"Nourishing Narratives" (Jennifer L. Holberg)

TITLE: Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Holberg
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023, (240 pages).
 

What is our story? Are they defined by highlights in our careers or are they tarnished by failures in our ventures? How do we tell our own stories? Which narrative should we share? Do we share inspiring ones or lament about the negative events in our lives? For author Jennifer Holberg, this book is about helping us share life-giving narratives of our lives. Readers also learn about paying close attention to the narratives of others, all for the purpose of sensing God's story in the larger world. We associate the names of people with memories of our encounters with them. We get a frank assessment of the popular use of testimonies, with the author questioning the stereotypes of the "Boring Testimony Syndrome" where believers are urged to share sensational conversion stories. The truth is, many of our personal narratives are complicated. We cannot and should not allow others to dictate our own narratives. Here, we learn to ask ourselves questions like:

• Why do I find it hard to share my personal stories?
• Why am I uncomfortable with my own narrative?
• What does the discomfort tell us about ourselves and our theology?
• Is the tension we feel need to go away or to be embraced?
• What is the essence of the story and how can I share it in such a way as to bless another person?

Holberg urges us not to let stereotypes or other voices prevent us from telling our true stories. No story is too insignificant to tell. There is no shame to celebrate one's life no matter the fear of misconstrued perceptions. She encourages us with some inspired thoughts from celebrated writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Flannery O'Connor, Frederick Buechner, Mary Oliver, Gerald Manley Hopkins, and also from a cookbook! Having addressed the nominal pressure to be less authentic due to cultural expectations, Holberg breathes fresh encouragement about the beauty of the ordinary. It is hoped that we can learn to look at the ordinary with enlightened eyes, to cultivate "seeds of joy" no matter how insignificant they might be perceived to be. Holberg also looks at friendships and the relationships we all cherish. Our desire to help and carry the burdens of others should be a two-way process. We need to learn to accept help in return. When we do so, we open ourselves up to the narratives of not just helping others but also being helped by others. We can also develop nourishing narratives in our vocation. Much of everyday work involves the mundane and repetitive. This can sometimes become a chore in our minds. Are we in the right job? Is God calling me to continue what I am doing? Do we need to have brilliant "success" in some projects before we can count it a successful career? How do we craft a narrative of such normal work? If we can just learn to see our vocation from the lens of witnessing, that might inject some purpose. 

On the thought of books that could "save the world," Holberg is a little more cautious. While there are books that bring about some semblance of beauty and hope, what is more important is the appropriate "reading principles" to help us cultivate love for God and for neighbour. In a society that is increasingly threatened by selfishness, hate, and evil behaviours, we learn about how we can resist such tendencies through storytelling. From adequate representation to having a multiplicity of voices, it is hoped that greater understanding among diverse communities would bridge any longstanding or hidden gaps. Speak out against wrongs. Uphold the rights of the marginalized. Learn to recognize that there is more than enough space for all to live in peace in this world. Stories can move us deeper into "self-examination, repentance, and reconciliation." 

My Thoughts

I appreciate the angle that the author uses to address the need for hope. I remember watching the disaster movie, Deep Impact, which has been marketed with the catchphrase, "Oceans Rise. Cities Fall. Hope Survives." In a world that is increasingly troubled by assaults, divisiveness, hurts, violence, and all manner of despair, we need a way to anchor ourselves with hope. Surely, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is an oasis in the massive desert terrain. There is hope in a gloomy world. The gospel itself is full of hope, but we all need a way to see this hope come alive in our lives. Author Holberg shows us how stories can be a powerful medium to make such connections. Using her formidable knowledge of literary giants, Holberg equips us with a lens of hope through the profound eyes of such great writers. From the novelist Katherine Paterson, we learn that Christian hope needs to be perceived in the community. From the humble garden to the humble bee, we learn powerful lessons on drawing hope in nature. From the theologian NT Wright, we connect healing and love with hope. Poets like Christina Rossetti and Donald Hall write earnestly about life's challenges but ultimately point us to the fact that hope is always bigger than despair. Of death, the great writer Frederick Buechner declares boldly the Christian message that death will never have the final say. I am left bewildered that such a book with a "nourishing" title would in fact be a powerful device to instill hope. 

A second reason why I am impressed with this book is the way the author weaves faith into storytelling. From literature to real life, it is the gospel that anchors one's interpretation or worldview. Such a reading is a subversive manner to help turn despair to hope; doubt to faith; and hatred to love. Holberg does not simply use literature to show us nourishing narratives, she includes stories of her own to show us how she manages to subvert the different forms of cultural intimidation, such as gender inequality, work inequity, social injustice, etc. For instance, she admits her struggle with the problem of evil and suffering, but clings on to faith and hope. While the world complains and laments about the problems caused by Covid-19, she learns to see the good opportunities presented during the pandemic lockdowns. She even points out the role of critiques that is not about tearing us down but opportunities to build up. Loss and the reality of death are never ever greater than the gain and the hope of the resurrection in Christ. 

Finally, this book reminds me of the importance of personal spirituality and practicing faith. The late Eugene Peterson once said something like, "Spirituality is about noticing the things of the ordinary." Through ordinary literature, life, and events, if we maintain the gospel perspective, it is unlikely one will let despair overcome hope. Hopefully, this book can equip us to interpret our reading, our lives, and the world we live in with positive hope, something that the author calls "nourishing narratives." I love the title as it is an invitation toward spiritual nourishment and constructive participation in the world we live in. This book is a valuable resource to share and a treasure to keep. 

Jennifer L. Holberg (PhD, University of Washington) is professor and chair of the English department at Calvin University and codirector of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing, the home of the Festival of Faith and Writing. She is a founding coeditor of the academic journal Pedagogy and also the editor of Shouts and Whispers: Twenty-One Writers Speak About Their Writing and Their Faith.

Rating: 4.5 stars our of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of IVP Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.