Review of an Australian novel; Damascus, published 2019

Keeping with a theme of reading Australian literature that includes main characters that are clergy, a theme that I commenced in 2018 with Tim Winton in The Shepherd's Hut and Chris Hammer in Scrublands, I’ve just read Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas. Reviews of the earlier two books are linked here and here.

The good

Tsiolkas brings colour to much of the environment of the early church; the gatherings in homes, the sharing of possessions, the common meals, the level-playing field between slave and freeman, and the welcoming of Christians that have travelled from afar. The novel does well in portraying Saul’s doubts as he awakens in a home in Damascus after the experience on the road. It also brilliantly depicts the relationship in Ephesus that Timothy, as head of the Christian church in that town, had with a priestess of a pagan temple. Lydia’s coming to faith – her doubts finally cast aside – is one of the highlights early in the novel.

I found it interesting that Tsiolkas considered Timothy’s circumcision. An act completed by Paul (Acts 16:1-3). The tension among other Christians associated with the act – as to whether Jesus Christ would have sought the act to occur – is played out well.

It was also noteworthy that Tsiolkas considered the “messiness” of the early church. By this I refer to how there was some degree of disorder in the church as each apostle (and apostle understudy) went about the pattern of shaping conduct of the church.

The bad

The novel has an unfortunate fascination with bodily fluids and bodily bits.

The ugly

There are some notable deviations from Scripture; that Jesus had a twin brother, and that Lydia came to faith independent of the balance of her family – contra Acts 16:11-15 (her husband largely ignorant of Lydia’s new life).

That Jesus Christ had a twin brother - who logically must have been conceived also by the Holy Spirit – presents some questions. The twin is depicted in the novel as having neither divinity or full standing in the church.

I rated the novel five stars on Goodreads despite reservations as to its difference from Scripture. One must appreciate that a novelist will always add through poetic license. It is unfortunate that some wonderful truths are mixed with some misdirection. The writing style alone ranks five stars.

I borrowed Damascus from City of Sydney Library. This post links from Goodreads.

Shalom,

Ozhamada

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