In Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel, Gilead, the aging Congregationalist minister John Ames grapples with his approaching death from heart disease through a series of letters written to his seven-year old son. As Ames revisits old homilies and the stories of the people to whom he delivered them, he provides poignant reflections on the nature of ministry among mortals, our human flaws, and the limits of one human life, no matter how well lived.
In this talk, Rev. Wheatley compares Ames's reflections on ministry and the Bible with St. Paul's portrayal of the corruption of humanity and the hope of transformation in Christ through the Spirit.
