An Ocean Full of Angels

by Peter Kreeft

[In the author’s words:] I have written almost sixty books, but this one is very different from all the others. For one thing, it took 20 years. I had to wait patiently for it to grow, like a tree. I was not in control of it; it kept changing, as I watched at it and let it do what it did, like an animal out of its cage.

It began as a much more philosophical, talky, rational, in-control kind of book. The plot and the characters were originally there for the sake of the words, the points, the philosophy. Then the story and the character happily took over, and turned it into the opposite kind of book, in which the words were there for the sake of the characters and the events of the story, even though it remained long and wordy, and philosophical.

Then I cannibalized the long and wordy original book by extracting the philosophical passages and making no less than five other little books out of them: 1. The Sea Within explores the puzzle of humanity’s mysterious love affair with the sea; 2. I Surf, Therefore I Am, is a mystical philosophy of surfing; 3. If Einstein Had Been a Surfer is about what kinds of thinking have to be included in a Theory of Everything; 4. A Refutation of Moral Relativism; and 5. Islamic Dialogs. Some of these utilize characters that are in Ocean. But these are all books of philosophy that cluttered up the story, so I had to evict them from its premises. These five other books all fascinate me, and I hope they will fascinate readers, but not in the same way as Ocean does.

Ocean is about connections: In the sense it is my “Theory of Everything”; it shows in a story the surprising, invisible, yet powerful connections among things. Philosophy, science, and theology can state, define, and argue for those connections, but story is more convincing because it presents them, shows them. That’s why story is more powerful than philosophy in convincing us. (How many Romans were converted by Christian theology? How many by the Gospel story?) No philosopher was able to convince me that “we are each responsible for all.” But Dostoevsky did: he showed it in The Brothers Karamazov.

Genres: Fiction, Novels, Philosophy, Christian Fiction, Catholic

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2009

About the author

Peter Kreeft is an American philosopher and prolific author of over eighty books on Christian theology, philosophy, and apologetics. A convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, his journey was shaped by his study of Church history, Gothic architecture, and Thomistic thought. He earned his BA from Calvin College, an MA and PhD from Fordham University, and pursued further studies at Yale. Since 1965, he has taught philosophy at Boston College and also at The King’s College. Kreeft is known for formulating “Twenty Arguments for the Existence of God” with Ronald K. Tacelli, featured in their Handbook of Christian Apologetics. A strong advocate for unity among Christians, he emphasizes shared belief in Christ over denominational differences.

Reviews

[John O'Brien]

This is clearly a labour of love for Dr. Kreeft, his first novel which nonetheless retains his trademark wit and incisive philosophizing, which is as usual pure intellectual tonic. But does it work as a novel? Kreeft puts himself in the tradition of other novelists who trade in deep ideas. Ocean Full of Angels is indeed a story, though it unapologetically intersperses its narrative flow with essay-like excursi into subjects as various as the long history and geography of the coastal town of Nahant, north of Boston, where it primarily takes place, and delightful essays on the mysticism of surfing and baseball, which will quicken the hearts of fans, and perhaps amuse others. The main character is a Muslim, which is a welcome and interesting twist in "Christian fiction". Kreeft is generous is his treatment of Islam, and cultivates a portrait of Islamic spirituality in an effort I can only call "saving the proposition of the other" (Ignatian language for giving the most charitable interpretation, all things being equal). And while the eclectic nature of the book sometimes strains one's attention, it ultimately ends on a note that is both tragic and profoundly moving. His description of the ennobling and salvific quality of romantic love is spectacular, as well as the unflinching portrayal of its betrayal. If you intend to start this book, it's worth persevering to the end (one may, with the author's stated permission, skip the discursive chapters if you're feeling bogged). The payoff is seeing the most essential insight of Kreeft's career as a Christian philosopher.

[David]

While I love nearly all of Kreeft's podcasts ( http://www.peterkreeft.com/podcasts/i... ), I’m not as fond of his books. This book in particular I could only finish because my reading options were limited while on business travel. It's disjoint, preachy, lacking focus, and unpolished.

[Megan Willome]

An Ocean Full of Angels: The Autobiography of 'Isa Ben Adam Peter Kreeft

This is not a novel; this is a ghazal.

A ghazal is an ancient Arabic poem in which each two-line stanza is a pearl on a string. Being arranged next to each other on the string, the pearls inform each other, but each also stands independently. That's how the chapters work in this book — each one a pearl. The story moves in chronological order, but there might be a narrative pearl, followed by a pearl in which two characters debate philosophy, followed by a pearl about the sea, followed by a pearl about a love story, followed by a pearl about surfing, followed by a pearl about baseball. If you're familiar with Dr. Peter Kreeft's work, this all makes sense. Each pearl is a subject he's written or spoken about extensively, but here, the pearls are strung together, in a narrative.

If I was not very familiar with Kreeft's work, I would have been frustrated. Since I am, I had a good time. I still wouldn't call this a novel.

Here's one of Kreeft's paragraph's, from chapter 7, "Nahant,." which is a pearl about the island near Boston:

"Tiny Nahanat is a complete world that can teach you everything you need to now, everything the whole planet can teach. The rocks teach you fidelity. The waves teach you the relentless, unceasing heartbeat of love. The winds teach you the power of the invisible. The high cliffs teach you to hope. The caves teach you that all things have a dark and buried side. The grass teaches you humility. The sun teaches you glory. The sand teaches you time. The trees teach you to think tall. The ants and bees teach you industry. The flowers teach you the morality of superfluity, the wild adventure of hospitality, and the beauty of prodigality. The seasons teach you that change and stability are two sides of the same reality. The night teaches you mystery and the day teaches you mindfulness. The tiny town teaches you modesty. And the surrounding sea teaches you that you are rocked at every moment in the arms of a giant angel."

After that prose-poem, I will keep mine short, a haiku. I know you're not supposed to title haiku, but Kreeft has a section on the word "selah," and, like that ancient Hebrew word, this book is full of mystery. Why wouldn't it be? It's full of angels.

Selah

a verticle soul
can pray, can listen, can surf
all love's tidal swells

–Megan Willome

[Carol McHale]

I really wanted to love this book Peter Kreeft is an amazing author that can write philosophical ideas in a manner that non-philosophers cannot only understand but also enjoy. This book, however, was a labor of love to finish. Part of my dilemma was that I was expecting a story with a clear plot, beginning, middle, and end. Instead this is more of a gallop through the mind of a young Muslim man, with a few events thrown in. I can’t help but think that this book would be really good for a book club or class where it is actually studied more than just read. I’m glad I read it but I don’t think I would ever pick it up for a second reading.

[Anita Yoder]

This is an old philosopher's novel, where he tucks in all his pet ideas wherever he can fit them. I enjoyed the philosophical ramblings even though they didn't help the story line. The ramblings revealed more about the author than the characters or action.
The take-away is confusing. Is Kreeft saying the Muslim's God is the same as the Christian's?

[Katherine A]

It was ok,not what I was expecting

[Jan Dunlap]

Thought-provoking. Beautiful prose. Educational. Insightful. Reverant. What an unforgettable read! There is so much to take in, this book will stay with me for a long time, I think.

[Isaac]

Kreeft is one of my favorite human beings. He's an incredible lecturer and philosopher. But not the strongest novelist. Some very good parts (his chapter on Nahant made me want to visit!) but I might need to reread to fully appreciate the flow. The baseball chapter was a jarring move that came out of the blue, and I'm still not quite sure I understand the significance. Good but strange.