Faith Odyssey: A Journey Through Lent [Paperback]

Richard A. Burridge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2001

Faith Odyssey is a Lent book like none ever written. Richard Burridge here invites readers to journey through the season of Lent with devotional readings that combine Scripture with stories from science fiction and popular culture.

For each day, beginning with Ash Wednesday, passages from the Bible are placed alongside stories drawn from literature, television, and film—from Homer’s Odyssey to 2001: A Space Odyssey from Star Trek and Star Wars to Dune and The Matrix, mixing Narnia, Harry Potter, and Pilgrim’s Progress—all to illustrate the human journey from the ashes of sorrow to the joy of Jesus’ ultimate victory. Burridge’s fifty short readings trace with flair and great relevance the Christian pilgrimage against the background of today’s world.

Packed with thought-provoking insight into the meaning of the Lenten season, Faith Odyssey truly provides a unique devotional experience.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Faith Odyssey is an unusual take on the traditional Lenten period of penitence, fasting, and meditation: it's more of an introduction to a whole new way of thinking about salvation. Richard A. Burridge has picked a Bible reading for each day of Lent and teamed it with a sideways glance at the plots and symbolism of his favorite science-fiction films, TV shows, and books.

While the Bible selections are almost all familiar passages, the literary comparisons are often right up-to-date and not always easy to explain--hence the many long interpretations of some complicated film plots. If you're a sci-fi fan, you will adore the detailed references and parallels drawn, and if you're not, you may sometimes wonder why those film studios spend so much money on plot development and special effects when it's all been done before in the epic stories and spectacular events of the Bible. Once you become familiar with the frequent and sudden departures from the world of the Bible into science fiction (as if you're being beamed up to or down from the Star Ship Enterprise every second paragraph), you may begin to feel quite adept at traveling swiftly between these parallel universes. People finding their way through Lent for the first time, or those who want a different perspective, may particularly appreciate this repackaging of Lenten themes in a new light. --Susannah Steel, Amazon.co.uk

From Publishers Weekly

This book definitely charts a new frontier. Burridge does the scripture-a-day approach of most Lenten devotionals, but adds the unique twist of also drawing from sci-fi outlets such as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and The Matrix. Weaving themes of self-sacrifice and cosmic conflict, Burridge dances eloquently between faith and fiction. He is particularly drawn to Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey (as evidenced by the devotional's title) and the various Star Trek manifestations. It's a privilege to encounter Christian theology that undertakes a serious dialogue with the imagination of popular culture, and is as informed by the likes of Tolkien and Asimov as by the usual religious suspects.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802838979
• ISBN-13: 978-0802838971
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,796,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lenten devotional with a delightful twist, January 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Faith Odyssey: A Journey Through Lent (Paperback)

Faith Odyssey contains daily devotionals for Lent and Holy Week. It is devided into weekly themes, starting with "the mess" in which humanity finds itself in on Ash Wednesday and working through a "journey" metaphor in subsequent weeks. Its Biblical analysis and insights are first-rate.

What makes this book unique are the many illustrations and examples drawn from well-known classics of science fiction and fantasy. This will delight fans of this genre and Christians who are looking for a fresh approach to the Lenten Journey.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A winning combination of science fiction and theology, April 22, 2001

By 

Michael Poteet - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Faith Odyssey: A Journey Through Lent (Paperback)

With "Faith Odyssey," Richard Burridge has given Christians who harbor a hunger for science fiction and fantasy a true gift! For all forty days of Lent--plus a few days into Eastertide--Burridge draws illuminating, often unexpected, and always delightful parallels between works such as the various "Star Trek" series, the "Star Wars" films, "The Lord of the Rings," and classical mythology and the Christian faith, taking us on a true pilgrimage. This book will be useful to any Christian, but it may prove especially helpful to preachers and teachers looking for "pop culture" illustrative material.