God and Charles Dickens: Recovering the Christian Voice of a Classic Author

by Gary L. Colledge

Charles Dickens's 200th birthday will be celebrated in 2012. Though his writings are now more than 100 years old, many remain in print and are avidly read and studied. Often overlooked--or unknown--are the considerable Christian convictions Dickens held and displayed in his work. This book fills that vacuum by examining Dickens the Christian and showing how Christian beliefs and practices permeate his work.
This historical work is written for pastors, students, and laity alike. Chapters look at Dickens's life and work topically, arguing that Christian faith was front and center in some of what Dickens wrote (such as his children's work "The Life of Our Lord") and saliently implicit throughout various other characters and plots. Since Dickens's Christian side is rarely considered, Gary Colledge illuminates a fresh angle of Dickens, and the 200th birthday makes it especially timely.

Genres: Literature

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Gary L. Colledge (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is currently an adjunct professor at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and at Walsh University in Canton, Ohio. He wrote his dissertation on Dickens and Christianity. Colledge is the author of Dickens, Christianity, and “The Life of Our Lord” and contributed several articles to the New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible.

Reviews

[Matthew Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this work was very effective in detailing Dickens' particular Christian belief and worldview, Colledge's jaunts off the topic toward general advice for the church and his repetition, intentional or not, took the last star away. Beyond those moments, he does an excellent job inviting the reader to see the distinctly Christian voice of the Inimitable Dickens and enticing him to revisit Dickens' novels with joy.

[William Bradford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most of the book's intended general audience, I have heard that Dickens was at best a marginal Christian - and have found this surprising, given the content of his writings. Colledge goes a long way towards clearing this up with his presentation of how Dickens was an average lay person in most of his theological views, and how this is expressed in his writings. With this in mind, Dicken's Christianity, which, as noted, is apparent in his writings, is explained and clarified.

While intended for a general audience, the book is well foot-noted and shows careful research. For a few of the minor points the evidence is a little thin, but in all of the major points Colledge presents a convincing argument.

Reading this book has certainly helped me appreciate Dickens more, and I highly recommend it if you like Dickens.

[Tracey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highly repetitive. I thought it was going to focus more on Dickens work than it did. At times it felt like the author was using Dickens to support his own religious viewpoints.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows how Dickens thought about Christianity in laymen's terms.