"A Land Without Sin" -- A Book Review

I haven't been blogging much of late, as I've been trying to finish writing a new book with my friend Jennie Isbell.  Now that Finding God in the Verbs: Crafting A New Prayer Language is off at IVP, it's time to catch up.  And there's a lot to catch-up on -- new music, new books, new happenings!

First up is a a new book.  Paula Huston's novel A Land Without Sin.

Set in autumn 1993 in southern Mexico, the novel features Eva Kovic's search for her priest brother who has most likely aligned himself with revolutionary forces who are hiding and raiding from the   Lacandon jungle.  Eva is in her mid-thirties and is a seasoned photo-journalist traveling under the cover of being the photographer for Jan Bource, a Dutch Mayanist.

While that's the surface story, much more is going on -- just as in real life, these characters have layered stories, secrets, and are each on their own quest.  A quest often unknown or unrevealed to the others.  Evan and Stefan (the brother) have their family story, which is far from being one of sweetness and light.  Jan has his, which includes a teenage son and invalid English Quaker wife who is housebound in their Mexican village home. 

Then there are the characters of the dark jungle, the violent guerrilla warfare, and war going on in Eva's heart and mind.

Huston's story is well told and the characters are rich and fully developed.  The are not all lovable nor all villains.  They are real -- filled with mixed motives and hopes and fears.  And the darkness of the jungle draws tighter around them all as they traverse on their individual quests and are caught up in situations far beyond their control.

A Land Without Sin has been compared to Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness (and the movie based on it Apocalypse Now), but I think it has much more of a Graham Greene feel to it than a Conrad.  I first fell in love with Greene's novels whilst taking Brit Lit in college.  And I still love reading them.  The reason this is more Greene than Conrad is the element of faith as more than a plot device.  Stefan's priesthood is more than a character marker, it's important to his actions -- and to Eva's wrestling with things of the spirit.  Including her own struggles with the power and glory.  The human factor is a major part of this novel and is its strength.

On a personal note, I am happy for the portrayal of Quakers as decent, religious folk who are engaged in the empowerment of the poor -- especially women.  And Huston's description of Quaker waiting worship is pretty spot on, despite her referring to it as Quaker meditation (which is a not what most Quakers would call it).

Now for a disclaimer.  Paula is a friend of mine.  So you may not think me a dispassionate reviewer.  Guilty.  I enjoyed her books (mostly non-fiction) though before I knew her.  She's a wonderful writer and thinker -- and I commend her work(s) to you.

-- Brent

Check back later this week for a guest blog post from Paula!

Stories of Faith

I've had two amazing worship experiences in the past few weeks. Both were with my friends Katie and Jack Patterson.

Katie and Jack, members of St. Christopher Catholic Church in Speedway, Indiana, invited Nancy and me to visit for a Palm Sunday service which featured the proclamation of Jesus' passion. In this case, it was delivered by Bill Fikes. He presented the Holy Week story as presented in the Gospel of Matthew -- and it was absolutely moving and mesmerizing. Bill told the story of Palm Sunday through the burial of Christ completely from memory, moving arouss the front of the sanctuary at St. Christopher's, pausing, pointing, exclaiming, musing as the various characters moved through the story. It was powerful and moving -- all the more so as the result of his humble, understated, yet confident telling of this most important story of faith. I was tremendously blessed by hearing the story afresh -- and musing on which character most represented me. Peter the denier? Judas the betrayer? Pilate the accommodater?

Then, this past Sunday, Katie and Jack joined Nancy at me at our little Friends meeting. Worship opened with dear Friend Florence Emma Peery reading Job 38 -- "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me."

After some spontaneous singing of hymns, a prayer for the concerns of our hearts, we settled into silence. For a change I was moved to speak -- about how that "Gird up your loins like a man" phrase struck me as God telling Job to "put on your big boy pants" and a few other things that were meant to remind us that we were called to rely not on our own understanding, but upon the greatness and graciousness of God. Nothing too profound, just the musings of a fellow pilgrim in the midst of pilgrims.

Then, after awhile Steve Mills spoke, followed later by Dan Burger. All the messages were very practical -- God at work in our daily lives. Reflecting on them (even my own), I was struck afresh by the thought that the power of Quaker worship and life was its very practicality. No high-falutin' thoughts about the nature or theories of atonement (ransom, substitutionary, satisfaction, etc), as worthy of theological discourse and thought though they may be. Rather, just simple thoughts on how to live our faith in a world that pulls us in many different directions. Which, I thought, is exactly why Quakerism appeals to me -- help for the living of these days.

So, from the elevation of the power of the Gospel story, as told by a lay person who took countless hours memorizing it, to the simple truths of Friends shared out of silence, I have been blessed by encounters with vital, living faith. And I thank God.

-- Brent

A Quietude of Quakers: Or What Do You Call a Group of Friends?

As I've mentioned before, my friend Carrie Newcomer has a new CD coming out (you can, like me, pre-order it now!). "Before and After" is a wonderful album of of sublime songs with soul-felt lyrics. As we fans have all come to expect from Carrie, a thoughtful, deep, spiritual singer-songwriter.

But, there is this other side to her that folks who only listen to her serious stuff miss -- and that is her playful side. She writes some absolutely hilarious little tunes -- such as "Don't Push Send" on "Geography of Light." "Before and After"'s final track is a delightful example of a fun song -- "Crash of Rhinoceros." It's about Adam naming the animals (rather pedestrianly -- "Horse and cow and goat and sheep") and Eve thinking that the animals deserved something "a bit more unique and refined." And so she begins coming up with things such as "crash of rhinoceros," "pomp of Pekingese," "Parliament of owls," and so on.

As I said, it's delightful. A truly fun song.

And, though I am no songwriter (and certainly no singer -- as those who have heard me in my misspent younger days can attest!), it did remind me of a similar project I started a few years ago but never finished. That was coming up with names for groupings of religious people. I started with my own -- "a quietude of Quakers." Then came a "mass of Catholics." And then I was off:

• a presdestinarian of Presbyterians
• a bishop of Episcopalians
• a glossolalia of Pentecostals
• a healing of Charismatics

So I emailed Carrie about this. And about five minutes later she fired back:

• a litany of Lutherans
• a munificence of Methodist
• a boisterous of Baptist

And we were off to the naming races:

• a money of tele-evangalists
• a nest of snake handlers
• a sabbath of Seventh Day Adventists
• a tenacious of evangelical Quakers
• a visitation of Jehovah's Witnesses
• an aura of new-agers
• a brass of Salvation Army
• a momentum of Mormons
• an inclusive of Unitarians
• a dodecahedron of Disciples of Christ
• a singularity of Independent Christians
• a liberality of United Church of Christ

We paused for breath. Then she said, "Geeze Louise get two writers started on this. :-)" Geeze Louise, indeed.

This too much fun just to keep between Carrie and me -- so... submit your naming ideas!

And pre-order Carrie's new CD.

--Brent