On the bus coming home just now I met an acquaintance who commented on the book I was reading (Hen's Teeth by Manda Scott, in case anyone's interested). That took us into a conversation about thrillers: the Golden Age, detective fiction set in far-flung places or times which gave us a window into very different contexts from our own; favourite authors; Sheffield writers. We were in such animated conversation that before I knew it we had sailed past my stop and I had to walk back.
I greatly enjoyed our talk, and felt I knew my dialogue partner better as a result of it. The strange thing is that we are both Christian and both involved in working with homeless people, yet I can't imagine myself talking so enthusiastically on the bus either about Jesus or about housing issues, though for each of us both topics are close to our hearts. I can't see myself saying, 'Oh, you must pray - it's fantastic!' in the same way as I urged him to read Margery Allingham? But why not? Above all, why can't I be as evangelistic about Jesus as I am about Dorothy L. Sayers (who herself was no mean evangelist, though sadly that meant she stopped writing about Lord Peter Wimsey)? I wish I knew.
Palm Sunday - Hosanna: Lord, save us!
3 weeks ago
I've been having a conversation with friends this evening about detective fiction - some love some say life is too short to read detective fiction. I say what life is worht living without crime fiction! Meanwhile have you read Arnold Bennestt's Grand Hotel Babylon? I only came across it because my father's cousin translated it into German abotu 6 years ago. It's great fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's just been serialised on Radio 4, so I've heard bits and pieces.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar discussion the other night about worship vs. shared meals. Something along the lines of: we seem to work so hard to make worship interesting, relevent, and interactive. But when we have friends round for a meal, it is *always* interesting, relevent, and interactive. When, as Benedict said, every action is a prayer, maybe we don't need to worry so much about evangelising? (There is always the possibility that I have *completely* missed the point here!)
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