Wisdom Hunter: A Brief Review

by Paul Sue

Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur. Multnomah Publishers, 1991.

As one who had firsthand experience with legalistic Christianity, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fast-paced and entertaining novel. It is not classic literature by any means, but I did find the story gripping and hard to put down.

The books centers on a Christian family: the father, Jason Faircloth, is a respected pastor of a growing and successful church. His wife, Lorene, is the selfless, submissive, and supportive "model pastor's wife". The book opens by introducing us to their "prodigal daughter" Hannah expecting a baby, and the drama continues from there.

Since the book is a novel, some parts seem a bit contrived or even fantastical; nevertheless, the parts about legalism are sadly all but too true, and should strike a chord with anyone who has survived the ordeal of being in a legalistic and authoritarian church. I have unfortunately heard too many tragic stories from Christians who have suffered similar fates.

Since I don't want to give away the plot and ending, it's best not to say too much more about the novel. Instead, I shall conclude with a few quotes from the book, along with some brief comments.

"That only goes to show your problem, Mr. Meyers. You've never understood the chain of command around here. ... Everyone on the payroll answers to me." (p. 17)

This is indeed the modus operandi at many churches in North America, especially those influenced by Bill Gothard's teachings. The Senior Pastor is at the top of the hierarchical power structure, and he wields absolute power. Woe be to the foolish "layman" who dares to even question him!

[Lorene] lowered her head and stared into her empty plate. Jason was becoming less of a human and more of a machine. And he was destroying her. (p. 20)

"... I've tried to be a good daughter. ... But I can't try anymore. ... You want me to be something I'm not. Please try to understand me. Dad, I've tried to talk to you about my feelings, but you just don't listen. ... For the last six months I've just been pretending. I've tried to go along with all your rules and I've tried to act happy. But I can't do it anymore.
...
Your daughter,
Hannah" (p. 28)

Legalism and authoritarianism are not abstract concepts, but deadly realities that hurt many real persons. The wounds inflicted and the resulting emotional damage leave deep scars that can take a long time to heal. (Read this story as an example.)

For years he had distanced himself from everyone, allowing himself to be idolized. He'd let himself be put on his pedestal alone. Now he would have to suffer alone. (p. 51)

Believe it or not, this is indeed what many seminary students are taught as future pastors-to-be. Don't get too close to your "parishioners". You must maintain a professional arms length from the lowly sheep. After all, you must maintain your dignity as a Reverend; it would be too unbecoming to hang out with average Joe Layman. Not surprisingly, many pastors who are in burn-out feel they have no one they can really turn to for support.

How in the name of Bible preaching, he wondered explosively, could he and his peers, all seminary and Bible college graduates, preach so authoritatively and so hard - hard enough to divide families - on issues that the Bible was so non-dogmatic about? ... His earlier conclusions about preachers trumpeted in his brain: proud, presumptuous, pathetic little jackasses. (p. 103)

This may sound harsh, and is certainly not intended as an attack against all pastors. But sadly, what he said is certainly true of some. Even well-meaning pastors can fall into the trap of thinking of themselves as somehow holier than the "laity" and beyond criticism. If you don't believe me, try going up to a pastor after his Sunday sermon and suggest that he has taken some verses out of context. Beware the wrath of the Ordained Clergyman!

[I was] a proud, self-assured, indestructible leader, absolutely convinced that he was one of God's personally chosen ambassadors who could do and say no wrong. (p. 111)

If you have all the answers, there's nothing more to learn. You know it all. You become an authority with an authoritarian attitude. With my God-in-a-box theology, that's the attitude I had ... without any idea how dangerous it was. It didn't destroy my ability to learn from others, but it did destroy my willingness to learn, especially when other people challenged my beliefs or convictions. I was unbendable, like cold steel. (pp. 117,118)

I have personally experienced the condescending attitude of a pastor and the arrogant attitude that he knew more than I did just because he was "ordained" (as if this somehow magically increased his knowledge of the Bible!). It never occurred to him that I study the Bible too, that I can read serious theology books and commentaries just like him, that maybe he could learn something from me too. But no. He chose not to engage with me and tried to bribe me instead to "keep quiet" (see my story for more details).

... I am now convinced that there are few things more counterproductive, self-defeating, and ultimately destructive than a mortal preacher with an authoritarian attitude. (p. 130)

... I was never asked, encouraged, or taught how to learn by the process of questioning, disagreeing, challenging, or thinking. ... Consequently I learned by being programmed like a computer. I was not taught how to think. I was what to think. As a result I became a pathetic little parrot who all his life simply repeats what he hears.

Instead of blindly believing, we must honestly question every so-called Christian teaching. We must do it to weed out the irrelevant and wasteful manmade teachings from that which truly has eternal value.

Truth, I've discovered, will not be destroyed by questioning or scrutiny. It will always stand unbeatable. Questioning only confirms truth and makes it visibly stronger; it never crumbles it.

One who learns through the process of honest questioning, objective thinking and respectful challenging is more apt to know in the end what is really true. And he will also know "why" he believes it. (pp. 132-134)

Again, most pastors just don't take kindly to being questioned, for they themselves often haven't learned to do that. Hence, most church meetings on Sunday morning are not structured to allow any interaction. It is strictly a one-way flow of information. Not only is such lecturing or pulpiteering not very effective pedagogically, it also stifles the spiritual gifts of the congregation, leading to spoon-fed baby Christians. Fortunately, some churches have been open to a more interactive approach.

The local church should be more than just a preaching station where people come and sit front-to-back as spectators, and listen to a one-hour lecture before returning home. It should be a spiritual support group where Christians get into one another's lives. (p. 249)

This seems to me one of the root causes of many of our church problems. The clergy is the mouthpiece of God. The sheep are passive in the pews. There is little or no room for genuine questioning or interaction. After all, it would interrupt the preset schedule of the worship service. There is no time or opportunity for Christians to truly fellowship with each other. One can only stare at the back of people's heads as the pastor drones on in his weekly ritual of preaching the sermon.

Don't misunderstand me; I'm not denigrating the importance of sound biblical teaching. However, it is clear from 1 Cor. 14, that there is more to a church meeting than just singing and listening passively to a pre-planned monologue by one man. Why are pastors so afraid of letting the Spirit speak through other gifted members of the Body? Is it because he fears that the spotlight will no longer be on him, that he will no longer be the star of the show? Or if he fears that there will be ignorant or heretical outbursts from the congregation, than what does this say about the effectiveness of all the weekly diet of sermons that he has preached to them, or the guidance of the Spirit?

In short, I strongly recommend this book as inspirational, thought-provoking, and just a good read. I'm looking forward to reading Randall Arthur's sequels, Jordan's Crossing and Betrayal in the near future!