and snake-headed monsters—rather than something that is supremely true; we’ve made the mistake of thinking that myth is untrue because it can’t be proven, rather than something that is supremely true because it’s a story that has to be accepted.”

Even though we have turned our back on myth, a part of us keeps reaching out for something to fill the gap that reason has left behind. Where this need used to be satisfied by reading the lives of saints, apostles, and other heroes of the faith, we now read about men and women who have secret identities and run around in skin-tight costumes doing battle with the forces of evil. These are the stories that move us, Garrett says, “the ones we most need to hear to be whole.” How and why these stories lead us closer to the sacred and inspire us in our own quest to do good is the main subject of this book.

Garrett starts by looking at the connection between comics and religion. In this chapter, he shows how comics are really the latest manifestation of the “American monomyth,” which goes something like this: “A community in a harmonious paradise is threatened by evil; normal institutions fail to contend with this thread; a selfless hero emerges to renounce temptations and carry out the redemptive task; aided by fate, his decisive victory restores the community to its paradisiacal condition; the superhero then recedes into obscurity.” He goes on to show how the American monomyth is actually a retelling of the Judeo-Christian story of redemption, a.k.a “the gospel.” Thus, Garrett argues, superhero comics are to be taken seriously, “as seriously as we ought to take every kind of storytelling,” because they can teach us about what it means to be human. Comic books can actually change our lives, for good or ill. Remember that the next time you’re tempted to poke fun at the comic store owner on The Simpsons. Perhaps those seemingly trivial distinctions between Captain Kirk and Captain Picard are more important than you think.

Garrett moves on to discuss our need for heroes and the archetypal shape of the hero’s journey, as it is replicated across time, culture, and religion. The ongoing appeal of superhero stories, Garrett says, is that they are merely the most recent manifestation of this archetype, which seems to be hardwired into our systems. At the same time, he warns that even though these stories may tap into archetypal figures—such as Christ—we should not mistake metaphor for reality. Thus, while we can notice correspondences between Christ and Superman, for example, we should not seek to equate the two. Instead, we should merely ask how these correspondences can instruct and inspire us.

After these introductory chapters, Garrett turns his attention to a number of topics that are front and center in the world of superheroes. First up is the relationship between power and responsibility, a link made clear through the life of Spiderman in particular. Garrett concludes his study by pointing out how even though we aren’t superheroes; we all have power—especially those of us wealthy enough to afford such luxury items as comic books. The question is, are we using our power responsibly?

Truth is the next topic of discussion. Why Garrett failed to bring in Wonder Woman’s magic lasso I’m not sure (her lasso forced whoever was caught in it to tell the truth), but his discussion still bears much fruit. Most notably, he talks about the danger of certainty. “Oftentimes surety can be more dangerous than any enemy you face,” says Garrett. Shocking words, no doubt, for those who still believe in such things as "evidence that demands a verdict." By way of example, he talks about the Nazis and the Japanese militarists of World War II. Both groups were certain that what they believed was right—and the entire world is still trying to recover from the outcome of those beliefs. He shows how certainty inevitably leads to fundamentalism, which, if not checked, leads to holy war in defense of one’s doctrine or beliefs. Truth is far more complex than fundamentalists of any stripe would have us believe, argues Garrett, and our world would be a much safer place if more of us woke up to that fact.

From truth, Garrett turns to justice. In this section, he seeks to expand our definition of justice beyond retribution. While retribution may bring a temporary halt to crime or some other social problem, it fails to deal with the root causes of evil, and it offers no vision of the just society. Using Batman as a model of retributive justice, Garrett describes the price of going down such a path: “Batman’s success as a crime-fighter has come at the expense of his success as a well-rounded human being.” Instead of conceptualizing justice as punishment, a response to a negative action, far better, says Garrett, to adopt the view of the ancient Hebrews, who saw justice as, “an ongoing movement toward equal opportunities for all people, and support for the less privileged, aged, or infirm.”

Garrett’s take on patriotism is perhaps the most subversive section of this book. He describes the concept of “benevolent fascism,” which dominates superhero stories, saying, “The traditional superhero myth suggests that power in one set of capable hands is the surest way to achieve justice, that democratic systems can’t be trusted to perform their tasks alone, that anyway, the hero would never take advantage of those he serves, and that that the world requires American superheroism.” Sounds like something you might see scrawled on the bathroom wall at CIA headquarters—or on the doorplate to the Oval Office. Garrett goes on to offer a critique of American foreign policy, chastising the government and the American people in general for being so narrow-minded as to believe that Americans have a monopoly on truth and justice, that America is not only the last of the superpowers, it is also the most heroic. “Unquestioning acceptance of a truth—any truth—is dangerous,” says Garrett. He urges people not to swallow everything they’re told by the government, even it if means they are branded as unpatriotic or disloyal.

From here, Garrett moves on to only slightly less controversial ground by confronting the problem of evil. He considers what role evil plays in God’s redemptive story, where evil comes from, and how all of us share responsibility for the “evil that men do.” But Garrett doesn’t abandon us to the Dark Side. He also offers a way out, showing that all religious faiths agree that the only way to overcome evil is through unselfishness, compassion, and love.

As an addendum to his discussion of benevolent or “pop fascism,” Garrett also weighs in on vigilantism. After all, virtually every superhero is a vigilante on some level, because they take the law into their own hands. In this sense, heroes are often seen as outlaws as well, as the Batman knows all too well. One of the main reasons for this blurring of lines, Garrett points out, is that vigilantism involves a blend of “extralegal violence and personal vengeance.” Thus, vigilante justice is rarely selfless and, hence, open to suspicion. After all, if the heroes are using the same methods as the villains and are motivated by the same feelings of anger and retribution, are they really all that different? As Garrett says in relation to an incident from Alan Moore's quintessential 1980s classic, The Watchmen, “If you have to stop being a hero to accomplish your ends, then maybe they’re not worth accomplishing.” Or, to put it in terms of Kingdom of Heaven, if you feel tempted to commit a little bit of evil for the sake of the greater good, perhaps you should reconsider whether that “good” really is all that great.

Delving deeper into the root cause of evil, Garrett turns to superheroes like the Incredible Hulk, Wolverine, and Batman to show how the war against evil may often be a symbolic war against the self. He also wonders about our tendency to fear those who are not like us. “Is it part of our nature to try to destroy people who are different from us?” Garrett wonders. “How can we be aware of these feelings and stop genocide from happening again on such a grand scale?” He believes the answers to these questions can be found in, you guessed it, comic books!

Next, Garrett looks at what comics have to say about the apocalypse and how we should live our lives in light of this reality. Despair is always a temptation, but Garrett argues in favor of hope, which is much more than a vague desire for things to turn out right. True hope gives birth to action. “How the world ends up is not up to us,” says Garrett. “But what we do while we’re in it? That part most certainly is.”

Garrett concludes the book with a lengthy discussion on how to bring an end to violence. Garrett argues that, “we love violence as much as we love hatred.” However, even though retribution feels good at the time, it only leads to more suffering. “Violence can shock and awe someone, but it will never change an opinion, right a wrong, or save a soul.” Fair enough, but how are we to respond to our enemies then? Compassion is the answer, says Garrett. “We have to… see even our enemies—maybe especially our enemies—as human beings.” Compassion destroys any false sense of dichotomy between our enemies and us, making it much more difficult for us to hate and destroy. Thus begins the long, hard road to healing and reconciliation. It also turns our attention toward those whom Christ sent us to serve: the victims. Using Alan Moore’s short story "This Is Information" to illustrate this fact, Garrett shows that “the choice between good and evil, between us and them, may be satisfying, but it’s a false choice. Our hands need to be extended to those who are suffering, whoever they may be. But that can be a hard lesson for us to hold.”

Hard indeed, but this is the path that all of us must walk if we hope to be heroes in our world.

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--Comix Index

Reflections For Movie Lovers

2005-05-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

Review by Kevin Miller

Author: Matt Kinne
Publisher: CLW Communications/AMG (August 25, 2004)
Amazon link

Reflections For Movie Lovers is a collection of 365 devotionals inspired by 365 classic films. The reflections are grouped into 52 weekly “film festivals” according to genre or theme; including romance, action, fantasy, sports, sci-fi, foreign, and so forth. Each entry contains basic information about the film (title, MPAA classification, and any awards the film has won), a brief summary of the film’s plot, a scripture reading, a short reflection inspired by the film, and a suggestion for prayer. While author Matt Kinne focuses primarily on films rated PG-13 and lower, he does wander occasionally into R-rated territory when he feels that the spiritual significance of a film, such as Chinatown, outweighs its morally challenging content.

Overall, Kinne’s devotionals display a sincere if somewhat simplistic approach to both film and faith. To his credit, it is difficult to summarize a film’s plot and seriously engage the spiritual questions raised by each film in six paragraphs or less. But perhaps Kinne should have focused on fewer films and done a more thorough job on each. As it stands, what he has managed to create is a cinematized version of Our Daily Bread—spiritual milk for the movie-loving soul.

Kinne’s case is not helped by the distasteful foreword penned by well-known conservative Christian film critic Ted Baehr. In two venomous pages, Baehr manages to dump on anyone and everyone who doesn’t share his version of Christian film criticism—which basically consists of rating films according to how much or how little they agree with his particular point of view. After reading Baehr’s foreword, the only thing that compelled me to keep going was the fact that I happen to know Kinne’s mother. Even then, I balked. Thankfully, Kinne’s obvious warmth and enthusiasm stand in stark contrast to Baehr’s acerbic tone.

If you’re looking for a daily dose of brief, movie-inspired spiritual thoughts, Reflections for Movie Lovers is the book for you. But if you desire a weightier theological engagement with the films you love and the medium of film in general, I advise you to seek out deeper waters.

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Walking Through the Wardrobe

2005-04-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Overview by David Bruce

Walking through the Wardrobe: A Devotional Quest into The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Paperback)
by Sarah Aurthur

Summary

You’ve heard the story, but it never loses its magic: Lucy discovers a world beyond the wardrobe, and before long Peter, Susan and Edmund are drawn along with her into a enchanted adventure through the land of Narnia. Join the characters of this classic tale on a devotional adventure of your own as Sarah Arthur, bestselling author of Walking with Frodo, reveals that we’re never too old to believe in the truth of Narnia.

Do you hunger for other worlds? Always looking for what’s just around the corner?

Do you long to go beyond this ordinary life, to find adventure in magical lands like Narnia? The quest is not to be taken lightly. You just may discover there is another Kingdom out there—closer than you realize, as near as your heartbeat, just through that door. Are you ready to take the first step?

Join best-selling author Sarah Arthur as she ventures through the wardrobe with the cast of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the quest for the true Kingdom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Arthur is the best-selling author of Walking with Frodo and a devoted student of C. S. Lewis’ works. She graduated from Wheaton College with a major in literature and Christian education, has written for Relevant magazine and served for many years as a full-time youth director. She serves on the board for the annual northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival and is married to her husband Tom, who lovingly built her website: www.saraharthur.com.

Sarah served as a youth director in northern Michigan for seven years before launching her writing and speaking career. She is a fun-loving speaker for youth events, retreats, church groups, home-schooling clubs, and area school.

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WonkaMania

2005-02-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

Overview by David Bruce

Click here to read the first chapter

Summary

For years Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been everybody's non-pollutionary, anti-institutionary, pro-confectionery factory of fun! Now take a look at all of the pop culture icons from the original film and book: the Golden Ticket, Oompa-Loompas, and the spectacular chocolate factory. Through the lens of Scripture, readers discover what this classic tale can teach us about pride, greed, laziness, temptation, and purpose in our own walk of faith.

For years Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been everybody's non-pollutionary, anti-institutionary, pro-confectionery factory of fun!

Find Out:

Why you should be more like an Oompa-Loompa
If there’s a Slugworth who whispers in your ear
What caused a $540,000 filming oops (and other fun Chocolate Factory facts)
What the world of Wonka has to say about pride, greed, laziness, and your purpose in life

Author Bio

Kris Rasmussen has been a contributing author for CCM and Relevant magazines, specializing in pop culture and entertainment. She continues to work as a freelance writer for a variety of Christian publications and spends much of her time around young adults through her involvement with local youth ministry. She lives in Petoskey, Michigan.

From the Author

Why do we connect with certain stories more than others? And what can we learn from a story—not necessarily a Christian story—but a story that people of all ages and cultural backgrounds somehow connect with? These are the two questions I asked myself many times as I began to rediscover the amazing world of Willy Wonka.

Author Roald Dahl didn’t publicly profess to be a Christian, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not considered a Christian book. The movie versions (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971 and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005) aren’t considered Christian movies either. This may surprise you, but both the book and the 1971 film adaptation weren’t considered immediate commercial successes. Yet there must be some reason why the story of a dirt-poor kid’s adventure inside a magical chocolate factory has actually increased in popularity over the past forty years. Maybe, just maybe, it all comes down to the search for meaning.

Any time we read literature or watch a movie, we have a choice in how we approach the subject matter in front of us. We can look at it simply as a form of entertainment (and there’s nothing wrong with that), we can analyze its literary or artistic merits (if our teacher forces us to), or we can search for its meaning. When we look inside of a story for meaning, we bring to it our own observations and insights. And sometimes as we grow up and change over the years, stories can grow with us, and we discover new meaning that we didn’t see before. Such was my experience with Charlie.

I must first confess I never read any of Roald Dahl’s books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when I was a kid. But I do remember seeing the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and enjoying the visit to a world with an endless supply of chocolate! Of course I assumed I was nothing like the bratty, whiny kids in the movie. Instead, I was like the noble, innocent Charlie, who inherited the factory and a “happily ever after” ending.

Revisiting the Chocolate Factory years later, I was surprised at my reaction to the tale. The meaning of the story had changed for me. I still found the story funny, clever, and entertaining, but I also discovered that there was much more to it than that. Underneath the fun songs and dazzling candy creations, I found that the tale of Willy Wonka is filled with a deeper layer of ideas and themes—some spiritual and some not-so-spiritual—but all worth chewing on. Who would guess that characters invented over forty years ago would still be able to give us insights into things like violence, watching too much TV, or our obsession with instant celebrity, fame, and fortune?

The past forty years have also given plenty of scholars and fans a chance to come up with their theories of what the story is really saying. Have you ever watched a movie with a friend, and both of you came away with a completely different idea of what the movie was about?When we search for meaning within a story, do we only look for what we think is the “Christian” meaning? That might be a part of what we discover, but we may also uncover many other possible meanings. Some of the Wonka theories I discovered seemed ridiculous; others were thought-provoking. Some of them reinforced my own opinions about the truths I had uncovered. And that’s one of the great benefits of this sort of digging: It lets us reflect on the characters and the plot in a fresh way and helps us discover new insights into the emotions and experiences common to all of us.

Let’s go beyond just appreciating the story. Let’s personalize it—what does it mean to you? How does it speak to you? Do you feel a connection with Charlie as he hangs on to hope by the tiniest thread? Do you want to look at the world with his innocence again instead of the skepticism and sarcasm we often give in to? Are you willing to see glimpses of yourself in the self-destructive journeys of the less lovable Veruca, Augustus, Violet, and Mike Teavee?

As you read this book, I hope you will also take time to make your own thoughtful discoveries as you see Charlie Bucket, Willy Wonka, and the other characters inside the factory with fresh eyes. May the wisdom found in Wonka’s story inspire and encourage us to behave more like an Oompa-Loompa and less like Veruca—and to believe that “if we want to change the world, there’s nothing to it.” Consider this book your personal Golden Ticket, inviting you to step inside the factory gates and discover a world of meaning. Welcome!

How to Use This Book

This book is designed to be used as a devotional look at the themes found in the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as the 1971 film version of the book, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. (Little reference is made to the 2005 movie version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, primarily because it was still in production at the writing of this book.)

It is important to note that while some of the themes in this devotional relate to both the book and the film, other themes are specific to the movie. I have tried to make it clear when this is the case. To use this devotional to its maximum potential, you will want to be at least somewhat familiar with the movie or the book, if not both. You will want to have a Bible nearby and a pen handy to jot down any ideas that come to you as you read.

Oh, and one more thing. You may notice that many of the themes addressed in this book are framed in the context of a question. That’s because my hope is that you’ll apply these questions to your own experiences and think about how they fit into your individual life story. You might also want to pay special attention to the sections called “The Flip Side.” In these sections, I’ve included some quirky facts and quotes that represent different points of view. Hopefully, thinking about these perspectives will help you further unwrap the truth and crave God’s Word a little bit more!

Click here to read the first chapter

Who Needs A Superhero?

2005-01-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

Review by Kevin Miller

1. Who Needs a Superhero? Finding Virtue, Vice, and What's Holy in the Comics (H. Michael Brewer. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004, 224 pages.)

2. Comic Book Character: Unleashing the Hero In Us All (David A. Zimmerman. Downer’s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2004, 160 pages.)

A major trend sweeping through the evangelical subculture today is a move toward redeeming popular culture. A mere generation ago, movies, television shows, pop music, literature, comic books, virtually anything produced by the mainstream entertainment industry was deemed corrupt by definition. Many evangelicals still indulged their interest in such things, but it was often regarded as a guilty pleasure.

No longer. The pendulum has shifted. Where you once found books decrying the evils of Hollywood, television, rock and roll or fantasy literature, you now find numerous books, web sites, and articles that seek to unearth the Christian images, parallels, messages, and characters buried throughout these mediums. Of course, the detractors are still hard at work. But more often than not, evangelicals are waking up to the idea that perhaps they were a little hasty in rejecting popular culture. Rather than demonizing these cultural products and the people who create them, perhaps we should stop and listen to what they have to say instead. Who knows? We may discover that we have more in common than we think. And what better place to build bridges of understanding than on common ground?

Two of the most recent entries into this effort to bridge the gap between Christianity and popular culture are H. Michael Brewer’s Who Needs a Superhero? and David A. Zimmerman’s Comic Book Character. It is interesting that two such similar books would come out at almost exactly the same time. But perhaps it just means the time for this message has come.

Christian images, characters, and messages in comic books, you say? Come on, aren’t these fanboys just seeking to justify their juvenile obsession with the medium? I was an avid comic book reader and collector growing up, but I never associated that interest with God. Through comics, I was seeking the same thing as every other pimple-faced geek: adventure, excitement, and buxom, photo-realistically drawn women dressed in skin-tight costumes. Like these costumes, aren’t these guys stretching things just a little?

That question was foremost in my mind when I first picked up Who Needs a Superhero? But I didn’t get more than a few pages into the book before I realized Brewer wasn’t reading comics wrong, I was. Through a succession of tightly written chapters on classic heroes like Superman, Spiderman, Captain America, Thor, and the X-Men, Brewer shows us that virtually all of these characters and their stories point us toward Christ rather than away from him.

Take Superman, for example. The parallels between Superman and Jesus are remarkable. Both have amazing abilities and powers beyond that of mere mortals, both came from humble origins and were raised by surrogate parents, both stand up for truth and justice, both are considered a menace to authority, and both do battle with humanity’s archenemies. Brewer admits that Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster—the two Jewish boys from Cleveland who created Superman—probably did not intend Superman to mirror Jesus so closely. But intentional or not, the similarities cannot be denied. In my case, such parallels did not lead me toward Christ on a conscious level. But I am willing to accept that on an unconscious level, they prepared me to recognize and identify with the story of Christ when I heard it. After all, as Brewer points out, “Every heroic saga, legend, and myth is ultimately a variation on one universal story: When all seemed lost, a hero stepped in to rescue us from the evil around and within us. As it turns out, this story happens to be true, and the hero is absolutely real.”

Not every superhero Brewer profiles can be linked so closely to Christ. But he does a great job of demonstrating how all of them exhibit character qualities or spiritual truths that teach us something about God. There is the Incredible Hulk, an enormous, green statement on our inability to overcome our own sin; Batman, who shows us that even the best among us, can only be made perfect by God; Wonder Woman, who is a study in the power of truth; the Fantastic Four, who teach us about living in community; and a comparison between the Punisher and the Green Arrow, who illustrate competing images of God.

Written at a popular level, this book definitely sacrifices depth for accessibility. Brewer also restricts himself to mainstream characters published by DC and Marvel rather than delving into more challenging independent titles like Hellboy, Sin City, or 30 Days of Night. So, even though this book satisfied neither the theologian nor the comic snob in me, if you have a pimple-faced comic book fan in your house, or you used to be one yourself, you will definitely want to get your hands on this book—if only to offer a spiritual justification to your spouse for your ever-growing collection of double-bagged, mint copies.

Comic Book Character moves things in a slightly different and deeper direction. Rather than base each chapter around a particular character, Zimmerman takes a thematic approach and then brings in various superheroes to demonstrate his points as needed. Questions covered in this book include, “Why are we sometimes so strong and yet often so weak? What makes the difference between righteous anger and blind rage? Why do superheroes (and we) wear masks? What’s so super about being good looking, young or simply alive? Why are we so quick to marginalize people? Which higher power ought we to submit ourselves to, and which ought we to rebel against?”

As with Brewer, I was disappointed to see that Zimmerman restricted his pontifications to mainstream DC and Marvel characters. However, I tended to prefer his book to Brewer’s, because Zimmerman’s approach was more sophisticated and contained far less sermonizing. Rather than show us how superheroes provide answers to our deepest questions, Zimmerman demonstrates that superheroes are better at raising a number of interesting and important questions instead. They also offer far more in the way of social commentary than most people realize. In this sense, I felt Zimmerman’s book was less about trying to justify comic books as a medium and more about using them as an entry point into some basic theological and philosophical issues. He could have taken the same approach to another medium, such as film, and been just as effective. It’s not that Brewer’s approach doesn’t work or that it wouldn’t work more effectively in the hands of a more capable author. But I suspect the questioning quality of Zimmerman’s book will make it far more palatable to those outside of the evangelical community as well as those evangelicals who tend toward a more postmodern way of thinking.

Zimmerman is a self-confessed, post-pubescent “fanboy.” But, like Brewer, you never get the sense he is talking to comic book insiders only. Exactly the opposite, actually. Like any closet comic book geek, Zimmerman loves nothing more than the opportunity to bring others into his four-color world, to show them that it’s not all “Kapow!” “Zowie!” and “Wham!” and that not all fanboys are like the bitter, overweight, socially inept comic store owner on The Simpsons. In fact, they are probably far more imaginative and interesting than most.

Whether you’ve been waiting to come out of your own comic book closet or you would simply like an unconventional approach to some important questions about what it means to be human, I highly recommend this book. You don’t have to be a comic book fan to enjoy it. But don’t be surprised if, after reading it, you find yourself hesitating outside your local comic book store and wondering if you should have a look inside. And don’t hate yourself if you do.

--Back to Book Index

Dating Mr. Darcy

2004-11-20T10:49:00.000-08:00

Overview by David Bruce

The Smart Girl's Guide to Sensible Romance
Companion to PRIDE AND PREDUJICE

Summary

Any girl who has seen Pride and Prejudice or read the Jane Austen novel knows that the much misunderstood Mr. Darcy is the ideal gentleman. But is it possible to find your own Mr. Darcy in today's world of geeks and goons? With smart tips, spiritual insights, and discussions of Jane Austen's popular stories and movies, best-selling author Sarah Arthur equips young women to gauge a guy's Darcy Potential (DP) according to his relationships with family, friends, and God.

Do you love Pride and Prejudice?

Still holding out hope that there’s a Mr. Darcy in your future?

Crazy enough to believe that you can change a Mr. Wickham into a Mr. Darcy?

Any girl who has seen Pride and Prejudice knows that the much misunderstood Mr. Darcy is the ideal gentleman. Is it possible to find your own Mr. Darcy in today’s world?

With spiritual insights along with smart tips, best-selling author Sarah Arthur helps you figure out a guy’s Darcy Potential (DP) and refine your Creep Detection System (CDS).

Smart girls still believe in love.

Author Bio

Sarah Arthur is the best-selling author of Walking with Frodo and an ardent Jane Austen fan. She graduated from Wheaton College with majors in literature and Christian education and served for many years as a full-time youth director. She is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and married to her very own dashing Mr. Darcy who lovingly built her website: www.saraharthur.com.

Note from the Author

Dear Reader,

I have a confession to make, happily married woman that I am:

I have a crush on Mr. Darcy.

Yep, I’m one of those Jane Austen fans. I first came to Pride and Prejudice through the BBC/A&E television series and haven’t been quite the same person since. Gone are my ties to the Grunge Era, when we girls swooned for the slightly unshaven, plaid-wearing skaters playing hacky sack in the quad. Now, my husband is never more attractive to me than when standing mildly aloof in his white button-down shirt and prep-school tie, copping his smart-guy attitude. He may roll his eyes at the world of Jane Austen, but deep down he is my very own Mr. Darcy; and I am Lizzy Bennet, laughing at him till he laughs at himself. Having a crush on your husband is a good thing.

But there were those dating years when I fell for any number of unworthy guys, probably because I hadn’t yet encountered the ideal of Mr. Darcy by which to judge them. Nor did I have a heroine like Elizabeth Bennet to look up to. Sadly, I didn’t read Pride and Prejudice in high school when I should have, when Lizzy would have been a welcome breath of fresh air in the midst of daily relational disappointments. I don’t know if the book just never crossed my path or if I thought it was “Old English” or what. And for whatever reason, Jane Austen was never assigned reading material in my college literature courses, either. It’s a wonder I survived at all.

So when a friend loaned me the BBC/A&E series several years ago during a particularly wretched, flu-ridden February, I had no idea from one scene to the next what was going to happen. Darcy’s first proposal was a total surprise, as was Charlotte Lucas’s marriage, Wickham’s betrayal, and Lydia’s elopement. I giggled at Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, hissed at Miss Bingley, and hollered, “You go, girl!” every time Lizzy said anything. Then when it was over, I watched it all again.

If only I had discovered Darcy during those dating years! And now that I’ve become immersed in all six of Jane Austen’s major novels, I wish I’d read them long ago, over and over again, during those wasted hours in study hall. If you haven’t read Austen either, take it from a literature buff with a romantic turn of mind: you’re missing out.

Pride and Prejudice has never gone out of print since it was first published in 1813, making Jane Austen one of the most popular and beloved authors in the English language. Her popularity is not only because of her ironic wit and economical prose, but because of her timeless insights into human nature and romantic love. How an unmarried “spinster” could have had such tremendous insight into the nutty nuances of romantic relationships is a mystery and ongoing debate that perhaps will never be resolved. One could say that the closer we get to something, the more difficult it is to see it properly, which might account for why those of us who are “attached” sometimes can’t seem to see our significant other or the relationship very clearly.

By the same token, you may be wondering what a married woman like myself might have to say to those of you who are still playing the dating game or despairing of ever finding your own Mr. Darcy. Good question. While I won’t claim even remotely to have Jane Austen’s powers of discernment, I’m happy to offer what insights I can, aided by my distance from the situation and my incurable addiction to romance.

If I’m hopelessly off base at times, I ask your forgiveness. As Elizabeth Bennet says, “We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing.” But if you too have a crush on Darcy, I hope you find yourself in good company!

I am very affectionately yours,
Sarah Arthur

Some Thoughts

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single girl in possession of her right mind must be in want of Mr. Darcy. Including you, we can assume, or you wouldn’t have bothered to pick up this book. Whether you’re single, dating, or otherwise, you’re in good company, sister! Prepare yourself for an all-out Darcy Fest within these pages. (Careful, though: this is a spoiler, so you’d better know Pride and Prejudice from start to finish first.)

Clearly, we’re not the only girls to fall in love with Mr. Darcy in the two hundred years since Jane Austen immortalized his fine figure in her beloved novel. His romance with Elizabeth Bennet, given flesh and blood in recent films and spin-offs of Pride and Prejudice, has drafted thousands of admirers into the ranks of genuine Janeites and card-carrying Austenians. Keira Knightley proves that Jane Austen won’t be going away anytime soon. And we can’t forget the “a-Firthionados,” who have become fervent fans over the years thanks to the eloquent eyes and wet shirt of Colin Firth. Mmm.

In fact, now that you mention it, the ten-year anniversary of the BBC/A&E television series obligates us to a celebratory marathon of all six episodes, don’t you think? It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. And for good measure, we might as well watch all the major films made of Austen’s characters in the last decade: Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam in Emma, for example; Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, and Hugh Grant in Sense and Sensibility; and even teen queen Alicia Silverstone as a postmodern Emma in Clueless. Some Janeites have argued eloquently for You’ve Got Mail as yet another take on Pride and Prejudice. And why not?

Here we probably should give a nod to Bridget Jones, whose popularity can’t be overstated but whose similarities to Elizabeth Bennet remain tenuous at best. As lovable as Bridget is to those of us who share her tendency to say all the wrong things at all the wrong times, we can’t help thinking poor Mr. Darcy somehow ended up with Lydia at the conclusion of that story. (And, we suppose, if that Mr. Darcy chose such a match with his “eyes open,” then he probably deserves her!)

No, it’s Jane Austen’s own Mr. Darcy we return to time and time again. That’s because our dear, darling Fitzwilliam embodies everything we romantics desire in the guy of our dreams: passion, integrity, honesty, intelligence, loving affection, and a willingness to accept us for who we really are, crazy family notwithstanding. Oh, and we can’t forget the “something pleasing about the mouth” when he speaks. Hmm, yes. And how nice he looks in that formal dinner jacket . . .

Okay, so we’re hopeless romantics when it comes to Darcy. We’ll track him down in whatever form we can find him, all the while envisioning our own Mr. Darcy making his appearance in the ballroom of our lives. Whether we’re dating or single, we have an ideal relationship in mind that looks something like our hero and Elizabeth Bennet gazing at each other across a crowded drawing room at Pemberley, eyes locked in mutual acknowledgment: You were made for me.

Sigh.

Yet for all his excellent exterior qualities, it’s Darcy’s inner character we admire most, or we’d be just as quick to snatch up books titled Dating Mr. Wickham. No, we want the good heart, not just the good looks. We want a guy with whom we can build the kind of romantic friendship that will outlast everything life throws our way.

Some of us are perhaps currently dating, which means we’re assessing the Darcy Potential (DP) of our romantic attachments. This is a good thing. If we’re not dating, we’re perhaps despairing at the apparent lack of DP in the guys we know. Body piercings aside, how could any of them possibly live up to such a noble and—yes, let’s be honest—yummy standard? One of the goals of this book is to help us assess the DP of the twenty-first-century guys in our lives, especially when it comes to their other relationships. More on that later.

Having said all that, as much as we swoon over Darcy, it’s Elizabeth Bennet we really admire. Jane Austen herself once called her “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” We want to be like Lizzy. We long to have the strength of character and depth of self-knowledge that allow us to turn down the offers and innuendos of an undeserving culture, that allow us to refuse even the dishy, the dashing, the delicious Mr. Darcys when they fail to grasp our true worth (at first, anyway). Because if we can be like Lizzy, we can overcome those lurking insecurities that make us question our own judgment in all matters relational and stop chasing empty dreams. Right?

Well, sort of. We easily lose sight of the key quality that makes Elizabeth Bennet so compelling:

She messes up.

Yep, even our dear Lizzy makes mistakes in judgment. In fact, the moment she recognizes her own willful prejudice against Darcy is when the entire story takes its ultimate romantic turn. That’s when she finally faces what she’s been ignoring. The rest is literary history.

At the risk of sounding like Mary Bennet, we must admit there’s a lot to learn from the development of Lizzy’s character. We can’t help but be amazed at the acuteness of Jane Austen’s discernment regarding the nuances of relationships, particularly in the arena of romance. Nothing escapes her eye. Every frailty of the human heart, every absurdity, is placed under a microscope for our inspection. Before we know it, we find our own motives and longings have been given the same kind of scrutiny. If we’re honest with ourselves, we soon discover that we’re prone to failure not only in judging our own hearts, but we often vastly misunderstand the people around us as well.

Eventually we come to realize that Jane Austen’s remedy for our inherent lack of self-knowledge is to take time for reflection. We need to get alone and put some serious effort into honest self-evaluation. We must take ourselves to task for “what we have done” and “what we have left undone,” as the old prayer of confession states. And this is the case not only in our romantic relationships, but in all our relationships: with family, with friends, and with God.

At some point or another, we all face the difficult task of looking inside ourselves. Do we have what it takes to live like Lizzy in the twenty-first century, in spite of our own loony family and friends? Dating Mr. Darcy is designed in part to help us consider our own EP, our Elizabeth Potential. It’s a guide to the kind of sensible romance that Lizzy herself would approve of.

But in this quest we must not be impatient with ourselves, or with the possible (and impossible) Darcys in our lives. As Jane Austen lovingly wrote to her niece in 1817:

To you I shall say, as I have often said before, Do not be in a hurry, the right man will come at last; you will in the course of the next two or three years meet with somebody more generally unexceptionable than anyone you have yet known, who will love you as warmly as possible, and who will so completely attach you that you will feel you never really loved before.

Sigh again.

Perhaps someday Jane’s words of wisdom will be only too true in our own lives. Meanwhile, we have some important—and fun!—work to do.

How to Read This Book

Dating Mr. Darcy is meant to be an enjoyable romp through the land of romance, a romp in which we keep our heads on straight. We have much to learn from Elizabeth Bennet about the crucial importance of all our relationships and how they influence, for better or worse, our romantic attachments.

The first step is to become familiar with the story of Pride and Prejudice, whether in film or in print. If you’re not already acquainted with Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, it’s a good idea to be introduced before you read any further in Dating Mr. Darcy. Once you’ve done so, the cast of characters listed at the back of this book can help you keep the main players straight. Locations are listed as well. You may also want to familiarize yourself with the story lines of Emma and Sense and Sensibility, as there will be occasional references to both.

If you’re currently dating a potential Darcy, this book is for you. This is your opportunity to take a step away from the relationship and consider how both you and your significant other are doing in the grand scheme of things. Are you personally maintaining a healthy sense of your own identity, particularly when it comes to your family, friends, and faith? And how about Darcy: Do you have a clear understanding of who this guy really is when it comes to his family, friends, and faith?

Or perhaps you’re still looking for your Mr. Darcy, in which case this book is also for you. Now is the time—while you’re waiting for him to either show up or declare himself—to take a thorough, honest assessment of all your relationships. All of Jane Austen’s heroines reflect on what they know about themselves, which in turn helps them assess their romantic interests. For just a bit, take your mind off assessing (and obsessing about) the DP of the guys you know and concentrate on your own character instead. What’s your EP?

For those of you who hope you’ve found your Mr. Darcy and are ready to think long-term, now is a good time to assess the PP, or Pemberley Potential, of your relationship. As a couple, how healthy are your interactions with each other’s families, friends, and faith? What sort of Pemberley are you creating: Is the relationship a blessing or a burden to others?

To aid in these reflections, Dating Mr. Darcy is divided into several parts. Part one explores the “dating market” today as compared to Jane Austen’s time. It also highlights the timeless wisdom we can glean from the example of Elizabeth Bennet in terms of how to conduct ourselves in the crazy arena of twenty-first-century romance. In parts two, three, and four, we take a look at why family, friends, and faith matter in dating relationships. With Lizzy and Darcy as test subjects, we’ll assess how healthy your relationships are in all of those areas. In part five, we’ll explore the necessity of taking time for honest reflection to come to a better understanding of ourselves and others.

The final section of this book contains two resources to help you in the process of figuring out what is going on with you and your various relationships. First there’s a Guide to Reflection with ideas for a personal miniretreat to help you listen to what God and your heart are telling you. The second resource is affectionately entitled “Lizzy Bennet’s Diary,” the newly discovered, original, uncut version. Yep, you won’t find this anywhere else. That’s because, as the lovable and flawed heroine of your own story, you get to write it! There are diary entries to help you assess all your relationships and Darcy’s too, complete with quiz questions, quips, and quotes.

So let’s go to it!

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Arthur is the bestselling author of Walking with Frodo: A Devotional Journey Through The Lord of the Rings (Tyndale/ thirsty?), among other youth resources. Her latest release, Walking with Bilbo (January 2005) is based on The Hobbit, Tolkien's lighthearted prequel to LOTR. Sarah's books are ideal for both personal and group study. Know any teens who love The Lord of the Rings? These devos make great gifts.

And now you can add more of Sarah's books to your wish list: Dating Mr. Darcy: The Smart Girl's Guide to Sensible Romance, inspired by Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice (summer 2005); and Beyond the Wardrobe: A Devotional Quest into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (fall 2005).

Sarah served as a youth director in northern Michigan for seven years before launching her writing and speaking career. She is a fun-loving speaker for youth events, retreats, church groups, home-schooling clubs, and area schools.

MOVIE connections
—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

--Back to Book Index

Interview with Ted Dekker

2004-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Interview by Mike Furches

Transcript

Phone Call: Phone Rings

Ted Dekker: This is Ted.

Mike Furches: Yes, Ted Dekker?

Ted Dekker: Yea, Ted Dekker.

Mike Furches: Ted Dekker, this is Mike Furches in Wichita Kansas.

Ted Dekker: Yea, how you doing man?

Mike Furches: I’m doing great how are you doing?

Ted Dekker: Where do you live?

Mike Furches: Wichita, Kansas.

Ted Dekker: Yea, Wichita, somehow I had in mind that you were in L.A. but it was probably from Hollywood Jesus.

Mike Furches: Yea, Hollywood Jesus is actually based out of L.A. but David Bruce the web site administrator, the guy that actually owns the site he actually lived there for awhile. He actually has everything based out of Oregon now and he has a number of writers that lives all over North America.

Ted Dekker: How in the world do they get like 2 million hits a day out of that thing?

Mike Furches: They are getting about 3 million now.

Ted Dekker: That’s incredible. Where do they come from?

Mike Furches: Well, initially there was just that many people looking for movie reviews.

Ted Dekker: Right,

Mike Furches: And over the years it has just grown and developed. We were averaging probably about 3 million hits a week up until about 6 months before the release of The Passion.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: And after the release of that particular movie we started getting all kinds of hits and they have kept growing. I wish I could explain it.

Ted Dekker: It’s incredible. I was trying to explain to my publicist out of New York We were blown away by those numbers.

Mike Furches: Yea, it is fairly phenomenal. Part of David’s story is that he lived in Chicago for awhile. I don’t know if your are familiar with Jesus People USA or not?

Ted Dekker: Yea, I used to live in Chicago.

Mike Furches: Really?

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: I lived at JPUSA for a long time.

Ted Dekker: Yea, I was only there for a year. I lived in North Chicago actually.

Mike Furches: Well David was there and had done a lot of work up there and he had gone to a Billy Graham Campaign and Billy Graham had challenged the people at the crusade to begin using the internet for some form of evangelism or to find some innovative ways to use it for evangelism. David had looked at the number of things on the internet related to Christianity and I think he said something like 95, 96 percent of it was being used more for informational types of material.

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: And there was very little that was being done for evangelism. And, that was something that he took off and started doing. It is amazing at what happened and I know it’s hard for me to believe it.

I started actually posting on some of the bulletin boards or message boards on movies.

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: A number of years ago and he asked me to start doing movie reviews, which has been unreal.

Ted Dekker: That’s cool. So what do you do with the rest of your time?

Mike Furches: I actually pastor an inner city church.

Ted Dekker: That’s right, that’s right, yea.

Mike Furches: It’s a trip. Most of our members are from gangs, and they come out of drugs and alcoholism, substance abuse. We even have a number of people who have come out of prostitution. We have one girl that six months ago she was still stripping and all at strip bars but finally she’s quit that.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: As far as the stripping part. It’s a different kind of church. We’re trying to reach folks that the normal church doesn’t reach.

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: Are you familiar with World Impact at all?

Ted Dekker: A, World Impact?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: I don’t think so.

Mike Furches: World Impact started in the Watts in California, or South Central Los Angeles.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: South Central L.A.. There primary purpose was to help with the inner city and they are starting now to plant inner city churches. Jack Hayford’s on the board of Directors there as well as Andre Crouch and a few other folks.

Ted Dekker: Yea, Jack’s a good guy.

Mike Furches: Yea. Jack’s a real good guy. I just came back from a conference at his church where he used to pastor at Church on the Way in Van Nuys.

Ted Dekker: Very cool.

Mike Furches: Yea, well it’s a treat to get to talk to you. I’ve actually got you on speaker phone and I’m recording it. That way I make sure that I get everything right.

Ted Dekker: Yea, no problem.

Mike Furches: Okay and a…

Ted Dekker: Feel free to a, well I’ll just ramble.

Mike Furches: Okay, that’s fine.

Ted Dekker: Don’t use me verbatim. Feel free to make me sound somewhat intelligent. (laughter)

Mike Furches: (laughter) That’ll… I’ll have to do that more for myself than I do for you probably.

Ted Dekker: Anyway, I think it is great what you are doing so.

Mike Furches: Well thank you. I’m excited about it. What happened, well it was actually a number of months ago. I was in the bookstore and I was looking for something and actually saw the book Thr3e. It was the first book of yours that I saw and I thought this is kind of interesting and I picked it up. And to be honest about it, it reminded me after reading the jacket of, it kind of reminded me a little bit of the movie Phone Booth.

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: So I picked the book up and read it and was just blown away because I had turned away from just about any kind of Christian Fiction. The last few things I read were really just pretty miserable to be honest about it. So I was just blown away and since then I’ve read everything now that is out except for the new release of, I guess it’s Red that is yet to come out yet and I’ve not read White yet.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: So, to do that in about Three or four months for myself is…

Ted Dekker: Wow man, you’ve had your dose. Do you understand? Very few people read that much of one author in that short a period of time. So, that’s a lot. I’m sure by now you have a pretty good idea of where I come from.

Mike Furches: Pretty good, that’s one of the reasons I wanted to do the story because I think, at least the impression I’m getting of where you’re coming from is fairly unique in Christian…

Ted Dekker: What did you think of When Heaven Weeps?

Mike Furches: I really liked it. I was kind of curious. In one of your emails that you sent me you said that you thought I’d really enjoy that and I was kind of curious as to why you said that.

Ted Dekker: Well, it could have been just a guess but from reading your posts and stuff. When Heaven Weeps, at least the way I look at When Heaven Weeps is that it is a hard hitting novel. It kind of grabs the whole issue of love and sacrifice and all by the throat. It deals with somebody who is in substance abuse. But essentially, it’s a, this incredible love story which is what Christianity really is. This incredible passion play between the forces that draw us one way or the other. Helen really represents all of us. I was just thinking that with you from the inner city and knowing or having read that, that I thought you would see some things there with someone that was relatively close to you. We are all Helen but you see, at least I think of Helen with a kind of addictive personality who is finally won over by sacrificial love. In one degree or another we’re all essentially out of that same experience. I don’t know, I just thought you would connect with that.

Mike Furches: Yea, one of the things that’s different is that our church is different. I’ve not been a pastor very long and before that I was actually an Executive Director for a mental health agency. I was blessed in that whole bit as far as recognition and all that kind of stuff. But I always had a dream of going in and working in the ministry. I actually did that for awhile with Christian bands. A long story made short is that our church is real different. One of the things we did for example this last weekend was actually did a Fear Factor.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: I had been doing a series called, well actually on Community and the message was Evangelism, The Heart of Community. So, what we did was a Fear Factor for actually about 35 minutes of the service. It was like a legitimate Fear Factor with people eating bugs, and grubs, holding rats, snakes…

Ted Dekker: Oh… (laughter)

Mike Furches: So what I did was after at the end for the message I just shared a passage out of the last part of Mark there where Jesus confronts the disciples. As a part of that I wanted to challenge the people with, here we are we say we love Christ, we say we do all of these things and the reality of it is that we’ll eat bugs, we’ll do all kinds of crazy stuff but when it comes down to sharing the Gospel and showing people love we don’t do that.

Ted Dekker: You know it’s funny. It reminds me of a time I did something very similar with our youth group where I took a little fish, a bait fish you know?

Mike Furches: Ah huh.

Ted Dekker: You know you go buy them for bait, or people do. I got a little bag and I had them give it a name. It was a tiny little cute fish swimming around in there and we gave it a name and connected with it. I was talking or teaching out of the story of Lazarus and everyone felt great and I dumped the water out and dropped the fish on the floor. And we all sat there and watched it flop and I mean it died. Everyone just started crying and there parents that was there was really upset. This was like 10 years ago. So here we are crying and all over this one little fish who’s dying and here we don’t give a rip about the fish in the world who are dying in their sins. We pass them by everyday and we don’t even give them a second glance. “Okay that’s enough, you’ve made your point, put it back, you’ve made your point.” And I said, “okay.” And I dumped it back in not knowing what would happen and it revived. It was cool because I was teaching out of Lazarus or I think it was out of Luke.

Mike Furches: One quick thing, when I was doing the message I gave the story of Jan and Helen and made mention of the story from When Heaven Weeps.

Ted Dekker: You did?

Mike Furches: It is a real challenge that we have to do is because a part of what I got from this story is that it’s not just what would we do if forced with making a decision, but do we love someone enough to challenge them in their decision and in what they would say. Let me go ahead and get started on these questions because I have a number of them and I doubt that I’ll get all of them done.

There is a lot of people who is reading Dekker right now. The lady at the bookstore was telling me that your stuff is just flying off the shelves here. Tell us something about Ted Dekker that a lot of folks maybe don’t know or don’t understand.

Ted Dekker: Well I’m definitely a person who is out of the box here in the United States because I grew up overseas. My parents were missionaries and what that meant for me as a little kid growing up was that I grew up in a culture of which I really didn’t belong. Everyone there had a different skin color than me, spoke a different language and I learned their language, I tried to fit in and I learned their language. I was always in one way or another ostracized. I came back to the United States every four years as a missionary kid and I was ostracized from this group too because I was too strange to fit in here. So I became what is called a third cultured kid which is basically somebody who is ostracized from any particular group of people and you develop your own identity. Now many people can identify with that here in the United States for many different reasons but my story is probably a little more intense than most. It is from that perspective and some of that background that I became an astute observer of culture, people, faith and of what makes us work as human beings. It is basically out of that perspective that I write. So I get things out of my writing that people don’t normally think about and so it is really nothing magical it’s just a different perspective on the same kind of issues that we all face. Does that make sense?

Mike Furches: Yea. It makes sense. It seems like one of the things I’ve noticed is that there are a lot of authors who seems to find their genera. They’ll find a specific style or a specific mode of writing.

Ted Dekker: Okay

Mike Furches: Your novels seem to be different in that you can read Black for example and it is almost a sci-fi, fantasy world but then you read Thr3e which is totally different.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: Where do you come up with your stories?

Ted Dekker: I’ll tell you what, my writing is definitely what is called cross genera, much like Dean Koontz, or even Stephen King. Those are probably the two closest writers, Dean Koontz comes the closest to me in the ABA world, American Book Sellers Association as opposed to CBA, Christian Book Sellers Association. My voice is the same in all of my stories. My stories are about a great confrontation between good and evil within a number of different genera’s. You’re always going to get a story, but all stories. Like in When Heaven Weeps, you could almost classify it as almost like a romance, it is a love story in one sense but it’s really a thriller. So there all thrillers but that’s kind of where the genera thing ends. My stories come from my passion to discover, and explore this struggle that we all have. That we all find ourselves engaging between good and evil and I write essentially modern day parables where I take the struggles and I put them on the canvas in big, bright, bold, colors. Those colors can be life and in really sensational ways it accentuates the struggle that we have in an ideal way. In those ideals with both the good and I characterize them in terms of ideally. For example in Blessed Child, there is the story of a noble savage, well there is no such a thing. You can’t find a Caleb, he doesn’t exist. But in the context of the story, he comes to life and we can examine good as it really could be. In the same way Jesus taught, he said; “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.” Well he didn’t actually want us to walk around plucking out our eyes. He is talking in ideal terms. He is using hyperbole to make a point and he used parables in the same way. That’s essentially what I am doing, I am characterizing good and evil in a very, a extreme way as I can do it without offending people or to drive away readers. So, my stories are born out of that desire and all of my stories will deal in one way or another with that common theme. What does good and evil really look like? Not the way where Stephen King casts it where there is no redemptive message in the end at all, there’s no redemption. Where good doesn’t conquer evil. I’ll take someone through the valley, and I am going to bring them up to the mountain top and have them look back and be able to say, “Yea, though I walk through that valley of evil, and death, I will fear no evil.” That’s kind of my mission in writing. Here I am rambling again, I’m rambling. So you’ll have to edit. You’ll edit this down, right?

Mike Furches: I’ll do a little bit.

Ted Dekker: (laughter)

Mike Furches: I actually like Koontz and I think King can tell a great story, I just wish he knew how to end it.

Ted Dekker: Yea, I agree. That’s exactly right. Koontz has got a much better spiritual compass in my opinion.

Mike Furches: One of the questions down the line is about that. It actually brings in Koontz. So I’ll get to that in a second.

Of all the novels you’ve written which one would you say represents Ted Dekker or maybe has more of you in it than any of the others? Any of them?

Ted Dekker: Yea, I can answer that. It is the novel I am writing now which happens to be called Storytellers which doesn’t come out until 2006. (laughter)

Mike Furches: So we’ll have to wait awhile?

Ted Dekker: (still laughing) It’s always the novel I’m working on now. You know what I’m saying?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: I can’t say that, it’s just that I’m in love with the novel that I’m writing now and when I’m finished with it, in some strange, artistic way, junk. I need to move on, you know what I’m saying? It’s not junk, it’s like, “Okay, I’ve got to do better.” “I’ve got to move on to the next project.” “I’ve got to find a new way to do it that’s even better.” It’s, “more, more, always more.” We are creatures created to obsess and I am obsessive about this task.

Mike Furches: Do you have one that is in print currently that is a favorite?

Ted Dekker: I can’t do that man.

Mike Furches: Okay, didn’t think you would but I’ve got to ask. (laughter)

Ted Dekker: (laughter)

Mike Furches: I looked everywhere about this and I was amazed that I could find nothing on it, maybe there’s a reason for it and if there is that’s fine. But one of the things I was impressed with was the work you did with Bill Bright on Blessed Child and A Man Called Blessed.

Ted Dekker: Yea.

Mike Furches: You got to work with a man that’s considered an icon in Christian ministry.

Ted Dekker: The experience was incredible.

Mike Furches: Tell me something about it because I want to make sure that for me, out of respect to Bill Bright that there is something in print somewhere that says something about that.

Ted Dekker: There was actually a Time Magazine article written about, as a feature about him and me as well but I was more of a side bar. The focus was on him and his ministry. Those novels, actually, he had little to do with them. I just wrote them and he blessed me with his, well we co authored them but you know how that works?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: So for me it was just, my greatest struggle was spending time with him and getting to know his heart. He was a very genuine follower of Christ who really, I think, more than most people. I mean, very few Christians have an honest desire to meet their destiny beyond this life. You know what I’m saying? To realize the joy that waits. In fact I have a proposal now to do a non fiction book on that very subject on the subject of Heaven and what waits for us behind the Vail. Which is a common thread actually in a lot of my books. I am fascinated by that hope that awaits us. Right now it is only something that resides in our imagination and in our faith. We need to quicken that imagination and bring it into the front of our minds because that imagination will motivate our faith. I’ve wrote a whole thing on that and Bill Bright is a person that for me personified that, a real living human being in a very unique way. He had that kind of child like faith that was delightful to witness, to watch.

Mike Furches: Bringing up Caleb from A Blessed Child and A Man Called Blessed, is there ever going to be the potential for him to come back or return?

Ted Dekker: Caleb?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: I’m thinking about using him as a cameo in a book I have called Showdown. So, yea, it’s possible.

Mike Furches: There’s a chance. You seem to have written a lot about Muslim culture in some of your novels, obviously in Blink that’s the case. What’s your thoughts or attitudes regarding the attitudes and relationships right now in America between Christians and Muslims, especially with the terrorism threats and everything since 9/11? Any thoughts on that or things that we as Christians…

Ted Dekker: I have a whole, I did like 50 radio interviews on that when Blink came out and that was always the question because I grew up in a Muslim country and I understand certain elements of Islam very well. I’ll tell you that, that is a whole can of worms man. (laughter) It really is, it is a whole separate, it is a whole article. The bottom line is that Islam and Christianity really should be judged by their founders, Jesus and Mohammad. There is very little similarity between the two, Jesus and Mohammad. Okay, they’re totally different faiths, they really are, they’re very different faiths. Really, in Islam, if you look, any Muslim who is true to the teachings of Mohammad, will in the end hate Christians because Mohammad teaches in the later part of his life, in a system of progressive revelation where all of the revelations in the later part of his life superceded those in the first part of his life. So the revelation like the war, the revelation that he originally gave which urged Muslims to go to war defend their Islam, I mean that came at the end of his life and they superceded his teachings on peace. This is what Osama Ben Laden understands. This is what the true, what many Imams and Clerics understand which is why they can’t speak out against terrorism. They can say we’re for peace, peace, peace, but they can’t say we’re not for war. It is very difficult for them to say unless they vacate the teachings of Mohammad himself because Mohammad at the end of his life led wars, battles, killed many Jews, Christians and so it is very difficult. Now having said that, Islam itself is in total, is in total, well there is no way to bring Islam and Christianity together. You can bring Muslims and Christians together, and we should work very hard at doing this because many Muslims don’t even understand their own religion. Just like many Christians don’t understand their religion. You hear what I’m saying?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: We should love Muslims, we should be willing to die for Muslims, you know? Jesus did! Jesus is a revered prophet of Islam but you can’t pretend that Islam and Christianity, let me back up, you can’t pretend that the teachings of Mohammad and the teachings of Jesus Christ are even remotely similar in the end.

Mike Furches: Okay. I just finished the Martyr’s Song Series, where did you get your inspiration for that?

Ted Dekker: My brother’s death. My brother died at the age of 33. He died suddenly, overnight from viral meningitis. And a, it was so unexpected and it crushed me. He was by far the best friend I ever had and it was a surprising experience, surprised me with people. It got me to examine, you know, life after death from that.

Mike Furches: Any potential future books in the Martyr’s Song Series?

Ted Dekker: There’s a project coming out next fall which I’m very excited about. It’s called the Dance of the Dead unless they rename it to something a little softer. It’s a Novella it’s a retelling of the Bosnia story with Korosic and Janovic come down into the village and kill the priest. It’s that story only with a whole new wrap around where it starts off in a contemporary setting with a teenager who is suicidal. I think you would like that too because of anywhere where there is harsh realities if you’ve lived through those realities you’ll identify with these kinds of themes. But that is being done as a Novella and also with a music CD and also in conjunction with several organizations, it’s in the process now of all being put together. That will kind of be the reintroduction to the Martyr’s Song Series. Because that’s where the story says a whole lot.

Mike Furches: I think you know that I was involved in Christian Music for a long time and some of the stuff we were doing really kind of set the groundwork for some of the Christians involved in music and some have been able to succeed. Bob Hay said that we were the first Christian Band to successfully go into the non-Christian world. But, in that whole process I became a little bit disillusioned with the business, I guess you could say. You seem to in Heaven Weeps, at least in my reading of that, to make a little bit of commentary towards how the “Christian Business” works. There was some discussion in the way that the book company deals with some things. As far as Christian movies, Christian media and the business end of it, what’s driven your opinions on those things, or have I just totally misread the fact that you’ve noticed that there’s some things that has the business there?

Ted Dekker: Excuse me, I think is very difficult to put labels on things like “Christian Business.” There’s, Christians that are in business peddling all kinds of wares and it doesn’t mean their followers of Christ. It doesn’t mean they have any favorites wherever that really acts as a guideline for the way they behave. They’re just humans, whatever their personal faith really is, for the most part is secretive. So, what does it mean to be a Christian? I don’t even like the word Christian Fiction. I really don’t because I’m not quite sure what it means. You know, where I grew up, or, I like have a friend who lives in Beirut and I visit him and there, Christian is something I certainly wouldn’t want to be. I mean, Christian for most people in the Middle East is someone who kills Muslim babies. You know, and its not someone who follows Christ, no not at all. That’s not the way they think, when they think of Christian they don’t think that. So the word means different things in different parts of the world. I’m not quite sure what Christian Fiction means. However, that is a label that is very popular now and if it’s a necessary label, that’s fine. That’s the same thing from the Christian Business man. So as someone who is a Christian and I’m in business, it means very little. That’s me.

Mike Furches: Okay

Ted Dekker: So I mean it is really the same thing with Christian Bands. The same thing with Christian Authors and in general, just, you know you can’t read a book by it’s cover they say, so there you go.

Mike Furches: And I want to include this comment in there, but thanks for the comment there. The reason for that is that this is one of those things that, just for years the same thing of “Christian” and “Secular.” It was just a real struggle for years, while we can’t just be Christians who happen to be involved in writing fiction or singing music, and if we have a legitimate relationship with Christ, that relationship will come through at some point.

Ted Dekker: Yea. You know that’s one of the things that I teach. You know Arthur Alms was a professor at Wheaton College in your backyard there. He had a book called; All Truth is God’s Truth, which is one of the books that I studied 20 years ago. He took the things that was very true and that I’ve always learned by and that is that really a false dichotomy between the fake and the secular. You know, everything is sacred, everything is secular, but that’s kind of what you’re saying. We use the term sacred and secular as convenient boxes. So that we can label things and put them in places that make us feel comfortable. They have very little bearing on the truth.

Mike Furches: Next one, next question here; I loved thr3e, it was the first book I read. I remember it like it was yesterday; I’m laying in the bed, I’m finishing it up because I can’t put the book down because I’m guessing here and I’m guessing there, trying to figure out what in the world is going on. I get about 40 pages from the end and my wife’s almost asleep and I yell out, “Ah ha! I’ve got it figured out.” She says, “What? What? What?” (laughter) I said, “I’ve got this stupid book figured out.” Long story made short, I get up and go to the YMCA the next day, I’m riding the exercise bike, I spend about an hour and half or two hours a day there, an hour in the morning an hour in the afternoon. I’m reading it that next morning and I’m finishing up those last few pages and I get to the place where it is like, “dad gum it!” (laughter) “I didn’t have it figured out.” Where did you get the idea for that book? That book probably has more plot twists than anything I think I have ever read. Where did you get your idea for Thr3e?

Ted Dekker: Again, again, first of all, it came from the passion I have to characterize the battle between good and evil in a very unique way, and the good that I would which is not that which I do not do. That is a battle that resides in all of us or is waged within all of us. I told my agent, I said, “I want to write a story about a serial killer that will be embraced by Christians.” “Ha!” he said, “You can never do it.” I said, “You know what? We all have a little serial killer in us. There is a way to do it.” So I started thinking of a way to write a story in which we are in essence serial killers. But instead of a killer we are going to show a bomber who is a quite nasty slayer. From there then came the idea… (Mike Furches notes: Out of respect of Ted, and the book Thr3e, I am leaving out some of the comments here to not give the book away. I will promise you after reading the book for the first time you will be glad I did. I am also deleting these comments from the audio version of the interview.” ) Now if you start talking about this you will ruin the book.

Mike Furches: Yea, I will delete that segment.

Ted Dekker: (laughter)

(Conversation deleted from tape interview and print interview. I will say this, there is a great deal of wonderful conversation around the issues addressed by this book at this point. )

Ted Dekker: To answer the question, that story came out of my driving desire to characterize the battle that we all face everyday in a very real way.

Mike Furches: Well it was a good way to do it too, so least I thought because it is something we can all use to look at our own inner struggles.

Ted Dekker: Right.

Mike Furches: I appreciate it. As a matter of fact, my daughter’s boyfriend is reading it now.

A lot of people make comments that your books would make great movies. Any plans in that area that you can talk about?

Ted Dekker: Well I cold tell you that Ralph Winters has optioned Thr3e, and it will be distributed by Fox Studios. In fact I just met, as I was telling you, this last, week before last I was out there. It was kind of cool, I went to Fox Studios and they ushered me through the back and I had dinner with the president of Fox Home Entertainment and the national sales manager, any way it was very, very cool. These guys , they’re distributing The Passion of the Christ by the way.

Mike Furches: Okay.

Ted Dekker: It just got released to them. But they, the national sales managers, they’re Christians. I forgot his name suddenly, but he is a very cool guy and so is Ralph Winter but you probably know that.

Mike Furches: Any discussion as to the book optioned?

Ted Dekker: The book, Thr3e, and we are in discussions about Black, Red, White, but on a whole different scale. Of course Generation Entertainment optioned, Blessed Child, and A Man Called Blessed. I was intrigued by that.

Mike Furches: What’s your opinion about spirituality, the discussion of spirituality in a contemporary media? Of course, that includes books, but also movies and music. We see a lot of discussion, you see a lot of movies now that seems to address spiritual issues in some way, your thoughts on that?

Ted Dekker: Well I think that most of the movies have come out totally flat and dry from my perspective. They make an attempt, what I find is that many people really aren’t in tune with their spiritual natures are addressing or tend to address spiritual issues because that is kind of the hot button. They do it in such a way to where it’s good until the last act so often in which it all just completely falls flat and it ends up undermining the true value of spirituality, for the true spiritual man. You know what I’m saying? In other words if you were to view it kind of like a falls issue, kind of like a pseudo spirituality. Very rarely do you have a movie that comes out and really honors and embraces this spiritual man, and then very, very rarely do they do it in a way that honors, or in any way kind of triumphs the teachings of Christ. For some reasons the teachings of Christ, and Jesus Christ himself has become the bastard child of the spiritual world. At least as far as the Western spiritual world. Does that make sense?

Mike Furches: Yea, yea.

Ted Dekker: I don’t know if I would put them in the same sentence.

Mike Furches: As far as the movies that do come out, and obviously with Hollywood Jesus we do movie reviews, I’m encouraging them to run this and they are doing that, what are some of your favorite movies be and or recording artists, musicians, bands and that type of thing?

Ted Dekker: Well, my favorite movie of all time is Moulin Rouge. It is a passion play, it’s like a story of, when I watched that movie I see a representation of the love between all of us and God. You have Ewen McGregor who’s a Christ figure, you have, what’s her name, Nicole Kidman. Have you ever seen the movie?

Mike Furches: Oh yea, I’ve got the review on Hollywood Jesus of it.

Ted Dekker: Oh really?

Mike Furches: Yea, go ahead though. Satine is her name.

Ted Dekker: Yea, yea, exactly. Satine who is the, I’m sorry I should use characters names. Satine who is the harlot and it tells her story. It is kind of like in one sense one has a thing or someone following her and what you have, that one song for me is the most emotional, wonderful song where it plays Roxanne and their dancing, dancing, away and he walks and says, “No!” and he starts singing to his own tune and he walks right past them. I just love that scene. I could just, me and my kids we sit there and we watch that and I say, “Here it is, this is Jesus and that’s us. Now look at his love, look at the way he loves her.” You know, we sit there and we watch that and we all get teary eyed, that’s just incredible man. That’s beautiful movie making. I have no idea if Baz knew what he was doing. True love stories is the story of love, or is the story of God because God is love. So in essence any great love story, even Romeo and Juliet, any great love story, is going to pluck certain spiritual chords in us. It draws us to it, that’s why we’re saps for love. Not teeny bopper love stories, those aren’t true love stories.

Mike Furches: That is one of my favorite movies too.

Ted Dekker: That’s cool!

Mike Furches: Yea, it’s a good one. Do you have the DVD of it?

Ted Dekker: Oh yea!

Mike Furches: Yea, you want to make sure because the extended version of Roxanne is great.

Ted Dekker: Yea, no I have the DVD. I like any movie of great sacrifice or movies like that, you know Schindler’s List is a great story as I’m sure you know, The Pianist, and I like The Abyss. I like X-Men 2, it’s a cool movie, it’s not fantastic but it’s pretty cool, better than the first one. You know I love going out to the movies. I watch tons of movies. I’m a movie fanatic. Cause our culture is really mussed or is become programmed now to engage during these two hour segments. I write my stories, I try to write my stories in a way that addresses that culture. It effects the ways that I pace my stories, and I address a culture that’s used to now engaging story in a short period or time frame, and in a very visual way. So I write very cinematically . That is a point being made all the time to me and I’m grateful for that because I work hard at it.

Mike Furches: One of the things I’ll say, is that I know that I’m supposed to be impartial in an interview, not be editorializing and all that but, I’ll do it anyway. One of the reasons I like you is because of, well, for folks that will be reading the article. You do a better job at that than anyone I’ve read, bar none.

Ted Dekker: Well thanks man.

Mike Furches: I love movies as well, but I also love literature because of the ability to escape. It helps pass the time away when I’m exercising or just doing nothing around the house.

Ted Dekker: I appreciate that because I work hard at it. I think Red and White, I gotta say that if I do pick one of my favorite books today it would have to be between Red and White. Those two books of the one’s I’ve actually written. Red when you get the depiction of, well I can’t give the story away, but it is very powerful. Visualizing or bringing into the mind, old, musty, dusty, truths and making them come alive again, in a whole new way, so the reader goes, “I never thought of it that way. That’s what I want.” I want everyone to say, five or six times, in every book, in every time they read one of my books, at five or six different points that, “You know I thought that but I’ve never thought of it that way. It is so cool!” I want them to connect and I want that truth to come alive in them in some sense, in some real way. That’s why visualization is so critical. I have a whole thing on the imagination and the quickening of the imagination. You can actually do that sometimes better in a book than you can a movie. But, movies are the product of the imagination, books are more the inspiration of imagination.

Mike Furches: One of the contemporary writers that the world seems to have hit on is Stephen King. I don’t know how well his movies have translated from his novels. Another one where there doesn’t seem to be a lot of movies made on their writings is Dean Koontz.

Ted Dekker: Right

Mike Furches: To me, my personal opinion is that Dean Koontz does a much better job than does Stephen King. They both have a niche to tell a great story. It seems that just as of recent Christians have gotten to the place to where it is becoming more popular to tell good stories and those stories are attracting Christians and non-Christians. Why has it taken so long to get there?

Ted Dekker: Well I think because of limitations placed on writers by what are called the gatekeepers. In Hollywood you have the gatekeepers, right?

Mike Furches: Right.

Ted Dekker: Well in the CBA you have the same thing. You know, gatekeepers who think, who are people who basically control the commerce, the business side of it. Only now are they starting to realize that the church, that Christians, believers, real believers, in a real society and real culture, warrant and benefit from real literature, not just Christianized stories, real stories that explore the truth. The true struggle that we all face on a day-to-day basis, which requires writing about both the light, and about darkness because in one sense they define each other. It’s very important to have. One thing I like saying is that if you paint evil with anything less than a truly black brush, you try to use a gray brush with evil in characterizing evil, you in essence are deceiving your reader by saying it is not as black as it really is here, it is actually a little gray. In essence, you are being complicit with evil because evil’s greatest objective is to hide itself. Right? So, who are we as writers to compromise the true nature of evil? To whitewash it with a little bit of white, to turn it into a gray mess when it really is black? Let’s call it what it is, especially evil! I can understand a person without faith doing that, but we, Christian writers painting evil with anything less than the blackest of brushes. How dare we! It’s sad. (laughter)

Mike Furches: Do you see any dangers in Christians who maybe become successful in the non-Christian world? Christian authors?

Ted Dekker: Well, there is a danger. The danger is that for a Christian to become popular in a non-Christian world, the danger that he gains his popularity on the back of a compromise. So, in other words, he becomes popular in the non-Christian world by becoming non-Christian. I’d really characterize it this way; he becomes popular among those that avoid a faith by stripping away his own faith. That’s the danger! Otherwise, no, there’s no danger if he can keep his faith. It’s like you, if you can keep your moral compass true, if you can keep your passion for God alive is there any danger for you ministering to people who you know who are rebels? You know, yea, the danger is perhaps to your own faith, that’s the danger. Otherwise, the rest is kind of just smoke and mirrors.

Mike Furches: Have time for a couple more questions?

Ted Dekker: Yea, we have ten minutes.

Mike Furches: Okay. Who do you read? Who does Ted Dekker read?

Ted Dekker: I read mostly newer, current best sellers. Dean Koontz, you know, all secular fiction. Only because, really, ultimately that’s the audience that I’m looking for. You know I want freedom. I’m not looking for non-Christians only, most Christians read secular fiction. Right?

Mike Furches: Right.

Ted Dekker: They go to, they watch X-Men. (laughter) Just like me. You know, they don’t watch a, well there aren’t really any Christian movies. Anyway, so I write for that audience and I write, and then I read a lot of non-fiction to feed my writing. Some of my favorite writers would be Dallas Willard, would be Philip Yancey, Thomas Mertin. Then others I like John Piper, Mike Dickle, a lot of really quite radical for writers, has done well with some people within Christendom.

Mike Furches: One of the things, is that in a lot of ways, the church around the world seems to be growing but in America the numbers involved in the church seems to be declining. It is almost as if there is a disinterest in the church. Why do you think that’s the case in America?

Ted Dekker: Because I think the church in America puts a lot more emphasis on form than on faith. It turns out even though many of us in the country, many people in other countries tends to be dense when it comes to a lot of issues, when it comes to a matter of faith they can smell that. They can smell a genuine, they can sense, because we are all spiritual people. We can sense the genuineness of any man. You know what I’m saying? Regardless of their ideology, they at least know and that they mean it. You know what I’m saying? It’s easier to do that than it is agree on ideology. It’s easier to at least appreciate honesty. You know what I’m saying? A lot of people say George W. Bush, they may hate his ideology, they may have a real difficult time even believing that he’s telling the truth but for them for the most part, even if they find themselves in that camp, they’re like “Neaa, he’s a pretty straight shooter, he aint stupid but he’s pretty....” I don’t believe that but honesty and integrity is something that is easier to identify. I think that’s what happened with the church. There is a lot of fakers out there.

Mike Furches: There is a lot of folks that are saying that Ted Dekker is one of the most important Christian writers to come around in a long time. How do you respond to comments like that?

Ted Dekker: I say, the teachings of Christ when characterized in real life settings, characterized in stories which represent real life. They are the most important thing to reenergize in our culture in a long, long time. I just happen to be one person who is doing it. We need many, many more. We need many more. I’m certainly not the best, I’m certainly not the first, the last or, I’m just one person doing it in an interesting way. It may not even be that great of a way. I’m just doing it and that alone is unique. And so, what is important is what I’m writing about, not me.

Mike Furches: One of the things I’ve always tried to do is to give tribute to some extent to the people who have laid the groundwork. To me, two people that come to mind right off the bat as far as doing things that are very similar to you are obviously, Frank Peretti and Flannery O’Conner. Some people may not categorize Flannery O’Conner there but I do. They both laid the ground for a lot of Christians to be successful in contemporary literature. What are some of your thoughts about some of the forerunners of your style, or your efforts? If that makes sense?

Ted Dekker: Well, style wise I am not sure there are any. I mean, I try to create my own style. I have great respect for Frank. He’s a good friend of mine, just a genuine guy who wrote about a subject that really fascinated him and low and behold found millions of others who are fascinated by the same spiritual struggle. Essentially that is the thing, I mean for people that are true to that, that true spiritual struggle that we all face. You know stories that really connect with that particular struggle, have a unique way of connecting with readers and then you have avid readers. Then you have avid readers who go, “You’ve gotta read this!” You see it’s knowing the story, it’s connected, it’s an unfair advantage. We will do that as an unfair advantage because we’re writing not just stories that we try to make great, but stories that connect with the person in a very unique way, by reaching into their innermost being and plucking those spiritual chords. It gives them an experience that is satisfying or disturbing, depending on which side you come from, beyond their norm. That’s why horror stories are so popular, that’s why Anne Rice is so popular, that’s why Stephen King is so popular. He is plucking spiritual chords. He may not define it, he has a unique way of, we all have a unique way of reaching in and plucking those spiritual chords. So, that is what is unique and people like Frank Peretti and if you look back at those people that’s what they are doing and they were among the first to be allowed to do that. Actually, they were the first to be allowed to do that but the first whose writings were publicized and published and made, or marketed across a broad spectrum.

Mike Furches: Two questions left. One is, one of the beautiful things about Hollywood Jesus is that it actually has a great deal of traffic to the website of individuals who are seeking spiritual answers. A lot of people who have no idea who Jesus is, what he stands for, they’re just looking for some type of spiritual truth. That is actually who the website is targeted for, more for non-Christians if you want to put it in that terminology. If someone were to ask for someone looking for spiritual truth; “Man here’s this writer and he writes some great stuff and it’s not going to offend you.” What would you recommend that maybe that person pick up read for the first time if they are picking up a Ted Dekker book?

Ted Dekker: I’d say Thr3e.

Mike Furches: Thr3e?

Ted Dekker: Um Hm.

Mike Furches: Okay. Any reason for that?

Ted Dekker: Well I think Thr3e is probably… You’re talking about someone who’s not a Christian? Right? Is that right?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: Okay, I’d say Thr3e because Thr3e is a very clear personification of the struggle between good and evil. And the recognition of that struggle is the first step towards dealing with it in any way.

Mike Furches: Any different recommendations for someone who maybe is a Christian?

Ted Dekker: For someone who is a Christian, I would want to hit them over the head with When Heaven Weeps.

Mike Furches: Okay

Ted Dekker: There is a good chance they would throw it across the room. It’s amazing at the number of Christians who hate When Heaven Weeps. Which tells me where they come from, but anyways, they just can’t stand the fact that I’m dealing with drugs. It’s amazing, I mean in other people, for example, a lot of people on the boards on my website, their favorite really is When Heaven Weeps. They are just passionate about that story. That depends where they’re coming from. I’d say When Heaven Weeps, you know what I’d say it’s tough. It’s tough to characterize or pick one book. They’re so different, they’re about different topics. Blessed Child has it’s own unique, they’re all different, but I’d say for a non-Christian, if you want to start, if you’re young, if you’re young, if you’re under the age of 30 or 40, if you’re under the age of 40, I’d give them Thr3e.

Mike Furches: Okay. One thing I’ve always tried to do out of respect is that I realize that a lot of times individuals maybe have always wanted to say something in an interview or something of that nature and have never had the chance. Just leave a wide open question. Is there anything that you’ve always wanted to say that you would like to say now? That you’ve never had the chance to share in an interview?

Ted Dekker: I’d say that we writers, I don’t know about other writers but I’d just die in my basement writing. Okay, and I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to mine my own experience in this world and to mine the teachings of Jesus Christ and faith. Then we walk in because of those teachings, and to put them on paper in a very, in a unique way in treating these stories. But, let’s make no mistake about it, it’s ultimately the discovery of faith that’s very cool in every one of my novels. Do you hear what I’m saying? Or, the exploration of faith is very cool, and not me as a celebrity, or me as a, you know, I mean I’ll play that role because that’s what our society does. The attempt, I can, I’ll play whatever, I’ll just play along, but it really has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the story. You know, I am subservient to the story. Does that make sense?

Mike Furches: Yea.

Ted Dekker: Okay.

Mike Furches: The last thing I want to say Ted is just thanks. The reason I say that is that I didn’t grow up in the best of neighborhoods or the best of environments and one of the things that has always meant something to me is that it is really nice to have the reminders of the importance of focusing on the simple things. You’re writings have brought me to a place to where as an adult, I can find those mountain tops again. I appreciate your work and I wanted to make sure I told you that.

Ted Dekker: And I write for people like you. Because, you know I am writing for my self. I’m writing about my own journey, my own struggles, and my own exploration bound of reaching out beyond myself for something greater than I am. That’s what it is all about. We are created to do that and so all of the people who read me are identifying with my journey, my characters journey. We’re all in the same boat. We’re all doing the same thing, I’m writing, you’re reading but it is the same experience.

Mike Furches: Well I really appreciate it. The Lord’s touched me through your work and I, well you’re probably the first person I’ve ever said that to and I just want to thank you.

Ted Dekker: Listen, I am so honored, I really am so honored that you are doing this, that you are writing this article. I mean there is so little written about what we’re doing. It’s becoming more popular now in certain respects but very few Christian writers who really have profound beliefs like you do who are writing about this to non-Christians. Yea, you can do a feature in New Man Magazine or Charisma. That’s one thing, but to do what you’re doing, and to put it on a web site like this. You know what, I applaud you. You know, I’m more excited about this, this interview, and this web site and what you guys are doing than probably anything I’ve done.

Mike Furches: I appreciate it, because I’m confident, I’m sure of the fact that you’re one who needs to be pushed and promoted because you’re stuff is not just speaking truth, it is written with quality. That’s something that we’ve lost out on for a long time. You’ll love my opening paragraph.

Ted Dekker: Cool man.

BOOKS by Ted Dekker

Black
by Ted Dekker
Fleeing assailants through alleyways in Denver late one night, Thomas Hunter narrowly escapes to the roof of an industrial building. Then a silent bullet from the night clips his head and his world goes black.
Now Thomas wakes from a deep sleep, remembering the vivid dream he just had of being chased. Incredibly real. His head is even bleeding – but he’s fallen on a rock. He’s in a green forest, waiting to meet Rachelle, the woman he’s falling madly in love with.
That night, Thomas tumbles into bed and falls into a fitful sleep. He dreams. But here comes the real mind bender. Every time Thomas falls asleep in one reality, he awakes in the other. He truly no longer knows which reality is real. Each reality has dramatic impact on the other, each proves to be real, each presents huge stakes, and the fate of each will depend on one man: Thomas Hunter.
This groundbreaking trilogy will be the fiction publishing event of 2004. Black is unleashed in February, followed by Red this May, and concluding with White in September 2004. Each new Dekker book has surpassed the prior one...but never before has he created such an unforgettable multi-layered epic as Black, Red, and White.

Red (The Circle, Book 2)
by Ted Dekker
Ted Dekker’s groundbreaking trilogy will be the fiction publishing event of 2004. Never before has an entire trilogy been released in less than a year. On the heels of The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings comes this mind-bending trilogy where dreams and reality collide.
Red picks up immediately where Black ends—and centers around the heroic attempts of Thomas Hunter to save two worlds. With the devastating realization that he has helped unleash death into both worlds, he must now discover how to defeat this evil—while trying to save his true love.
From meeting with world powers on earth to leading a small band of mighty warriors in the great deserts of the other world, Thomas is determined to change the history of two realities—or sacrifice all in trying.
October 14, 2004.

White
By Ted Dekker
Available October 14, 2004.

Thr3e
by Ted Dekker
Imagine answering your cell phone one day to a mysterious voice that gives you three minutes to confess your sin. If you don't, he'll blow the car you're driving to bits and pieces.
You barely manage to exit heavy traffic and ditch the car when, precisely three minutes later, your car blows sky high. The media and the police descend on the scene; your world has just changed forever.
So begins a nightmare that grows with progressively higher stakes. There's another phone call; another riddle; another three minutes to confess your sin. The cycle will not stop until the world discovers the secret of your sin. You have one huge problem: you don't have a clue what that sin is. If not for Jennifer, the brilliant FBI agent working to corner Slater, you would indeed go mad.
Three is a psychological thriller that starts full-tilt and keeps the reader off-balance until the very last suspense-filled page. W Publishing Group is launching this powerful novel in two distinct hardcover editions - a black cover version and a white cover version. This will be the novel of Summer 2003. Prepare now for Three.

When Heaven Weeps - A Novel -
by Ted Dekker
In the compelling tradition of his debut novel Heavens Wager, Ted Dekker brings a romance of epic proportions. In what he describes as “the Hosea story meets Song of Solomon,” readers will be captivated by the unbelievable story of a young girl and how her remarkable trials and errors drastically alter the events of her life and everyone she meets—ultimately helping her find the secret of how to find true love.

A Man Called Blessed
by Bill Bright, Ted Dekker
In this explosive sequel to the CBA best-seller Blessed Child, the Zionists send their best operative, Rebecca Solomon, into Ethiopia to seize the one man who can lead them to the Ark of the Covenant. His name is Caleb. But Caleb, now 24, is on a mission of his own -- searching to rediscover the simple faith of his youth. The key to Caleb's heart is the very woman in pursuit of him, but he may never get the chance to know her. Having learned of her mission and terrified that the Jews might actually discover the Ark, the Palestinians send in their own assassin to eliminate Rebecca. Will Caleb regain his childlike faith and save Rebecca and the love for which he longs, or will he inadvertently plunge the Middle East into war?

Blink
By Ted Dekker
An intoxicating tale set amidst the shifting sands of the Middle East, Blink touches on geopolitical conflicts as ancient as the earth itself. The page-turning plot follows a Saudi Arabian princess fleeing a wretched forced marriage for the promised land of America.
A brilliant American graduate student discovers a mysterious power-giving him glimpses into the future. Thrown together, they become pawns in a struggle for power and must manipulate the very future in order to save themselves. In his most riveting novel to date, Dekker brings the story to a dramatic climax that will change the future of fiction in the blink of an eye.
Ted Dekker is Christian fiction's hottest author, with applause increasing from fans and reviewers alike with each new release.

Blessed Child
by Bill Bright, Ted Dekker
The young orphan boy was abandoned and raised in an Ethiopian monastery. He has never seen outside its walls -- at least, not the way most people see. Now he must flee those walls or die.
But the world is hardly ready for a boy like Caleb.
When relief expert Jason Marker agrees to take Caleb from the monastery, he unwittingly opens humanity's doors to an incredible journey filled with intrigue and peril. Together with Leiah, the French Canadian nurse who escapes to America with them, Jason discovers Caleb's stunning power. But so do the boy's enemies, who will stop at nothing to destroy him. Jason and Leiah fight for the boy's survival while the world erupts into debate over the source of the boy's power.
In the end nothing can prepare any of them for what they will find.

Heaven's Wager
By Ted Dekker
He lost everything he ever wanted- and risked his soul to get what he deserved.
A brilliant young software designer on the brink of becoming a millionaire… Two sleek, well-fed bank executives who know an opportunity when they see it… A Nike-clad grandmother who literally puts feet to her prayers… A beautiful young widow who uncovers a dangerous secret…
On one level it's a psychological thriller- a fascinating account of the (almost) perfect crime. On another level it's a romance- the tale of bittersweet love that is (almost) enough to save a soul. But most of all it's an imaginative window into a world more real and vital than most people ever discover here on earth, the unseen world where the real dramas of the universe-and of our daily lives-continually unfold.
Heaven's Wager is one of those rare novels that is both a page turner and a thought provoker.
You'll devour it in one sitting… then find yourself pondering it for months to come.

Thunder of Heaven
by Ted Dekker
Deep in the Amazon jungle a young American woman and the son of plantation owners fall madly in love. For Tanya and Shannon, life is a paradise most only dream about. But today paradise ends. The jungle has hatched more than idyllic love. It has also spawned insidious evil. An evil shrouded in a plot so diabolically brilliant that all of America will be brought to her knees at the hands of a few terrorists. The plan is executed to perfection; America's worst fears have dawned. Nothing stands in the way of terrible destruction.
Except for the love of one woman.
Step into the pages of a story taken from tomorrow’s headlines. A story about the true power found in the face of all our fears. The power of love.

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The Bright, Brave New Wave of Christian Authors

2004-07-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Article by MIKE FURCHES

It was some 33 weeks ago now that I begin a new quest. It was a quest that would change my life and one that had to be made or I would literally likely face a horrible, suffering death. The quest is a journey that I will have to travel for the rest of my life, otherwise the beast that attempts to kill and destroy will eventually win it’s battle. That terrible beast that I became aware of several years ago that was knocking at my door was a disease called Diabetes. I should have been more aware of it because of its terrible history with my family, but I didn’t take it seriously. After some serious soul searching I decided to do something about it. I decided to start getting to the gym a minimum of 4 times a week, if possible as much as 6 times a week, and as often as two times a day, for three to four hours.

A big part of that life change was spending at least 45 minutes to 2 hours a day of cardiovascular activity. It was the boredom and struggle of this battle that led me to the place I discovered a new quest. It was here that I rediscovered the wonderful journey of reading. I have always enjoyed reading, John Grisham, Dean Koontz, Langston Hughes, Flannery O’Conner, and I could go on and on. All great authors who would not only allow me to give my body the work out it needed on the quest I now participated on, but could also cause me to exercise and work out my brain. There were the contemporary fiction writers that seemed to hold their own with the classic authors such as John Knowles and Wilson Rawls but there was one thing missing. Where were the Christians?

If there is anything that I love more than movies it is probably books. I love to read, while on this journey I decided that I would attempt to per verbally kill two birds with one stone. I would try to find quality Christian material that would cause me to think without compromising the integrity of writing. I didn’t want anything preachy, I do after all believe that to just work exercise the brain is of value, that didn’t mean that I had to read anything at this point other than fiction. The value, technique or methods of exercise for example can be read about, but until one hits the weights and starts doing something with their bodies there is little value. I just happened to believe this technique related to the exercise of the mind was just as valuable. I decided to go out and find some new fiction. That particular journey started with a single author but soon spread to others.

It was one Thursday afternoon and I just finished my latest Dean Koontz book. While I had dozens of books at home that I had not read, I decided that I wanted something with a different flavor. I then decided to go to a local book store and while there saw a book that caught my interest. The book was Thr3e by Ted Dekker. I was intrigued by the cover and the flap jacket’s description also caught my interest. The book reminded me on the surface of the recent movie, The Phone Booth. Essentially the character was being followed around by what appeared to be a serial bomber or killer. All Right! My kind of book and a possibly great book. What happened over the next weeks is in part the continuation of that journey that has brought me so far, to this point, the point of sharing what I have discovered about this portion of the journey so far.

What I discovered in the reading of Ted Dekker was a phenomenal writer with an ability to tell a story that had as much quality and intrigue as any writer out there. His books were flying off the shelves according to one local bookstore manager and after reading the first issue of Thr3e I could understand why. This guy had it together. It was material that was obviously not only selling to Christians, it was selling to those who did not accept or believe in Jesus as their Leader and Guide. The reason was that Dekker has one of the most unique methods in telling stories in a long time. Not only do the stories flow, but they are not filled with the sappy style that so many had fallen into, especially so many within the Christian market.

For years, Christians have been writing fiction, but this market has primarily been a market with limited sales, and even more limited sales outside of the Christian Industry. Then came along various authors like Tim LaHaye and Larry Jenkins, Frank Paretti and others. Even then though the market they were tapping into was really limited to just Christians. It wasn’t that their material didn’t have an impact or was of value, it was and did. But it became obvious in many cases that it was still primarily for Christians and about specific Christian spiritual themes. They were in many cases about themes that non-Christians just didn’t find interesting. At least there was the breakthrough though. People like Paretti, LaHaye, and Jenkins had done something that resembled what JK Rawlings had done, they had at least got some people back to the place of reading.

One of the fascinating things about Ted Dekker and his novel Thr3e that I discovered is that they were writing from a Christian World View as opposed to writing Christian Fiction. This was did not mean that their Christian faith did not come through. But in many cases the primary characters were not always Christians. They were characters that had struggles and difficulties that every reader could relate to. The characters mirror and represent real life and in many cases we as Christians were not always privy to seeing the characters come to accept Christian principles. For that matter, sometimes we had to search for any Spiritual relevance in the stories. That is not to say that spiritual relevance was not in the stories, it was, it was just that it didn’t smack us up besides the head and chase us away like some books in the past. Instead, readers are drawn into the near perfect story telling and find themselves responding in the same manner as if they had read any other author, with the exception of one little thing. That little thing is that often times there were spiritual nuggets of truth laced through out the story. Not in a preachy or threatening way, but in a way that the reader finds themselves questioning what is going on. For some like Ted Dekker that spiritual nugget always involved in some way the struggle and existence of good and evil. While one that is not a believer don’t have to worry about being preached at, those that are believers will find themselves struggling with where their lives are at. In many ways the best of both worlds, a welcome to all people, while challenging those with a certain belief system, in this case Christianity, to search for truth and meaning.

Along my own particular journey it didn’t take long to become aware of other authors who fit into this format. The two that stuck out the most, garnishing the same level of respect as Ted Dekker was Rene Gutteridge and Tim Downs. These three authors represent in many ways a whole new industry. I remember reading a Hollywood Jesus Newsletter some time that had made several comments on Thomas Kinkade and the need for Christians to quit hiding their talents and gifts. When I read these three authors I was reminded of Christians in other fields that had done that. Christians in the music field like U2, POD, the new Country Music Artist, Josh Turner and I could go on and on. Christians had made an influence that was touching the world around them. With Dekker, Downs and Rutteridge, I could see three new writers who were taking the world of Christian fiction to the next level beyond even Paretti and LaHaye and Jenkins. They would create an atmosphere of effectiveness that would allow Christians reading their material to share a deep and personal faith to the world around them.

The journey has been a wonderful journey so far. It has taken me places I never thought I would go. I have spoken with numerous individuals within the industry and will be including interviews with many of them, as well as the three authors in question. I will be reviewing their material as well as the interviews with the authors. The first one will be with Ted Dekker since he is the one that helped move me along on my journey. There will also be interviews with individuals like Allan Arnold the Senior Vice President and Publisher for WestBow Press, a new publishing house that is tied with the Thomas Nelson Book Group. A publishing house with the soul intent of publishing material written from a Christian World View. Their material will include among others Ted Dekker and recently acquired writer Tim Downs. They are vigorously approaching movie deals with non-Christian companies and some of these authors have already signed movie deals that will be discussed. Some of those discussions and details will be included in the interview and artists segments.

It isn’t surprising that movie possibilities are likely at least for these three writers. One of the things that I soon discovered in my interviews with all three is their attempt to write cinematically. They write almost as if they are writing for a screenplay as opposed to a standard work of fiction. Their novels also read like that, whether it is Tim Downs writing about a Forensic Etymologists that seems to come right off the pages of CSI, or Rene Gutteridge writing about a Horror Writer, who becomes a Christian that seems to be a television series in the making, the reader sees very quickly the influence of movies in their works. It is something that all three are aware of, and movies are a passion of their that they love to discuss.

The attitude of Christians receiving as some form of influence, movies, is in and of itself a drastic change. It shows that there are some Christians who are not so stuck up that they don’t live in the real world. These three authors can be read, and respected by virtually anyone, and movies, and living in a real world are some of the reasons for that. They can relate to what the common person does, feels thinks or cares about because they do it themselves. They don’t pretend to write from a we are better than you attitude and actually give their craft the attention it deserves. It is not just a paycheck for them, although it is that, it is a calling, a calling to produce quality and touch readers, touch them in their minds and their hearts. Truth be told, I have found none that is as effective as these three at touching the heart, mind and soul in a long time as these three. Not just from a Christian perspective, from a writing perspective, and that is throwing them in with the greats like Koontz and Grisham.

The future looks bright, so bright in fact that I am reminded of the great philosophers ZZ Top, so bright that I’ve got to wear shades. It is refreshing that there are Christians who are taking us along for the ride. It is also nice that some within the Christian markets are also understanding the value of this work and style. That is not to say that the Christian industry fully understands what is going on. One unnamed source high within the Christian Publishing World, who at their request asked to remain anonymous, indicated that many within the Christian industry are not Christians and that one of their main concerns is related to sales. Another source, again at the request of remaining anonymous, indicated that many Christians that are involved in publishing just don’t get it. They aren’t concerned with quality, nor are they concerned with integrity. There are many who are doing as much to hurt the industry as there are that are doing things to help, that is of course unless you aren’t concerned with reaching a lost and dying world. For those that are concerned about touching the world and sharing the hope with the people they live, work with, and spend time with outside of the church there is hope. None presents that hope any better than these three and those this feature will focus on.

There is a ways to go on this journey. I personally hope it don’t end and don’t expect it to. I am refreshed in the fact that I can be challenged. I am excited that I have three new friends to take along with me on the journey. Three who want to see that my mind gets the exercise and development that it needs. Thankfully they want that journey to be fun and exciting and they do what they do well. Why don’t you let me take you along regarding the exploration of that journey. Let me introduce you to some of my friends I have met along the way. It’s a journey I believe you will be glad you took, it’s a journey filled with international espionage, love, comedy, drama and tears. Then there is the serial killer, the lost daughter who never understood her father, and the study of bugs, of course bugs in dead people. You don’t have to be afraid in any of the stories, but of course you might be. You don’t have to be moved by any of the stories, of course you might be. You don’t of course have to read any of the stories, but of course, you should. Enjoy the ride.

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The Gospel Reloaded

2004-06-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

Overview by David Bruce

Book Description
The authors explore the allegorical Matrix films for their hidden and transparent meaning. These blockbuster movies contain themes of rebirth and awakening, fate and free will, that inspire important discussions about reality and spiritual contemplation.

The millions of people who saw and loved The Matrix understood that it was much more than just an action adventure movie with state-of-the-art special effects. Audiences gravitated toward the film because it made a statement about life. Its plot and themes resonated with a postmodern worldview and caused people to think carefully about their spirituality.

In The Gospel Reloaded, authors Chris Seay and Greg Garrett explore the Matrix films, studying the characters and metaphors for their hidden meaning. They show how these movies--with their themes of rebirth and awakening, fate and free will--are guaranteed to generate thoughtful discussion about culture and spirituality.

Purchase at Amazon.com

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