Religion, theology, spirituality-whatever you call it-is ever before us. Whatever form it takes-Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Atheism-it's always endlessly fascinating-captivating to insiders and intriguing to open-minded outsiders. These nine stories cover the gambit of religious thought-from Kathryn Pollard's piously devotional Christological tale to Michael Bitanga's haunting flirtation with nihilism. Charles Howell's "The Deserving Soul" draws upon traditional Christian and...
More DescriptionReligion, theology, spirituality-whatever you call it-is ever before us. Whatever form it takes-Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Atheism-it's always endlessly fascinating-captivating to insiders and intriguing to open-minded outsiders. These nine stories cover the gambit of religious thought-from Kathryn Pollard's piously devotional Christological tale to Michael Bitanga's haunting flirtation with nihilism. Charles Howell's "The Deserving Soul" draws upon traditional Christian and Buddhist thought to examine human nature and the common human tendency toward self-adulation. Howell's tale of fantasy stands in contrast to the stark realism in Stacia Levy's Jewish-informed story of a young LA hood. Levy's "Turning" invites us to consider the possibility of genuine moral transformation. Michael Bitanga's "Last Call" explores the most basic of all questions: "Is life worth living? Does life really have any ultimate meaning?" The reader may or may not embrace his character's conclusion, but the exploration will prove thoughtful and thought-provoking for all its readers. Karen Scott's "Prayer for the Dying" returns to traditional themes and provides a narrative commentary on the Lord's Prayer, questioning the insanity of war along the way. Arch Barnes's "Angelica" and Kathryn Pollard's "He Looked Like Quiet" engage the same traditional Christian perspectives in their tales of redemption-Pollard's redemption from sadness and Barnes's redemption from marital distress. F I Shehadi's "They Came" meanders through the devastation of a post-apocalyptic world where a nearly hopeless band of survivors clings to the tattered remains of their former world, only to be visited by the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The final two stories, "Sometimes I Feel Like a Slave" and "I Prefer to Call it 'Devious,'" were contributed to this collection by one of our editors at Phyllis Scott. Because Ms. Thomas is a part-editor for us, her stories are not eligible for our monthly contests. Yet, even in the absence of potential prizes, she was gracious enough to provide us with these two powerful stories-one from the perspective of an African-American man and the other from the perspective of a young theologian. We are confident that you will enjoy both. Phyllis Scott, series editor