So it's been a while since I blogged; I've been busy
living life. Amongst the things I have been doing is being involved in setting
up a book club which meets once a month at a local church. So far we've looked
at The Life of Pi by Yann Martel and Hey Nostradamus by Douglas Coupland. The
coming books are Memoirs of a Not So Dutiful Daughter by Jenni Murray and Eat,Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Hey Nostradamus is one of my favourite books, although I
know it's a bit of a marmite text. What I really like about this book, and
various others of Coupland's works is that they deal with the complex reality
of life where the apparently extraordinary is far more ordinary than it seems.
This author has the ability to look at emotions and human reactions in an
authentic way which I think is sadly lacking in many books which come from a
faith position.
There are two themes within the book which challenge me.
The first is how we deal with real tragedy and pain and the place of prayer
within this. The second is about Christian subcultures and how their norms and
values operate.
In terms of the nature of prayer and how we deal
authentically with God in places of pain, confusion and anger for me reading
this book has always provided a breath of fresh air. Snatches of prayer said
over a coffin indicate that for some who have never prayed before there is a
type of comfort, whilst for others extreme situations can take faith to
breaking point and move them away from a relationship with some kind of divine
being.
The second theme about how Christian subcultures work is
something I find interesting. Whilst it could be argued to be exaggerated or
located within a very specific religious, historic and geographical location I
think there is something to be learned from Coupland's observations - however
uncomfortable.
Recently I read the study Christianity and the UniversityExperience: Understanding Christian Faith by Mathew Guest, Kristen Aune, Sonya
Sharma and Rob Warner. It highlighted how for some young people who are active
in their faith at university, via campus organisations such as CU's, the rigid
norms and values indicated in Coupland's book are more complicated than
portrayed. However they are seen as more significant identifiers than
traditional doctrinal beliefs about the trinity and so on.
So I would recommend Hey Nostradamus to anybody who is
looking for a book to explore faith in an authentic way, particularly people
who already own a faith but want to think it through in an intelligent way. It
may not necessarily be an easy or comfortable book to read but it is one which
has much to commend it. And if you are interested in the experience of Christians
young people in universities today and the influence or otherwise of campus
organisation I would also highly recommend the Guest, et al study which makes a
very interesting read.
*Book group meets 4th Thursday of the month at West End
United, Wolverton (7:30pm) - next meeting Jan 23rd
* If you are interested in exploring prayer a bit more MK
Mission Partnership is running a course in the New Year
