Words That Circled the World: A Christian's Response to 13 Quotations That Have Shaped Our Times

Christmas 2003Friends,I found myself in London, England earlier this year standing in All Souls Church after a Sunday morning service, perusing the offerings of books available for purchase. Due to a self-imposed moratorium on acquiring additional titles (until at least some of those which already lie about my residence - unopened and contributing to considerable clutter and occasional spousal disharmony - are read), I hesitated before purchasing the one enclosed. I had never before heard of the author, Richard Bewes, but had just heard him speak. The thought crossed my mind that a book by Bewes might be of interest. However, the title was rather bland, and the quote on the cover by John Stott ("a rich blend of insight, sanity, wisdom and humour") made it sound as though the book were geared toward entertainment, of which I have decided I have a tendency to invest too much time already. And there was a noticeable lack of the American hyperbole I expect to see on the cover of any publication worth considering ("read by millions," "guaranteed to change your life in thirty days," etc.).Nonetheless, I finally resolved that the book's purchase would serve well as a souvenir of my visit to the UK, and thereby justified forking over the few British Pounds requested for its acquisition. What I found was a book that remarkably depicts its author's ability to write in a manner that is, to use the biblical terminology familiar to some, "in the world, but not of it." Bewes takes a few quotes from the 20th Century - of interest in themselves to anyone who enjoys reading history or contemporary affairs - and weaves them (with very little departure from their original context) into questions that probe into areas that plague the mind of all humanity: Why am I here? Who cares that I'm here? If someone out there somewhere made me and cares about me, why does he make it so hard for me to know him?Starting with words from a deck hand spoken to a woman boarding the Titanic on its maiden voyage ("Yes, lady, God himself could not sink this ship."), to those of Marilyn Monroe ("I've been on a calendar, but never on time."), to the declaration of U.S. President Bill Clinton ("I did not have sex with that woman."), to the naive euphoria of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain after having secured a signed pledge from Adolf Hitler ("I have in my hand a piece of paper."), to the haunting refrain of rock musician Bob Geldof ("Is that it?"), and on to a half-dozen or so more, Bewes takes the reader on a brief but interesting tour of our times asking us all along the way to consider where we have been, where we are going, and why. I found the book enjoyable, but also disconcerting. To think, as I am asked to do when reading the first chapter, of the meaninglessness of suddenly being told that I can go into the first-class lounge of a luxury liner and enjoy anything there I would like, but knowing at the same time that in one hour the entire ship will be at th