The Curate's Awakening

This is the story of Thomas Wingfold, Curate, who has settled into his first parish. He comes to realize he has chosen the ministry merely as a profession and honestly doesn't know what he believes. It was very very good and made me think about Jesus and God's love for us. It is a very honest book and I cried several times as I read it. It has a great theme of forgiveness and mercy and a honest search for truth.

This is my absolute favorite of MacDonald's work. If you are looking for a place to start - this is it. This book addresses many of the questions and issues raised by Christians and non-Christians living today. Questions of God, truth, belief and existence. MacDonald draws out these questions and gives answers in the rich and multi-layered narrative style he is well known for. An absolute must read!

MacDonald is real. He understands people, their trains of thought, their failings, their desires. Through his characters, MacDonald provokes deep thinking and self-examination subtley and effectively. What makes him a good writer is that he isn't forming a plot so that he can preach a sermon or say all the things he wants to say. The story is purposeful and engaging and the dialogue is rarely tedious. I highly reccomend this book along with the rest of the series. The book will do more than keep you AWAKE...

This book is a well written exploration of the guilt we all carry around with us and how we find the strength to face it. A surprising twist to more modern ideas of how we deal with guilt. Definitely worth owning.