God and Charles Dickens: Recovering the Christian Voice of a Classic Author
Illuminates the Vital Faith of Charles Dickens"Colledge has written a serious, bracing, and inspiring book about one of the most underrated great writers in the English language. He shows clearly that Charles Dickens was a splendid example of what John Wesley called an 'experimental Christian,' a man less impressed by official pieties and sanctimonies of religious parties than by the hands-on, practical love of Jesus himself. This  book shows clearly the power of the Law of Love at work in Dickens's masterful character portraits, and vindicates the conviction of G. K. Chesterton that even Dickens's 'anti-clericalism' or satire of false piety is, as it was in Chaucer before him, the scandalized ire of a true lover of the Way of the gospel. Dickens upholds a simple imitation of Christ as the remedy for social disorder and victimization, and Colledge convincingly shows how his work critiques a failed Christian practice and admonishes Christians to follow Christ more authentically."--David Lyle Jeffrey, Baylor University"In his highly readable book, Colledge does what every good critic should: he puts Dickens center stage and allows the author to speak for himself. Colledge helps us clearly hear the challenge Dickens makes to his readers to more closely follow Christ's example of compassion and caring. This book is long overdue."--Devin Brown, Asbury University; author ofThe Christian World of "The Hobbit""God and Charles Dickensoffers new and valuable insight into the expression of Christian faith in the work of Dickens--and does so in an engaging and highly readable style."--Susannah Clements, Regent University; author ofThe Vampire Defanged"Tolstoy and Dostoevsky both referred to Dickens as 'that great Christian writer.' Colledge unpacks in great detail what that means in a winsome and convincing treatment that shows exactly how foundational Dickens's Christian faith and practice was to his work and his life. Both accessible and direct, the book is conversant with and informed by ongoing Dickens scholarship without being academic. Colledge argues that Dickens was not a Christian novelist but a novelist who was deeply Christian, and helps the reader understand the difference."--Daniel Taylor, author ofCreating a Spiritual Legacy