Reading Is Believing

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY OCT 21, 2002

There is something truly wonderful about the power of a good story. Cunningham, a professor at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, demonstrates how that power can be used to enliven the historic faith of the church. After a helpful introduction to the Apostles' Creed, Cunningham takes each of its 12 articles and uses a book or film (or both) to illustrate how the creedal statement connects with our ordinary lives. His purpose is to help Christians "understand, embrace, cherish and practice their faith" in a way that will be accessible to readers who lack extensive background in theology. His innovative use of these stories will certainly help readers do just that, regardless of their previous training. Each chapter begins with a discussion (which is sometimes a bit too much like a lecture) of the theology behind the article in question. His best insights are found in the stimulating remarks about the stories themselves, like Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Toni Morrison's Beloved and Nikos Kazantzakis's The Last Temptation of Christ. Particularly moving is Cunningham's connection between the phrase "born of the Virgin Mary" and P. D. James's novel The Children of Men, as Cunningham illustrates how the birth of one child can have a profound impact. Certainly, this book will help Christian readers understand their faith in deeper, more refined ways. It will also inspire many trips to the bookstore in search of the excellent literature recommended here.