LocalLit book review: an examination of faith from all its angles

I started reading “Matters of Faith,” one of the anthologies written and published by the New Lenox Writers Group, on my Kindle this past weekend.

I’m about three-fourths through the book and stopped at one particular story. I’ll explain why shortly.

First, here is the book’s Amazon description: “Faith is what guides us; what leads us when we don’t know where to go. From walking through a dark house to finding our way through life and to the hereafter, faith moves our feet.

“In their fifth anthology, the members of The New Lenox Writers’ Group explore not just their personal experiences but also their interpretations of how it influences everyone’s life. Through narrative fiction, personal testimony and poetry, the writers offer a broad perspective on how faith finds us and how we live through it.”

So far, this anthology is heavy on essays and Judeo-Christian inspirational pieces, with some poetry and fiction sprinkled among these entries.

As a Christian, I’m enjoying leaning from other’s perception’s of faith and scripture. But the topic of faith doesn’t end there. For instance, Paula Thomas insists to the reader that everyone has some degree of faith.

For those quick to object, Thomas makes this point:

The clothes you’re wearing, did you have a seamstress or a tailor verity that the seams would endure the normal wear you’d put them through … or did you just put the clothes on?

Some of the pieces address addiction, abuse, racism, dementia and death – pieces you’ll want to read carefully, perhaps one or two at a time.

That’s why I stopped reading at “The Human Condition” by James Pressler, a truly thought-provoking, factual piece with several slight-of-hand twists one expects to find in good fiction.

Yes, I’ll finish the anthology. That’s not why I stopped reading. Rather, I wanted to reflect deeply about Pressler’s words, not merely nod and think, “Yep, that was a good story” and move on.

“The Human Condition” was about a verbally abusive college professor, the victimized student and a lesson in human behavior - and faith in humanity - you won’t soon forget.

“Matters of Faith” is available for free download on Amazon’s Kindle.

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