Proof by Bill Bright and Jack Cavanaugh

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Political Thriller

Book Summary: I’ve really been on a Christian lit kick these last few weeks. I zoomed through this random Bookman’s find, co-authored by Campus Crusade for Christ’s late founder, Bill Bright, and hope to find the others in The Great Awakenings series. This book follows the story of a young lawyer named Harrison Shaw, who finds himself in the middle of America’s revival in 1857-58. He gets himself tangled up in the mysterious life of Victoria Jarves, the daughter of New York City’s most successful and vicious lawyer, and the tumultuous climate of 1850’s New York leads to this novice attorney defending Christianity in a court of law.

Indulgent Book Talk: I found this book really enjoyable and engaging. The writing was very smooth and readable, and the characters were interesting. I especially thought the depiction of the book’s villain, J.K. Jarves, was particularly chilling and well thought-through. Victoria Jarves’ antics made for some interesting plot twists, and Harrison Shaw, the story’s main protagonist, was a believable, imperfect character. Well done on those accounts. With its heavy spiritual themes, I don’t think this would be the kind of Christian literature that would appeal to those outside of the faith, but for those of us on the inside, it’s delightful fun and encouraging.

Glorifying Elements: One of the things I think this book did well was present a clear gospel message. It emphasized sin and people’s need for a Savior within the context of a spiritual revival. I also thought the role of the Holy Spirit was conveyed accurately—something I was concerned about when I bought it because I didn’t want it to be too charismatic; it wasn’t. It’s rare that you find a gospel message portrayed in a non-preachy, contrived way and solely through the lives and conversations of the characters; I really thought that gave the writing a lot of credibility.

Negative Elements: Not much. Definitely rated G in content. In fact, the character of Harrison Shaw is one of those kinds of gentlemen we women like to admire in Jane Austen-type literature. J.K. Jarves was a bit disturbing as a character, but not in a gratuitous way. The only real problem I had with the book, even though it was quite entertaining, is that I don’t think the trial that occurred at the end could actually happen. Even with manipulative lawyers and a corrupt system (which, realistically, it is to some extent), I think it would take a lot more than a personal vendetta to bring a whole church to trial for “poisoning people’s minds.” Though I am certainly not an expert in the law, I’m still not sure which law they’d have to cite to get a serious trial to court, especially considering free speech and freedom of religion, which was much more highly regarded in those days than it is now. Nevertheless, I’m accustomed to suspension of disbelief when I’m reading fiction, so this did not interfere too much with my enjoyment of this book.

General Recommendation: Go for it, especially if you are fond of the genres this book falls into. It’s a light, fun read, and I hope to find the books in the other series. When I do, I’ll let you know!