Q&A with Trevin Wax
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Q. Your other books are non-fiction, so what inspired you to try
your hand at fiction?
A. I started out writing fiction, actually. As a teenager, I
wrote lots of short stories and enjoyed circulating them among my
classmates, friends, and family members. In some ways, writing
fiction again is like going back to my roots as a writer. I
thought it would fun to dive into a fictional world and create
some characters who could engage in dialogue about the big
questions of life and faith
Q. The book is described as “theology in story.” How would you
describe your purpose in that?
A. That's a way of saying, "This isn't your normal fiction
book." I'm being up front about the purpose of the story - to
teach. Readers who pick up this book will learn something from
the characters and their questions and conversations. It's not
just a theology book, because this is a narrative about two
people engaging the big questions of life. Neither is it just a
fiction book, because there are certainly some theological
teachings that come through in the dialogue. It's both - theology
in story.
Q. The main character, 22-year-old Chris Walker, starts to doubt
his faith during his senior year of college. Why do so many young
people go through a season of questioning and doubt?
A. A lot of kids grow up in the church and they're taught what
to think, but not necessarily how to think. Then they go off to
college, run into people with radically different perspectives on
the world, and it causes a crisis of faith. They aren't sure
whether or not they will stick with the Christianity they grew up
with. So they wonder, "Do I just go through the motions of my
faith? Or do I really own my faith? Or do I walk away?"
Q. How can parents, pastors and friends support those who are
asking the tough questions or who have been disillusioned by
faith?
A. Don't ever be dismissive of tough questions. At the same
time, look at the questions behind the questions. Often, the
questions are not merely intellectual quandaries but are
connected to issues of morality, personal choices, and
relationships. We are not talking heads doing theology in outer
space somewhere. We are real people in a real world who are
wrestling with truth at all sorts of levels. It's important for
parents and pastors and friends to not rush to judgment, but to
walk alongside those who have doubts.
Q. Does Chris discover that the faith of his grandher is
still relevant today? How does he come to understand that truth
is unchanging even in an ever-changing world?
A. I don't want to give away too much of the book. I think what
surprises Chris the most is how Gil peels back the layer of his
heart to show the root issues of many of his problems. Gil is
never satisfied to just give answers. He throws questions back at
Chris in a way that challenges his way of thinking.
Q. Chris struggles with the hypocrisy he sees in other
Christians. How does Grandpa Gil help him process through this?
A. Two ways: by helping Chris see that his disdain for hypocrisy
is actually rooted in the Christian faith he's doubting. And by
modeling for Chris what authentic, humble Christianity is.
Q. How does Gil explain evangelism to Chris? How had Chris’
experiences of studying religion in college affect whether he
knew God or just knew about God?
A. Again, I don't want to give away too much of the content of
their conversations, but I will say this: Gil shows Chris that
it's not inherently intolerant to persuade others to put their
faith in Jesus. He also shows how scholarship can be either a
tool to help us know and love God more, or something that
distances us from God's cl on our life. It's not enough to
know about God. God wants us to know Him.
Q. Does Chris resolve all of his doubts by the end of the
weekend he spends with his grandher?
A. Readers will have to pick up the book to find out, of course!
I would just say that this is a realistic look at faith and doubt
and truth, and that a happy end with a person's doubts erased
after a few conversations isn't the way real life works. Not when
there are serious issues and struggles being faced. That said,
there is a resolution to the book that I think will prove
satisfying to most readers.
Q. What do you hope readers will take away from the story of
Chris and Gil?
A. That we can talk about big ideas with winsomeness and love.
That we can walk alongside people with struggles without
belittling them or their doubts. That the gospel is true and
powerful and impacts everything about our lives.