I think this is the only novel I've read which features an evangelical Christian who isn't [a] lampooned or [b] a device for evangelising the reader.It's a pretty even-handed look at the clash between faith and secularism.
Ruth is a divorcee and a high-school sex education teacher in some north-eastern American state. When, in answer to a question, she dares to say that some people like oral sex all hell is let loose. The most vocal protests come from the local evangelical church, whose lobbying leads to a new sex education policy being adopted and Ruth being forced to teach abstinence, against her better judgment.
Ruth's younger daughter plays in the local soccer team, which is coached by Tim. He's a newly converted Christian. After being brought into the church his totally screwed up life (he had a serious alcohol and drug problem which led to his marriage breaking up) has been transformed. But when the soccer team win a thrilling victory Tim innocently calls his players together for an impromptu prayer of thanks, and Ruth is absolutely livid. How dare he?!
Everything's set for a no-holds-barred fight between the forces of liberal secularism and conservative Christianity. But Tim realises he's overstepped the mark and apologises - to the disgust of his church and the surprise of Ruth.
Tim's second marriage to a nice Christian girl the church found for him is very rocky and we wonder whether he and Ruth are going to get together - especially when his faith becomes a bit rocky as well.
There are some very funny bits (especially one about a marriage manual called Hot Christian Sex and another about a men's convention) but it's not a savage satire - rather a moving and truthful story.
I read this book on the strength of the first sentence of your review. It was interesting. But do you really think it was an "even-handed look at the clash between faith and secularism"?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it rather in fact a bit like the Gospel of Mark ending at 16:8 in this respect (though not in others), i.e. open-ended with a view to provoke thought, but with a definite leaning in one direction?
We expect that he will stay at the end for quite some time, don't we? He has already "let go" of the fear that he's "not part of this anymore", after all.
I did qualify my assessment, saying I thought the book was '"pretty" even-handed'.
ReplyDeleteBut it's too long since I read the book to remember precisely what happens at the end.
I do remember it was a good read, though.