Thank you for taking the time to read, Susan, and for your kind words. I'm grateful to get to share Doyle with others. Check out The American Scholar's archive of his old column, "Epiphanies," if you're interested in reading more of Doyle's work.
Your statement " Its purpose was to declare the misery of traditional Christianity; it lacked love."
literally took my breath away. I see it too, and if following Jesus is not about love, who laid down His life for it, what are they putting our faith in? Thank you for this thought-provoking, affirming essay.
Wow. I *think* I was at the same conference, or one like it. Brian Doyle also opened up my imagination for what Christianity--and writing as a Christian--could look like. Thank you for putting these words to paper! This is the best essay I've read in quite some time.
Grateful to meet another writer & thinker occupying the same corner of the literary world as I am—as well as another Doyle fan! Thanks for the kind words, Drew.
This was excellent. Thank you. I too often am saccharine and don’t let the thorns seep through. Here’s to walking the line between saccharinity and cynicism!
Heidi’s effort to refine her aspiration to be the ‚other,‘ who can address character without sentimentality or another gloss, tells me the gospel lives in her and her craft.
I'm so glad my words could be of encouragement to you, Kelli. And I can't recommend Doyle enough. The American Scholar has an excellent archive of his old column, "Epiphanies." And of his essay collections, Credo, Grace Notes, and The Thorny Grace of It are some of my favorites.
Thank you for writing this nuanced exploration about how to think and write about Christianity. Inspiring for people like me who have so many reservations.
Heidie, this is just wonderful. Wise, nuanced, humble, moving. It reminds me of this quote from Gilead, where John Ames the narrator is reflecting on an article he read criticizing some group of people: "The prophets love the people they chastise, a thing this writer does not appear to me to do." Critique of Christianity is good and necessary but we must still love the people who compose the body of Christ. Thank you for reminding us of this—and for bumping up Brian Doyle on my tbr list!
Thank you for this, Heidie. I need the reminder as I search for beautiful writers and as I work on a writing project of my own that, while it does call a part of the church to account also seeks to highlight hope and grace and possibility along the way.
I love this—elegant, compelling, and frankly brilliant. I will watch for her work henceforth.
Such kind words, Scott. Thanks for reading & for the encouragement.
A well-written essay by a young woman of deep faith. Thank you for introducing me to Brian Doyle.
Thank you for taking the time to read, Susan, and for your kind words. I'm grateful to get to share Doyle with others. Check out The American Scholar's archive of his old column, "Epiphanies," if you're interested in reading more of Doyle's work.
Your statement " Its purpose was to declare the misery of traditional Christianity; it lacked love."
literally took my breath away. I see it too, and if following Jesus is not about love, who laid down His life for it, what are they putting our faith in? Thank you for this thought-provoking, affirming essay.
You wrote my heart, even with the detail of the sister conversations and the journaling after attending a Christian literary conference. Yes.
Wow. I *think* I was at the same conference, or one like it. Brian Doyle also opened up my imagination for what Christianity--and writing as a Christian--could look like. Thank you for putting these words to paper! This is the best essay I've read in quite some time.
Grateful to meet another writer & thinker occupying the same corner of the literary world as I am—as well as another Doyle fan! Thanks for the kind words, Drew.
This was excellent. Thank you. I too often am saccharine and don’t let the thorns seep through. Here’s to walking the line between saccharinity and cynicism!
My favorite essay here to date. I found myself weeping with hope.
Heidi’s effort to refine her aspiration to be the ‚other,‘ who can address character without sentimentality or another gloss, tells me the gospel lives in her and her craft.
I needed this. Maybe I need some Doyle too.
I'm so glad my words could be of encouragement to you, Kelli. And I can't recommend Doyle enough. The American Scholar has an excellent archive of his old column, "Epiphanies." And of his essay collections, Credo, Grace Notes, and The Thorny Grace of It are some of my favorites.
Thank you so much for this, and for your beautiful and uplifting essay!
Thank you for writing this nuanced exploration about how to think and write about Christianity. Inspiring for people like me who have so many reservations.
Yes, how to love God back, or is the first step simply opening our hearts and receiving?
I'm sure I speak for a small army of Ecstatic readers-writers when I say "Yes and Amen!" and follow it up with, "but what do we do about it?"
Heidie, this is just wonderful. Wise, nuanced, humble, moving. It reminds me of this quote from Gilead, where John Ames the narrator is reflecting on an article he read criticizing some group of people: "The prophets love the people they chastise, a thing this writer does not appear to me to do." Critique of Christianity is good and necessary but we must still love the people who compose the body of Christ. Thank you for reminding us of this—and for bumping up Brian Doyle on my tbr list!
Thank you for this, Heidie. I need the reminder as I search for beautiful writers and as I work on a writing project of my own that, while it does call a part of the church to account also seeks to highlight hope and grace and possibility along the way.
This essay was profound for me as a Christian and one to study for me as a writer; thank you, Heidie!
This is such a poignant reveal of how many of us wrestle and think about Faith. Well done, and thank you for sharing.