The LUMC Book Club selection for June is Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. After you read the book look over the discussion questions from her website and tell us what you think. The synopsis below is taken from the author's web page at http://www.jodipicoult.com/.
Shay Bourne - New Hampshire’s first death row prisoner in 69 years – has only one last request: to donate his heart post-execution to the sister of his victim, who is looking for a transplant. Bourne says it’s the only way he can redeem himself…but with lethal injection as his form of execution, this is medically impossible. Enter Father Michael Wright, a young local priest. Called in as Shay’s spiritual advisor, he knows redemption has nothing to do with organ donation – and plans to convince Bourne. But then Bourne begins to perform miracles at the prison that are witnessed by officers, fellow inmates, and even Father Michael – and the media begins to call him a messiah. Could an unkempt, bipolar, convicted murderer be a savior? It seems highly unlikely, to the priest. Until he realizes that the things Shay says may not come from the Bible…but are, verbatim, from a gospel that the early Christian church rejected two thousand years ago…and that is still considered heresy.
Change Of Heart looks at the nature of organized religion and belief, and takes the reader behind the closely drawn curtains of America’s death penalty. Featuring the return of Ian Fletcher from Keeping Faith, it also asks whether religion and politics truly are separate in this country, or inextricably tangled. Does religion make us more tolerant, or less? Do we believe what we do because it’s right? Or because it’s too frightening to admit that we may not have the answers?
Shay Bourne - New Hampshire’s first death row prisoner in 69 years – has only one last request: to donate his heart post-execution to the sister of his victim, who is looking for a transplant. Bourne says it’s the only way he can redeem himself…but with lethal injection as his form of execution, this is medically impossible. Enter Father Michael Wright, a young local priest. Called in as Shay’s spiritual advisor, he knows redemption has nothing to do with organ donation – and plans to convince Bourne. But then Bourne begins to perform miracles at the prison that are witnessed by officers, fellow inmates, and even Father Michael – and the media begins to call him a messiah. Could an unkempt, bipolar, convicted murderer be a savior? It seems highly unlikely, to the priest. Until he realizes that the things Shay says may not come from the Bible…but are, verbatim, from a gospel that the early Christian church rejected two thousand years ago…and that is still considered heresy.
Change Of Heart looks at the nature of organized religion and belief, and takes the reader behind the closely drawn curtains of America’s death penalty. Featuring the return of Ian Fletcher from Keeping Faith, it also asks whether religion and politics truly are separate in this country, or inextricably tangled. Does religion make us more tolerant, or less? Do we believe what we do because it’s right? Or because it’s too frightening to admit that we may not have the answers?
2 comments:
Wow! This book was very good but it did not leave me with a good feeling. Reading this book makes me want to take a look at myself to see how others may perceive me and the way I live my life and present my views as a Christian.
I always thought I supported the death penalty in certain cases but now I wonder how many people on death row might not deserve to be there. I think I would now have a very difficult time serving on a jury which had to decide if a person should live or die.
I agree. It was definitely a thought provoking book (as all of hers seem to be.) I wish she'd have included a statement about her faith and/ or religious beliefs somewhere in the author's notes. I think that I can guess some of her beliefs, but you never know for sure. Would have been interesting......
I looked over the discussion questions from her website and I thought that #2 was really powerful about the death penalty. Like rmbrig said, I'd always been in support of the death penalty, but this situation really makes you think about it. In response to the question I think that like many things in life it is easier to SAY that you'll do the "right" or the "tough" thing--whatever that may be, because that takes your feelings out of it. When you are actually in the situation could you really go through with the actions?
I also wanted to respond to question #6 about God loving you unconditionally. {Michael's grandfather said, "I thought God was supposed to love you unconditionally. Those sure sound like a lot of conditions to me (the requirements of a true believer).(124)"
I think that God does love us unconditionally. When we follow these "requirements" we are doing so because we want to show our love and respect for him.
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