 Book Review:
Abide with Me
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Publisher: Random House
Page Count: 294
By Rev. Mark Ralls
(UMC.org)—The sixteenth century theologian, Francis de Sales, wrote a parable about a gifted singer who served in the court of his prince. Having become deaf, the singer could no longer enjoy the beauty of his own voice. Yet, his songs pleased his lord, which still gave him pleasure. To test his servant’s devotion, the prince would sometimes command him to sing and then immediately leave the castle. On those occasions, the singer was doubly deprived. He possessed neither the pleasure of his talent nor the consolation of his lord’s presence. Yet, he continued to sing, not because it pleased him in any way but out of pure devotion.
Tyler Caskey, a Congregational pastor and the protagonist of Abide with Me, embodies the holy burden of de Sales’ singing saint. Once, Tyler enjoyed his baritone preaching voice almost as much as his congregation does. And once he was aware of God’s presence all about him. Yet, after his young wife’s death, both of these pleasures are taken from him. He makes his way through Sunday sermons and the rest of his weekly duties painfully aware of what he has lost: “He drove with the window down his elbow resting on the window edge, ducking his head to peer at the hills in the distance, or at a cloud, white as a huge dollop of frosting and at the side of a barn, fresh with red paint, lit by this autumn sun, and he thought: ‘I would have noticed this once.’” Tyler Caskey is an afflicted saint. He continues to sing God’s praises even though nothing in his life feels praiseworthy.
Abide with Me is Elizabeth Strout’s second novel. Strout achieved both popular success and critical acclaim (a PEN/Faulkner nomination among others) with her debut, Amy and Isabel. Both novels are set in Maine where Strout was raised. Yet, it is her latest work—a melancholy tale of a grieving pastor—that is as gray as a Maine winter.
Abide with Me also defies the reader’s expectations. It is not so much the story of a religious man struggling to keep his faith as it is a modern parable of pure devotion. In an interview, Strout reveals, “I was interested in writing about a religious man who…gets confronted with such sadness so abruptly that he loses himself. Not his faith, but his faith in himself” (“Healing Faith: Elizabeth Strout follows a minister’s troubled journey” by Alden Mudge, www.bookpage.com). Loss acts as the crucible, the purifying fire, in Tyler’s life.
Beneath Strout’s narrative lies a robust theology that owes much to Tyler’s hero—Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Grace is free, yet costly, she seems to be saying. We only begin to find God when we start to lose ourselves. Since this insight runs so thoroughly counter to contemporary spirituality, it is doubtful that Strout’s newest novel will be received as enthusiastically as her first. Yet, if she continues to produce such perceptive and profound her work, she may one day be remembered alongside writers such as Flannery O’ Connor and Walker Percy. That alone makes this demanding—and at times depressing novel—worth the effort it requires.
Mark Ralls is pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church in Concord, N.C. He is co-author of the small-group program Beginnings: An Introduction to Christian Faith.
Study Questions
1. Elizabeth Strout begins her novel by describing the history behind the parsonage of West Annett Congregational Church.
2. Abide with Me is set in “Eisenhower’s America” (the late 1950s).
- Brainstorm some of the major events happening in the world during that time (several are mentioned in the Strout’s novel).
- How do the events of today compare to those of the 1950s?
- Are we affected by world events in a similar way?
- How would you characterize church and family life during the 1950s as they are represented in Strout’s novel?
- How does this compare to church and family life today?
3. How might this novel be seen as a warning against the dangers of gossip?
4. Perhaps the biggest loss in his life was the loss of what he described as ”The Feeling.”
- What does Tyler mean by this term?
- Is his dependence on “The Feeling” healthy or unhealthy?
- If Tyler were a friend of yours and asked your advice about coping with this loss, what would you tell him?
5. Listen to how Tyler describes his role as a pastor: “His job was to stand in church with his soldiers back and his chin up and make his congregation understand that being a Christian was not a hobby. Being a Christian meant asking yourself every step of the way: How can love best be served?”
- What do you make of Tyler’s understanding of his pastoral role? Does he describe his job accurately? What would you change/add/delete from his description? Are there any dangers or drawbacks of this belief?
- What do you make of his understanding of being a Christian? What would you change/add/delete from his description? Are there any dangers or drawbacks of this belief?
6. Katherine Caskey is deeply affected by the loss of her mother.
- How did her father, her grandmother and her church fail to support her?
- How do you wish persons in her life would have responded?
7. Lauren Caskey is a complex character.
- What are her strengths? What are her shortcomings?
- Did you ever feel compassion for her? Did she ever anger you? Explain your response.
8. Why do you think Strout chose the phrase “Abide with me” as the title for her novel?
Group Activity
Tyler reflects upon the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a hero of Christian discipleship. As a group, watch a documentary of Bonhoeffer’s life (several good ones are currently available).
Compare Tyler Caskey to Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
- What personal characteristics do they share? How are they different?
- How would you compare the tragedies in their lives? How are these hardships different? How are they similar?
- In what ways does the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer inspire you?
Resources
Tight-Knit, Loose-Lipped
Interview with Elizabeth Strout
Random House Web site
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