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The Curate's Awakening #1
The Curate's Awakening
Beginning at his first parish, the old abbey church at Glaston, Thomas Wingfold realizes that he has chosen the ministry as a profession, but has not come to terms with his personal beliefs
253 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1876
77 people are currently reading
1130 people want to read
About the author
George MacDonald
1,756 books2,508 followersGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
December 7, 2025
Just finished reading this for the second time this year as I realized, that the version I had first read was heavily edited. Now having finished the original and full version, I give it four stars, but feel I need to provide clarification for that. That is in the coming.
March 25, 2021
A wonderful story about a curate's coming to terms with his lack of faith and of his ultimately finding Jesus and God.
This book is perfect for any Christian clergyman or devote Christian as there is a lot of New testament Bible references coupled with deep introspection of the teachings of Jesus. Author George MacDonald was a Scottish Christian minister in the late 1800's. He clearly pours out his heart and soul into all of these characters.
I noticed there was a tremendous amount of similarities in his writing of Christianity with eastern teachings. It is with this, that I suspect, MacDonald may have been a student of eastern ways, interjecting those teachings, (as well as Spiritualism and psychology which were all the rage during the late 1800's) into the story.
I found it entertaining, enlightening, and comforting, yet at times difficult to get through some parts. It is very intellectually written and requires the reader to think deeply with an open mind.
I love how MacDonald interjects himself at times, calling the readers attention to himself, the author in the midst of his creating. This made me feel a personal connection with him on both levels.
The story is told by way of a man's crime and search for absolution as he is dying. I won't retell the story but will give you a cast of characters and a bit of their circumstances.
Leopold, is the 1/2 brother of Helen. They share the same father, but Leopold's mother is of Indian descent. While away at Cambridge, Leopold gets addicted to opium (most likely) and murders his love in a jealous drug induced stupor. He flees to his sister's and she hides him away, but he is consumed by madness of his addiction and guilt of his crime. He is so tormented by his thoughts and dreams that it takes a toll on his body thus falling gravely ill.
The curate (or minister) Thomas Wingfold is an honest man who, unbeknownst to him, has not been honest with himself. It took Helen's cousin and suitor George to point this out in him. After this conversation with George, the curate begins a fervent inward journey to find Christ and God. He is on a mission to find the truth and to open the eyes of his congregation no matter the cost.
Helen starts out with little passion. She doesn't think much in the way of contemplating the nature of life. George is her cousin and suitor, not out of any attraction or love, but of a want to keep family inheritance within the family. George, a lawyer by trade, is pompous and an atheist. He also likes Helen because he feels he can mold her into a shape of his liking due to her lack of questioning his beliefs.
The Poldsworth's are uncle and niece who are both Dwarfs. They are both stricken with pain and ailments but also stricken with God in their hearts. It is with the aid of these two little angels that Thomas Wingfold is nudged onto the path of finding God, rescuing Leopold from his torments, and Helen from George.
There are two more books in this series, but this can be a standalone, as it has a proper ending.
Note to GR technicians---Issues! You can't update your progress without GR marking it as "read"
Content concerns: Drug addiction, murder (not terribly detailed). Some may not care for the heavy Christian themes.
This book is perfect for any Christian clergyman or devote Christian as there is a lot of New testament Bible references coupled with deep introspection of the teachings of Jesus. Author George MacDonald was a Scottish Christian minister in the late 1800's. He clearly pours out his heart and soul into all of these characters.
I noticed there was a tremendous amount of similarities in his writing of Christianity with eastern teachings. It is with this, that I suspect, MacDonald may have been a student of eastern ways, interjecting those teachings, (as well as Spiritualism and psychology which were all the rage during the late 1800's) into the story.
I found it entertaining, enlightening, and comforting, yet at times difficult to get through some parts. It is very intellectually written and requires the reader to think deeply with an open mind.
I love how MacDonald interjects himself at times, calling the readers attention to himself, the author in the midst of his creating. This made me feel a personal connection with him on both levels.
The story is told by way of a man's crime and search for absolution as he is dying. I won't retell the story but will give you a cast of characters and a bit of their circumstances.
Leopold, is the 1/2 brother of Helen. They share the same father, but Leopold's mother is of Indian descent. While away at Cambridge, Leopold gets addicted to opium (most likely) and murders his love in a jealous drug induced stupor. He flees to his sister's and she hides him away, but he is consumed by madness of his addiction and guilt of his crime. He is so tormented by his thoughts and dreams that it takes a toll on his body thus falling gravely ill.
The curate (or minister) Thomas Wingfold is an honest man who, unbeknownst to him, has not been honest with himself. It took Helen's cousin and suitor George to point this out in him. After this conversation with George, the curate begins a fervent inward journey to find Christ and God. He is on a mission to find the truth and to open the eyes of his congregation no matter the cost.
Helen starts out with little passion. She doesn't think much in the way of contemplating the nature of life. George is her cousin and suitor, not out of any attraction or love, but of a want to keep family inheritance within the family. George, a lawyer by trade, is pompous and an atheist. He also likes Helen because he feels he can mold her into a shape of his liking due to her lack of questioning his beliefs.
The Poldsworth's are uncle and niece who are both Dwarfs. They are both stricken with pain and ailments but also stricken with God in their hearts. It is with the aid of these two little angels that Thomas Wingfold is nudged onto the path of finding God, rescuing Leopold from his torments, and Helen from George.
There are two more books in this series, but this can be a standalone, as it has a proper ending.
Note to GR technicians---Issues! You can't update your progress without GR marking it as "read"
Content concerns: Drug addiction, murder (not terribly detailed). Some may not care for the heavy Christian themes.
February 17, 2017
This is a story of moving from oblivion to awareness to doubt to glimmers of hope and finally to sold out conviction. The most beautiful passage is the story of the "shop" in heaven where no currency is necessary and where "church" happens spontaneously in the midst of daily duties.
This book is a great example of an exercise in true logic and shines a bright light on the errors of atheism which holds so tightly to its own brand of religion and with fancy words dazzles the listener into thinking its totems pillars of truth instead of just different accepted givens built on shaky sand shored up by dogmatic conviction and flashy vocabulary.
This book is a great example of an exercise in true logic and shines a bright light on the errors of atheism which holds so tightly to its own brand of religion and with fancy words dazzles the listener into thinking its totems pillars of truth instead of just different accepted givens built on shaky sand shored up by dogmatic conviction and flashy vocabulary.
November 29, 2007
If you are in for an edge-of-your seat story, you will not find it in this book. However, if you are in for thought provoking theology and a journey through doubt into faith, you will likely not find anything quite like this read to suit your desire. George MacDonald presents the story of a young preacher who, after a conversation with an atheist, finds himself questioning the beliefs he has taken for granted every week in the pulpit. Through the tutoring of an honest and wise friend, and through experiences of suffering in his own life and the lives of others, Thomas Wingfold gains a firm hope in the Man of the New Testament and the invitation to come unto Him and find rest. MacDonald, as he does in most of his novels, uses half the space of the pages to tell the story and the other half to preach--and it is the preaching that ropes you in. Simply put, if you consider yourself a Christian, you ought to read this book and see what you may yet be lacking...
And for the true bibliophile, the only version to get is that printed by Johannesen, a publisher in Whitehorn, CA that is dedicated to reprinting in beautiful editions the works of George MacDonald.
And for the true bibliophile, the only version to get is that printed by Johannesen, a publisher in Whitehorn, CA that is dedicated to reprinting in beautiful editions the works of George MacDonald.
January 29, 2022
I read an edited version of this book years ago, and now I am currently reading the full length version, published by the worksofmacdonald.com, with an online book club which has been quite exciting. Anything by the great Scotsman is worth reading.
March 13, 2010
Love George MacDonald for great Christian fiction with depth.
May 26, 2009
C.S. Lewis once said that he has never written a page that did not bear the marks of George MacDonald. The Curate's Awakening is the first in a series beginning with the fictional life of Thomas Wingfold, dutiful but lifeless curate in the Church of England and the transformation that occurs in his life.
January 12, 2017
I read this book a couple years ago and remember enjoying it. :) If you don't mind reading a couple sermons in the middle, it's an intriguing story. All books about pastors/pastor's families have a special place in my heart. ;)
It's probably high time I read it again...
It's probably high time I read it again...
November 24, 2021
It's a little hard to wade through at times, but mostly it is a wonderful view of how the Lord uses His church to build His kingdom. And a sweet look at what a gift Christian community is.
December 31, 2014
As much as I love him as an author, I feel I am outgrowing much of George Mac’s theology. I’m much more familiar with up-to-date scholarship about comparative cosmogonies, religions, and mythology than I’ve ever been, and that makes some of MacDonald’s theology—very progressive in its own time for its overtones of universalism, inclusivity, and equality—feel outdated to me. It’s my fault for thinking of his theology as current in the first place; but I came from a very fundamentalist Christian background, and it took me a while. I am profoundly grateful to have discovered MacDonald as a source of liberation from my dogmatic heritage (thank you C.S. Lewis and John Eldridge for introducing us), yet I find myself increasingly distanced particularly from his Christian metaphysics, and this distance seems to increase each time I go back to read one of his works.
On the other hand, the unparalleled sweep of his imagination, his poetic grasp of beauty and existential significance, his love of nature, his authenticity, and his supreme literary intelligence far outshine the facets of his fin de siècle religious framework that are dated. I just keep getting the feeling that I haven’t yet plumbed the depths of all this guy has to offer beyond his Christianity. To be sure, there are so many gorgeous concepts and phrasing side-by-side with religious platitude, but his charm and range of vision blast through the time-worn ideas. Although he would probably claim that his profundity is borrowed from the deeper truths of Christianity, it seems to me that he is borrowing from something much older which Christianity itself borrows from, and perhaps from something further back within his own self that recognized some corollaries within an established religion.
And I have to admire his honesty and attempt at integrating even his darkest doubts regarding the existence of God and the meaning of life into his faith. The protagonist of this book, Thomas Wingold, is a pastor who begins to question his own beliefs regarding the existence of God and the teachings of his sacred book. The entire work depicts a struggle between secular humanism, religious fundamentalism, and an honest faith. Wingfold, of course, represents an honest faith, and even though (spoiler alert!!) he ends up being predictably confirmed in the same faith he started questioning, still it is a purer, kinder, more honest sort of faith that cares for the lonely and outcast. Seems more right than wrong.
I truly believe that the polarized personalities of the work that represent the views of humanism (George Bascombe and Helen Lindgard), religious fundamentalism (Helen’s mother, oftentimes her brother, Leopold, and Wingfold’s own congregation), and an honest, inclusive Christianity (Wingfold and Polwarth) highlight MacDonald’s raging internal debate regarding the validity of each position, especially the contest between humanism and Christianity . It’s clear that MacDonald was not portraying his brain-child humanist in the most positive light—George Bascombe is conceited, selfish, and prejudiced against the weak and ignorant—but even so, he puts some pretty damn good munitions in the mouth of George against which to scrimmage. Perhaps if MacDonald didn’t work so hard to vilify him—probably an attempt to quell that voice in his own head—he could have been pretty close to creating understanding between people of faith and non-faith. But he was definitely playing a side, and gives some of the best apologias for the Christian faith—not bandying mere fact-based propaganda—that I have ever heard. It is philosophical jujitsu at its best with an understanding that the key to throwing an opponent isn’t necessarily data-bashing (“Evidence! All of it that was to be had was but such as one man received, another man refused…”), but rather using the weight of common human experiences, desires, and fears to compel, being diligent not to “weaken by presentation the force of a truth which, in discovery, would have its full effect.”
Though obviously predisposed, as are so many faithful believers, to think that all nonbelievers must be either deluded or dishonest, MacDonald was still extremely sympathetic to a sincere person whose heart seemed open to others; and he empathizes to a degree with the some of the points made by a more genuine secular humanism, namely, the lack of absolute certainty or assurance in matters of faith. Wingfold himself, though reinforced in his faith by the end of the story, is still a far way from absolute, untroubled certainty. But against losing hope in the face of uncertainty, he affirms his self-election: “What mighty matter is it if, thus utterly befooled of Nature, we should also a little fool ourselves, by believing in a lovely hope that looks like a promise, and seems as if it ought to be true?” This sentiment reincarnates throughout the story, but the essence is the same: the best one can do is hope, and trust that the very best of what one believes is true. If there is a God, he or she will take care of the rest. This, I think, seems fair and even laudable, and would be a great common ground for people of different perspectives to meet if they could get past the need to declare absolute certainty over absolute hope or determination.
I was surprised, however, at my own disappointment with a tenor of poutiness on the part of MacDonald that I never noticed before in his writings. It seemed most pronounced when he mentioned the hypothetical absence of God in the universe. “Wingfold felt that if there was no God, his soul was but a thing of rags and patches out in the masterless, pitiless storm and hail of a chaotic universe.” World’s smallest violin ova’ heah. It was all very much in the spirit of William Wordsworth when he wrote:
“One adequate support for the calamities of life exist—one only—an assured belief that the procession of our fate, however sad or disturbed, is ordered by a being of infinite benevolence and power, whose everlasting purposes embrace all accidents, converting them to good” (from The Excursion).
MacDonald complained through his protagonists about life not being worth living if there were no God to control every little contingency, in which case all good experienced or hoped for were a complete illusion. It was as if he reasoned, “If I can’t have life all my way, with a god of my own perfect ideal, then I would rather not have life or god at all!” This whining reverberates throughout this book, although I can’t say I don’t sympathize in some ways. Nietzsche’s ‘does-a-mother-get-paid-for-her-love?’ rebuff against those whose virtue consists in a desire to receive a reward for their love and goodness might well apply here:
“At you, ye virtuous ones, laughed my beauty to-day. And thus came its voice unto me: ‘They want—to be paid besides!’... Ye want to be paid besides, ye virtuous ones! Ye want reward for virtue, and heaven for earth, and eternity for your to-day?...Ye love your virtue as a mother loveth her child; but when did one hear of a mother wanting to be paid for her love?” (from Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
But, again, a universe without a traditional concept of God, immortality, and reward is a very hard thing for some who’ve been conditioned to think of happiness with strings of very concrete, eternal guarantees. I won’t begrudge a man or woman their prerogative to construct a system of metaphysics or mysticism. It’s very…human. Happiness ‘with strings’ is what we all want; it’s what we all work towards in one way or another; but when a string breaks, we can either cry over spilled milk, or we can try to enjoy what we have while searching for new strings. Simone DeBeauvoir, the French philosopher, said that losing a god through disbelief hurts too much to come to terms with easily. “After having lived under the eyes of the gods, having been given the promise of divinity, one does not readily accept becoming simply a man with all his anxiety and doubt” (Ethics Of Ambiguity). This, she said, goes hand in hand with the difficulty people have in “living without a guarantee.” Still, even without a sharply defined guarantee, we are yet alive for this moment, and to waste our only moment with the people we love is tantamount to wasting eternity.
In the end, Wingfold is content to “cast in my lot with the servants of the Crucified”, despite his parishioners’ disapprobation concerning his “lack of absolute assurance.” He lives what feels most real and hopeful to him, and that, at the very least, sounds authentic for many Christians and non-Christians alike. That is something a lot of us can get behind. Regardless of MacDonald’s conscious message, the grandeur of his style and grasp of the significance of human existence which lives on hope—on a chance—makes his works thoroughly enjoyable reads.
**Like this review? Clicking ‘like’ lets me know someone’s reading! For more reviews, visit my blog, www.bookburningservice.blogspot.com.
On the other hand, the unparalleled sweep of his imagination, his poetic grasp of beauty and existential significance, his love of nature, his authenticity, and his supreme literary intelligence far outshine the facets of his fin de siècle religious framework that are dated. I just keep getting the feeling that I haven’t yet plumbed the depths of all this guy has to offer beyond his Christianity. To be sure, there are so many gorgeous concepts and phrasing side-by-side with religious platitude, but his charm and range of vision blast through the time-worn ideas. Although he would probably claim that his profundity is borrowed from the deeper truths of Christianity, it seems to me that he is borrowing from something much older which Christianity itself borrows from, and perhaps from something further back within his own self that recognized some corollaries within an established religion.
And I have to admire his honesty and attempt at integrating even his darkest doubts regarding the existence of God and the meaning of life into his faith. The protagonist of this book, Thomas Wingold, is a pastor who begins to question his own beliefs regarding the existence of God and the teachings of his sacred book. The entire work depicts a struggle between secular humanism, religious fundamentalism, and an honest faith. Wingfold, of course, represents an honest faith, and even though (spoiler alert!!) he ends up being predictably confirmed in the same faith he started questioning, still it is a purer, kinder, more honest sort of faith that cares for the lonely and outcast. Seems more right than wrong.
I truly believe that the polarized personalities of the work that represent the views of humanism (George Bascombe and Helen Lindgard), religious fundamentalism (Helen’s mother, oftentimes her brother, Leopold, and Wingfold’s own congregation), and an honest, inclusive Christianity (Wingfold and Polwarth) highlight MacDonald’s raging internal debate regarding the validity of each position, especially the contest between humanism and Christianity . It’s clear that MacDonald was not portraying his brain-child humanist in the most positive light—George Bascombe is conceited, selfish, and prejudiced against the weak and ignorant—but even so, he puts some pretty damn good munitions in the mouth of George against which to scrimmage. Perhaps if MacDonald didn’t work so hard to vilify him—probably an attempt to quell that voice in his own head—he could have been pretty close to creating understanding between people of faith and non-faith. But he was definitely playing a side, and gives some of the best apologias for the Christian faith—not bandying mere fact-based propaganda—that I have ever heard. It is philosophical jujitsu at its best with an understanding that the key to throwing an opponent isn’t necessarily data-bashing (“Evidence! All of it that was to be had was but such as one man received, another man refused…”), but rather using the weight of common human experiences, desires, and fears to compel, being diligent not to “weaken by presentation the force of a truth which, in discovery, would have its full effect.”
Though obviously predisposed, as are so many faithful believers, to think that all nonbelievers must be either deluded or dishonest, MacDonald was still extremely sympathetic to a sincere person whose heart seemed open to others; and he empathizes to a degree with the some of the points made by a more genuine secular humanism, namely, the lack of absolute certainty or assurance in matters of faith. Wingfold himself, though reinforced in his faith by the end of the story, is still a far way from absolute, untroubled certainty. But against losing hope in the face of uncertainty, he affirms his self-election: “What mighty matter is it if, thus utterly befooled of Nature, we should also a little fool ourselves, by believing in a lovely hope that looks like a promise, and seems as if it ought to be true?” This sentiment reincarnates throughout the story, but the essence is the same: the best one can do is hope, and trust that the very best of what one believes is true. If there is a God, he or she will take care of the rest. This, I think, seems fair and even laudable, and would be a great common ground for people of different perspectives to meet if they could get past the need to declare absolute certainty over absolute hope or determination.
I was surprised, however, at my own disappointment with a tenor of poutiness on the part of MacDonald that I never noticed before in his writings. It seemed most pronounced when he mentioned the hypothetical absence of God in the universe. “Wingfold felt that if there was no God, his soul was but a thing of rags and patches out in the masterless, pitiless storm and hail of a chaotic universe.” World’s smallest violin ova’ heah. It was all very much in the spirit of William Wordsworth when he wrote:
“One adequate support for the calamities of life exist—one only—an assured belief that the procession of our fate, however sad or disturbed, is ordered by a being of infinite benevolence and power, whose everlasting purposes embrace all accidents, converting them to good” (from The Excursion).
MacDonald complained through his protagonists about life not being worth living if there were no God to control every little contingency, in which case all good experienced or hoped for were a complete illusion. It was as if he reasoned, “If I can’t have life all my way, with a god of my own perfect ideal, then I would rather not have life or god at all!” This whining reverberates throughout this book, although I can’t say I don’t sympathize in some ways. Nietzsche’s ‘does-a-mother-get-paid-for-her-love?’ rebuff against those whose virtue consists in a desire to receive a reward for their love and goodness might well apply here:
“At you, ye virtuous ones, laughed my beauty to-day. And thus came its voice unto me: ‘They want—to be paid besides!’... Ye want to be paid besides, ye virtuous ones! Ye want reward for virtue, and heaven for earth, and eternity for your to-day?...Ye love your virtue as a mother loveth her child; but when did one hear of a mother wanting to be paid for her love?” (from Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
But, again, a universe without a traditional concept of God, immortality, and reward is a very hard thing for some who’ve been conditioned to think of happiness with strings of very concrete, eternal guarantees. I won’t begrudge a man or woman their prerogative to construct a system of metaphysics or mysticism. It’s very…human. Happiness ‘with strings’ is what we all want; it’s what we all work towards in one way or another; but when a string breaks, we can either cry over spilled milk, or we can try to enjoy what we have while searching for new strings. Simone DeBeauvoir, the French philosopher, said that losing a god through disbelief hurts too much to come to terms with easily. “After having lived under the eyes of the gods, having been given the promise of divinity, one does not readily accept becoming simply a man with all his anxiety and doubt” (Ethics Of Ambiguity). This, she said, goes hand in hand with the difficulty people have in “living without a guarantee.” Still, even without a sharply defined guarantee, we are yet alive for this moment, and to waste our only moment with the people we love is tantamount to wasting eternity.
In the end, Wingfold is content to “cast in my lot with the servants of the Crucified”, despite his parishioners’ disapprobation concerning his “lack of absolute assurance.” He lives what feels most real and hopeful to him, and that, at the very least, sounds authentic for many Christians and non-Christians alike. That is something a lot of us can get behind. Regardless of MacDonald’s conscious message, the grandeur of his style and grasp of the significance of human existence which lives on hope—on a chance—makes his works thoroughly enjoyable reads.
**Like this review? Clicking ‘like’ lets me know someone’s reading! For more reviews, visit my blog, www.bookburningservice.blogspot.com.
October 21, 2024
4.5 stars
Thomas Wingfold started a career in the church as a curate, but when he is asked whether or not he really believes there is a God, it starts him on a spiritual journey to discover what he truly believes and whether or not Christ is real. In the meantime, he continues preaching, sharing with his congregation the difficulties of his spiritual doubt and how he is searching for truth in the Bible.
One of his parishioners, Helen, finds herself in a crisis when her brother shows up late one night running from the police. He has murdered the woman he loves, and begs Helen to hide him. Helen continues to attend church each week so that no one will suspect that there is anything out of the ordinary. She hears Wingfold's sermons with disquiet and dread, but something within her soul is reaching out to find the truth.
I really loved this story about various people trying to pinpoint what they really believe about Christ. Each in their own way, they begin to realize that they can't just dismiss the person of Christ, or attend church because it is socially acceptable. They have to make a personal decision for their soul, accepting Christ completely and thereby radically changing their lives. It was really inspiring and exciting to read about!
I love MacDonald's writing style. It's poignant and deeply thoughtful and emotional. The edition I read was unedited, so the writing can be a bit long-winded, but I just let my mind sink into the depths and took my time wading through all the sermons, stopping to think and ponder between chapters. And when I emerged on the other side, I found myself spiritually refreshed and invigorated!
However, I don't agree with every point of MacDonald's theology. He believed some weird stuff. But most of it is Biblical and correct. I'd say I agree with about 95% of his teachings.
Thomas Wingfold started a career in the church as a curate, but when he is asked whether or not he really believes there is a God, it starts him on a spiritual journey to discover what he truly believes and whether or not Christ is real. In the meantime, he continues preaching, sharing with his congregation the difficulties of his spiritual doubt and how he is searching for truth in the Bible.
One of his parishioners, Helen, finds herself in a crisis when her brother shows up late one night running from the police. He has murdered the woman he loves, and begs Helen to hide him. Helen continues to attend church each week so that no one will suspect that there is anything out of the ordinary. She hears Wingfold's sermons with disquiet and dread, but something within her soul is reaching out to find the truth.
I really loved this story about various people trying to pinpoint what they really believe about Christ. Each in their own way, they begin to realize that they can't just dismiss the person of Christ, or attend church because it is socially acceptable. They have to make a personal decision for their soul, accepting Christ completely and thereby radically changing their lives. It was really inspiring and exciting to read about!
I love MacDonald's writing style. It's poignant and deeply thoughtful and emotional. The edition I read was unedited, so the writing can be a bit long-winded, but I just let my mind sink into the depths and took my time wading through all the sermons, stopping to think and ponder between chapters. And when I emerged on the other side, I found myself spiritually refreshed and invigorated!
However, I don't agree with every point of MacDonald's theology. He believed some weird stuff. But most of it is Biblical and correct. I'd say I agree with about 95% of his teachings.
January 8, 2022
While MacDonald's Scottish novels are my favourites (I'm biased, because they're set in my part of the country), Thomas Wingfold, Curate is deservedly one of the most popular-if not THE most popular-of his English works. It deals with atheism, doubt, the vacuousness of superficial religion ("nothing is so deadening to the divine as an habitual dealing with the outsides of holy things") and the search for truth and meaning. This is the more honest and raw when the character who comes to question his faith is himself an ordained minister. The interweaving of this spiritual search with the harrowing story of a repentant murderer and his devoted sister makes this a powerful and memorable tale, and while Thomas Wingfold himself is noble and endearing, the dwarfs Polwarth and his niece Rachel are among the truly unforgettable GM creations. Sure to be enjoyed by any fans of MacDonald, and C.S. Lewis readers should definitely check it out as it's highly quoted in his MacDonald anthology, and contains these lines that almost certainly inspired THAT famous speech by Puddleglum in The Silver Chair:
"Even if there be no hereafter, I would live my time believing in a grand thing that ought to be true if it is not. No facts can take the place of truths, and if these be not truths, then is the loftiest part of our nature a waste. Let me hold by the better than the actual, and fall into nothingness off the same precipice with Jesus and John and Paul and a thousand more, who were lovely in their lives, and with their death make even the nothingness into which they have passed like the garden of the Lord. I will go further, Polwarth, and say, I would rather die for evermore believing as Jesus believed, than live for evermore believing as those that deny him." (p.394 of this edition)
This new edition by The Works of MacDonald is the best I've seen. It's unabridged, has a lovely burgundy and gold cover design, and the text is easier on the eye than any other version out there (that I know of, anyway.)
"Even if there be no hereafter, I would live my time believing in a grand thing that ought to be true if it is not. No facts can take the place of truths, and if these be not truths, then is the loftiest part of our nature a waste. Let me hold by the better than the actual, and fall into nothingness off the same precipice with Jesus and John and Paul and a thousand more, who were lovely in their lives, and with their death make even the nothingness into which they have passed like the garden of the Lord. I will go further, Polwarth, and say, I would rather die for evermore believing as Jesus believed, than live for evermore believing as those that deny him." (p.394 of this edition)
This new edition by The Works of MacDonald is the best I've seen. It's unabridged, has a lovely burgundy and gold cover design, and the text is easier on the eye than any other version out there (that I know of, anyway.)
January 7, 2026
Imagine this book as Unspoken Sermons, volume 4 ... but with murder, romance, good dwarves, an abandoned mansion, and organ music.
Read
October 22, 2025The three volumes of Thomas Wingfold, Curate had my every cell on alert much in the same way as Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, but MacDonald's story of murder and repentance is accompanied by the most comforting, joyful explanations of suffering in the life of the Christian. The ending ... I'll not give it away here, but it is something every woman should read for exhortation and encouragement in the area of choosing a worthy husband.
I am still thinking about this story (and quoting it to others) a full year after reading, and that is just about the best review I know how to give.
I am still thinking about this story (and quoting it to others) a full year after reading, and that is just about the best review I know how to give.
January 27, 2016
Loved this book! Some of my favorite lines:
...at college at least, clergyman's sons little reflect the behavior prescribed by the doctrines their fathers teach. The cause of this is matter for the consideration of those fathers. p.22
We do not half appreciate the benefits to the race that spring from honest dullness. The clever people are often the ruin of everything.
But this morning he came face-to-face with himself all at once, and not liking the interview, jumped out of bed as if he had hoped to leave himself there behind him. p. 30
The office of preaching is meant first of all to wake them up, next to make them hungry, and finally to give them food for that hunger...For if he doesn't feed God's flock, then he is no shepherd. p. 40
I am in mortal fear of growing selfish under the weight of all my blessings. p. 40
...the common transactions of life are the most sacred channels for the spread of the heavenly leaven. p. 88
If there be no God, then this existence is but a chaos of contradictions from which can emerge nothing worthy to be called a truth, nothing worth living for. p. 148
It is in trusting Him that we move into higher regions of life, not in knowing about Him. Until we have His life in us, we shall never be at peace. The living God dwelling in the heart He has made, and glorifying it by inner communion with Himself--that is life, assurance, and safety. Nothing less can ever give true life.
For what are doubts but the strengthening building blocks toward summits of yet higher faith in Him who always leads us into the high places?...Until you repent and believe afresh, believe in a nobler Christ, namely the Christ of history and the Christ of the Bible rather than the vague form which false interpretations of men have substituted for Him--until you believe in Him rightly you will continue to be the main reason why faith is so scanty on the earth. p. 181
But what unspeakable joy and contentment awaits you when you, like St. Paul, can be crucified with Christ, to live no more from your own self but to be thereafter possessed with the same faith toward the Father in which Jesus lived and did the will of the Father. p.181
I need a God. And if there be none, how did I come to need one? p. 184
"Well, I'm damned!" And so he was--for the time--and properly so, for he required it. p. 184
...at college at least, clergyman's sons little reflect the behavior prescribed by the doctrines their fathers teach. The cause of this is matter for the consideration of those fathers. p.22
We do not half appreciate the benefits to the race that spring from honest dullness. The clever people are often the ruin of everything.
But this morning he came face-to-face with himself all at once, and not liking the interview, jumped out of bed as if he had hoped to leave himself there behind him. p. 30
The office of preaching is meant first of all to wake them up, next to make them hungry, and finally to give them food for that hunger...For if he doesn't feed God's flock, then he is no shepherd. p. 40
I am in mortal fear of growing selfish under the weight of all my blessings. p. 40
...the common transactions of life are the most sacred channels for the spread of the heavenly leaven. p. 88
If there be no God, then this existence is but a chaos of contradictions from which can emerge nothing worthy to be called a truth, nothing worth living for. p. 148
It is in trusting Him that we move into higher regions of life, not in knowing about Him. Until we have His life in us, we shall never be at peace. The living God dwelling in the heart He has made, and glorifying it by inner communion with Himself--that is life, assurance, and safety. Nothing less can ever give true life.
For what are doubts but the strengthening building blocks toward summits of yet higher faith in Him who always leads us into the high places?...Until you repent and believe afresh, believe in a nobler Christ, namely the Christ of history and the Christ of the Bible rather than the vague form which false interpretations of men have substituted for Him--until you believe in Him rightly you will continue to be the main reason why faith is so scanty on the earth. p. 181
But what unspeakable joy and contentment awaits you when you, like St. Paul, can be crucified with Christ, to live no more from your own self but to be thereafter possessed with the same faith toward the Father in which Jesus lived and did the will of the Father. p.181
I need a God. And if there be none, how did I come to need one? p. 184
"Well, I'm damned!" And so he was--for the time--and properly so, for he required it. p. 184
May 21, 2012
Forgot i had this, found it on a pile, decided to try first 10 pages or so and then chuck book if no good, because this is EDITED George MacDonald (author of 'Phantasies', 'At the Back of the North Wind', & 'The princess and the goblin' to name a few). Normally this would have been a two tome 19th century behemoth, with A LOT of extra words. But i gave it a go, and read the whole darn thing in a day and a half. I did not expect a murder in it, I did not expect a whole mountainside's worth of examinations of christian ethos, which can be troubling at best unless handled with skill - which George does well, and I certainly did not expect it to be as good as it was since it was a chopped up reprint. He has a skill at description and at making his characters think out loud. And I can see just how heavily influenced C.S. Lewis was by his writing, he is positively dripping MacDonald all over the place in the Narnia & Perlandia books. However, i am starting to suspect that George was a very good act to imitate and will investigate more of his regular novels. (which are all available on Project Gutenberg)
September 20, 2011
Reader beware, this novel may produce unexpected consequences in your spiritual life, consequences that might be difficult if not impossible to shake off.
For one, St Paul's words, "God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.", may take on a whole new meaning for you. For another, you may begin to wonder if human suffering might be the very best way for a loving Father to respond for the greatest good of his children. And you may also find relief coming to realize that honest doubt may be one of God's most effective tools for hammering out genuine faith.
Once again, Macdonald uses story to engage the imagination in order to subvert the intellect and activate the will. And Michael Phillips has done a great service for many by making this novel accessible to general readers who would not otherwise read Macdonald.
For one, St Paul's words, "God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.", may take on a whole new meaning for you. For another, you may begin to wonder if human suffering might be the very best way for a loving Father to respond for the greatest good of his children. And you may also find relief coming to realize that honest doubt may be one of God's most effective tools for hammering out genuine faith.
Once again, Macdonald uses story to engage the imagination in order to subvert the intellect and activate the will. And Michael Phillips has done a great service for many by making this novel accessible to general readers who would not otherwise read Macdonald.
March 27, 2013
As regards story and characters, I found this book disappointing. The people seemed a little cardboard-y, not really human to me. The story was kind of trite and took too long to evolve. I was pretty glad when the book was done. It wasn't a one star-er though. Many of the monologues, while overly long, were quite thought provoking. It made me think I would probably have enjoyed this man's non-fiction work quite a bit--more so than his "romance" as it was here. I'm not turned off the author--I think I will still try his fantasy (maybe he comes off better in allegory) and I would read any non-fiction with pleasure. But these characters were just not interesting enough to make me want to read a sequel.
December 16, 2012
If you love Christianity and want to read about a man's search for truth, this is the book for you. Beautiful writing by a very gifted author that we don't read enough of. I came to love the main character, Thomas Wingfold, feel pity for the antagonist (if you can call him that--it's complicated) George Bascome, and root for the budding romance between Helen and Thomas just as much as I've ever rooted for my favorite chick-flick couples. MacDonald infuses his prose with lovely poetry, and though there are some slower parts where you have to wade through some long sermons, even those pages are worth reading for the spiritual insights.
February 20, 2016
I have read this book at least three times, and I learn something every time. Different characters stand out to me as I reach different points in my own spiritual journey. In terms of content, this is as enriching, beautiful, and true as it gets. In terms of style, MacDonald gets a bit contrived in dialogue at times, but it is very "of its time," so does not detract if the reader expects it.
I recommend this to any Christian who is serious about understanding what lies at the core of a Christian life.
I recommend this to any Christian who is serious about understanding what lies at the core of a Christian life.
October 28, 2023
Between the original author, George MacDonald and Michael Phillips, the script was well done. The historic times, the nobility and gentry, and the life lessons were superbly woven together. As I listened to Mr. Polwarth converse with Thomas, I was mesmerized by their conversations...and...felt like I was right in the room with them; ever cheering on Mr. Polwarth and willing Thomas to truly understand "right faith." This book was not just a good book, but it was a book about good:) Of course every great read needs romance and intrigue, both of which "The Curate's Awakening" has.
February 18, 2015
Not the first time I've read it, and by no means the last. A nourishing read.
January 31, 2017
Theology and fiction and a touch of romance...wowsers! took me a bit to get into because it is not my normal read, but I loved that this encouraged me in my faith! On to the next one...
August 8, 2023
I really loved this book. I knew from the very first sentence I would be captivated with it. Listen to this, "A swift, gray November wind had taken every chimney of the house for an organ-pipe, and was roaring in them all at once, quelling the more distant and varied noises of the woods, which moaned and surged like a sea."
Then we are introduced to Helen and already know that she has a lot of room for growth. We read, "She had just finished the novel of the day, and was suffering a mild reaction.... she yet came nearer thinking than she had ever been in her life....But she escaped for the time after a very simple and primitive fashion, although it was indeed a narrow escape...Being somewhat bored then, and dimly aware that to be bored was out of harmony with something or other, Helen was on the verge of thinking, but, as I have said, escaped the snare in a very direct and simple fashion: she went fast asleep."
This was a very rich book with a many opportunities for thinking, but not because it is boring.
Then we are introduced to Helen and already know that she has a lot of room for growth. We read, "She had just finished the novel of the day, and was suffering a mild reaction.... she yet came nearer thinking than she had ever been in her life....But she escaped for the time after a very simple and primitive fashion, although it was indeed a narrow escape...Being somewhat bored then, and dimly aware that to be bored was out of harmony with something or other, Helen was on the verge of thinking, but, as I have said, escaped the snare in a very direct and simple fashion: she went fast asleep."
This was a very rich book with a many opportunities for thinking, but not because it is boring.
July 6, 2024
I’m always surprised by how much I enjoy George Macdonald’s novels. They don’t have much plot but the character development is incredible. I love the honest curate who preaches out of his own sense of uncertainty, and the honest questions those around him ask as well. Even though this book is 150 years old, the questions that are being wrestled with are timeless. I’ve just decided that if I get to sit down with one author in heaven and have a chat, I’m going to choose him because his books are always so relatable and his insights so wise.
January 25, 2026
This book was very surprising to me - perhaps the amount of drama, mixed in with lots of theological conversations. I was a little bummed to realize it was abriged and probably will read the sequel in the original, but need to figure out if it's better to sitck with the edited ones. I've never read a novel addressing doubt and the sovereignty of God, but I'd recommend this one.
December 2, 2019
A great story and not hard to understand even when it was first written 1n 1876 titled: "Thomas Wingfold, Curate". There is much doctrine concerning Christ and how a church leader dealt with the cold members of a church and directed them to live like Christ and not the world.
May 28, 2022
A little lengthier than it probably needed to be, and the dialogue slogs along at times, but Macdonald shows that he’s a master of metaphor and language. There are so many beautiful word pictures in this book, and the storyline is well-done.
May 30, 2023
An extraordinary book. It has given me much to think about, most significantly, a new and valuable perspective from which to view faith, discipleship, and the process of salvation.
August 28, 2025
I feel like I'll be reading and rereading this book for the rest of my life.
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