Then Came Faith- Review

Then Came Faith(hover your mouse over the title for more info.)
by Louise M. Gouge
Emerald Pointe Books
Historical Christian Fiction - Post Civil War
ISBN:   978-0-97851-372-6
4 Tambourine Players


Abolitionist turned social activist, Juliana Harris has traveled to New Orleans to help the troubled city come together after its surrender. She believes that God has given her a mission to change the hard hearts of former slave owners. But when she befriends an inheritor of a plantation, she realizes that their are two stories to every side.

Confederate veteran/plantation owner, Andre Beuchamp can't believe he helped a Yankee abolitionist. He can believe it. The woman was pretty. But she didn't understand southern life and she didn't understand that the Abolotionist movement not only killed his former way of life, but his faith. How could she be right when he was a Christian, too?

Gouge presented a great problem within the faith community that still hasn't been solved. Why do we treat each other differently because of our race?

If we look at the world of Christian entertainment we see this divide. Gospel music vs. Christian contemporary. Christian Fiction vs African-American Inspirational Fiction. Hotel Rwaanda vs. The Passion of the Christ. Why do we divide CHristian art by race when Christ wants us to treat each other the same?

Juliana and Andre tackle these issue at the beginning of the Jim Crow Era. Gouge's description of slaves are realistic for people living during that time. For me the language and discussions are hard to swallow, because I'm African-American. But it is realistic and written very well. A great book to use in a bible study on race and ethics. It's a great piece for history buffs.

My only reservation was that Juliana and Andre were at times polar opposites. She's an abolotionist; He's a slave owner. The best romance couples attraction isn't based on ethical tension, but who they are deep down should be very much the same.

What I love most is that Andre and Juliana's budding romance shows us that if God is at the center of our lives, then we will begin to trust, hope, and love(August 2006, 384 pp, $10.19 at amazon)

Dee Stewart,
Reviewer




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