Richelle Wiseman

Wayne Holst, who teaches religion and culture at the University of Calgary, penned the following book announcement about a recently published anthology of Canadian Christian writing.  Books like this receive far too little attention from mainstream media, and this particular book is a treat, a well-conceived delightful sampling from talented Christian writers.  It would make an ideal Christmas gift for book lovers with an appetite for thoughtful writing from across the Christian spectrum.  Wayne runs an Adult Education class at St. David’s United Church in Calgary, and posted this review to his “Colleagues List”.  Here is Wayne’s review:

NORTHERN LIGHTS: An Anthology of Contemporary Christian Writing in Canada
Edited by Byron Rempel-Burkholder & Dora Dueck. Published by John Wiley & Sons Canada: Mississauga, ON. September, 2008. Paper; $24.95. 260 pages.

What do people like Ralph Milton, Michael Higgins, Mary Jo Leddy, Lorna Dueck, Ron Rolheiser and Jim Taylor, share in common?

They join forty other Canadians by contributing to an anthology of contemporary Christian writing. Editors Rempel-Burkholder and Dueck wonder if there is such a thing as a uniquely Canadian spiritual identity. In collecting and publishing the work of many fine writers from across the religious spectrum, the editors believe that such an identity exists. It may not make us better than other nations, but it does make us special!

The editors attempt to trace “the spiritual geography” of Canada through this work. Just as Canada has a wild and diverse physical geography, our nation possesses a spiritual identity uniquely shaped by land, history, and a diverse array of people.

Just as the very formation, existence and survival of Canada could be viewed as a miracle - so this literary potpourri can be similarly celebrated.

We owe Rempel-Burkholder and Dueck a large “thanks” for conceiving and bringing to birth this first-of-its kind collection of writings from within the Christian heritage. Each contribution helps us to explore important spiritual dimensions, themes and issues.

Obviously, there are limitations to such an undertaking.

Do we only recognize contemporary book writers and narrowly defined Christian authors? Surely, our literary/spiritual landscape transcends what appears here, and has been in the process of formation from the time of first human settlement.

That means many guides who have influenced Christianity are not found here. (For example, First Nations people who don’t write books; spiritual writers who do not specifically define themselves as Christian; spiritual guides whose work appears in periodicals or electronically.) All of these could help us to better understand what we mean by spiritually Christian.

Yet, this book represents an important new venture.

What does appear here are forty six contributors - including several literary award-winners, religious and political figures, and social activists from across the land. Found on these pages are a healthy blend of evangelical and mainline Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, Pentecostals and Mennonites. These Christian contributors prove to be very diverse spiritually and reflect the national spectrum.

This is not a book of literary analysis or criticism, but a collection of memoir, poetry, fiction, non-fiction and meditation. It maps with words the astounding richness of what it means to be Christian in this relatively new nation. Just as Canada is developing a respectable national literary tradition, we are also seeing the formation of a a substantial spiritual oeuvre - “a colourful dance of words” and “a wonderful Canadian celebration” (to quote from the back cover.)

One example from among many will have to suffice. Joy Kagawa, well-known author of the book “The Rain Ascends” tells the story of Millicent Shelby’s shattering discovery that the elderly pastor- father she adores abused young boys throughout his life. How Millicent began to come to terms with this tragedy suggests that spirituality does not shield us from the real world but rather, it serves as a healing resource to live confidently within it.