The Tehran Initiative by Joel C. Rosenberg

Genre: Political Thriller 

 
This is the second in a trilogy. The first book I reviewed here. This book continues the plot line, but as far as content advisory, nothing has changed from the first book, so refer to that review. However, one question I promised I'd answer as I continued the series was whether or not I saw evidence in these books of Rosenberg being sympathetic to the insider movement, a translating and evangelism philosophy for Muslims that, for all its good intentions, has sought to water down the truth of the Bible in order to not offend. And I am happy to report, that at least in these novels, there is no evidence that Rosenberg believes any such thing. In fact, his Muslim-background believer character risks his life to share the gospel with his countrymen, and he doesn't do it by doing things like going to the mosque and going through the motions of Islam (as supporters of the insider movement would suggest Muslim believers do). The third book comes out this fall, so perhaps we'll have wait until then for a final verdict.

The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg

I’m attempting more brevity in my book reviews. I’m assuming most people prefer short and sweet to long and rambling. Let me know if this works for you or if you would like me to return to my long-winded ways. :-)

Read on my Kindle!

Genres: Christian Fiction, Political Thriller

Book Summary: David Shirazi is a CIA agent who is working to dismember Iran’s growing nuclear arms program.  But when he finds out that Iran’s most influential leaders are convinced that the Twelfth Imam, Islam’s version of the messiah, is returning and they must usher him in with a third world war, his clandestine efforts become a lot more dangerous. That, coupled with personal  struggles and  becoming aware of a spiritual battle that he never expected, makes for an exciting, fast-paced read in this first of a series.

Indulgent Book Talk: I have really enjoyed Rosenberg’s fiction and non-fiction, mostly because he’s smart and he knows what he is talking about it. He’s worked in political circles dealing directly with Middle East issues, so he knows his stuff. I think sometimes he understands more about the climate than recent presidents have…maybe I’ll write him in next election! Nevertheless, while not super-literary, this book was exciting, fast-paced, interesting, and best of all, God-glorifying.

Glorifying Elements: One of my favorite things about Rosenberg is the compassion with which he handles his characters, especially his Muslim ones. He made me as a reader see them as human and fallible and very much in need of Jesus. I think inspiring in Christians a compassion and heart for the Muslim community without downplaying their error and the evil of their extremist thought is a balance he maintains skillfully.

Worldly Elements: Very little. There is a brief scene of an extramarital sexual encounter but nothing graphic, and its effects are shown to be negative later in the book. Additionally, I recently learned that Rosenberg may be somewhat sympathetic to the Insider Movement, which, if you are unaware, is a Bible translating philosophy that changes the references to God as Father and Jesus as Son with the aim of not offending potential Muslim coverts to Christianity (ie, avoiding implying God had sex with Mary, or some such thing). If this is true, then Rosenberg is certainly in error, but I saw no indication in this book that he believes this.  Perhaps this is a more recent development. I will keep you updated as I learn more.

General Recommendation: If you are interested in politics, the Middle East, and how all of that fits into God’s grand plan for the world and fulfilling His promises to the nations, I imagine you will be entertained and encouraged by this book and other Rosenberg novels and nonfiction. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, The Tehran Initiative!

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!