The Beautiful Madness of Martin Bonham: A Tale about Loving God (Robert Hudson) - A Review

 

THE BEAUTIFUL MADNESS OF MARTIN BONHAM: A Tale about Loving God. By Robert Hudson. Hannacroix, NY: Apocryphile Press, 2023. 265 pages.

How do we love God? That’s a good theological question. If we turn to the Bible, we find guidance. Of course, it’s easier to speak of loving God than actually living out that love. After all, God remains unseen. Nevertheless, it is a question worth pondering. There are different ways of exploring the question. One way is through fiction. With that in mind, Robert Hudson offers us a particularly enjoyable (at least in my estimation and I don’t read a lot of fiction) with his book The Beautiful Madness of Martin Bonham.

I read and review a lot of books, but reviewing a book of fiction is more challenging than reviewing non-fiction. That’s because part of the enjoyment of reading fiction is following the plotline without knowing where the plot leads. In other words, a reviewer mustn’t reveal any spoilers. I can give some hints, but I don’t want to spoil the fun. Now in this case the subtitle reveals to us that loving God is a key theme. This idea of loving God is explored through the personal dynamics present in an educational setting. In this case that setting is the fictional third-tier Cupperton University. It sets the faculty, staff, and students of two departments, one being a seminary and the other an upstart department of “Theophily.” That would be the study of the love of God. You wouldn’t think that the study of loving God could get nasty, and yet it does. Where that leads in the end must be left open for the reader to discover. What I can say is that sometimes personal rivalries can get in the way of truly loving God. After all, loving God does involve loving one another. That’s biblical!

Before I say more about the book, The Beautiful Madness of Martin Bonham, I would like to introduce the author of this lovely book. Robert Hudson served as a book editor at Zondervan/Harper Collins Christian Books for thirty-four years. He is the author of several books, including The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style (Zondervan), along with twelve other books including Seeing Jesus (Broadleaf). He has written nonfiction, poetry, and as well as fiction. Thus, he is a versatile writer.

What I can tell you about this novel is that it is written in the form of a personal narrative. While several chapters invite other characters to add to the story through their own narratives, the focus here is on the effort made to create a university department drawing from professors across the university (but not the seminary) that explores different aspects of what it means to love God. The central character in the story is Martin Bonham, a middle-aged English professor at this fictional college. I can imagine him being portrayed by Paul Giamatti in a film version of the book. Bonham is a lifelong bachelor known for having created an annotated collection of works by 15th-century English mystics. He teaches a course at the college on the English mystics for the English Department, a course that is despised by the dean of the seminary. That would be Dr. Cornelius Dunwoody, a man of stature with several doctorates.

The story told here is rooted in a conversation that takes place when one of Dunwoody’s prize students, Katie Wescott, approaches Bonham seeking guidance because she is having doubts about God and her calling. She comes to Bonham because she is taking his course on the mystics. Well, their conversation leads to a journey of discovery and conversations across the campus asking people, especially faculty, how they know they love God. These conversations led to the creation of a Department of Theophily, which as I noted above, draws on the resources of the college (mostly professors Bonham and Katie queried) to teach courses that reflect on ways we love God. This effort gets the attention of the curmudgeonly chair of the university's seminary, who doesn't think much of a department that lacks, what he believes is, theological sophistication. He commits himself to doing everything he can to make sure that this fledgling department never gets off the ground, and when it does get approved, he seeks to undermine it at every turn. The result is hijinks and more as the rivalry develops. As a seminary graduate, I might wince at the portrayal of the seminary and its chair, but it's all good fun. Ultimately, there is a word here that is rather hopeful. As we move through the story, we discover ways in which we might love God.

I truly enjoyed reading Hudson’s The Beautiful Madness of Martin Bonham (I’ll let the reader discover why Bonham is said to have madness). One of the reasons I enjoyed reading the book is the characters Hudson has created. Through the characters, we are reminded that we can be petty at times, yes even good Christians can be petty, especially when we become protective of our turf. At the same time, these characters demonstrate ways in which we might love God by loving one another. There is a certain redemptive quality to the storyline. I can't say much more about the book without revealing too much of the plot. However, if you enjoy reading novels that include theological discussions and faculty rivalries, then you might enjoy this book. As for my recommendation, if you can trust a reviewer who doesn’t read a lot of fiction, but who truly enjoyed Hudson’s novel, then by all means pick up a copy and dive in. After all, for people of faith, reflecting on ways we might love God is a worthy effort. So, take, read, and enjoy. Perhaps as you do so you will discover a new how you too love God!!