Old Time Religion
Two new books explore the subjects of evangelical religion in the South and revered preachers from Texas. Both books tell a story of the daughters of these preachers and how their faith in God is shaken when their faith in their fathers is destroyed. One family is white and the other is Black. Both books are debut novels for the authors.
If you don’t know much about tent revivals, you will probably find Revival Season, by Monica West, very informative. Having grown up a Southern Baptist in Tennessee, I lived through many a ‘revival season’, always in the summer and always EVERY night one week long. I went to them each year with my mother and grandmother. Most of the sessions were emotionally riveting with lively music and exhausting sermons. Each night culminated in an altar call in which people walked to the front of the church to be saved (or sometimes resaved). Those revival meetings were in our church building.
A tent revival is something altogether different. I only remember going to one of those, but the memory is vivid, not because of what happened but because of what did not happen. We left early, right after it started. We had parked in a dirt parking lot and traisped our way into the sawdust carpeted tent and onto flimsy folding chairs. Once the service started, I took little notice until something happened that made the crowd noticably react. At that point my mother grabbed my hand and jerked me out of my seat, hastily dragging me out of the tent and toward the car, with my grandmother trailing closely behind. Mother had a demeanor of total disgust, and I felt her urgent need to leave. Why? I didn’t ask then nor later. My theory is that the preacher brought out some snakes. What else could it have been?
Revival Season has gotten excellent reviews from critics while some readers report it is unsettling due to domestic violence. Almost everyone who reads the book agrees that Monica West is a talented new writer who will make a name for herself.
In God Spare the Girls, by Kelsey McKinney, the evangelist has two daughters, Abigail and Caroline. At least they have each other to weather the burden of a disappointing father. This book is not only about faith but also about the bond between two sisters. A review in the July 11, 2021, Post and Courier outlines the story.
Both books seem highly readable and thought-provoking. Who hasn’t been disillusioned and doubtful when a beloved and trusted person in their life ‘falls from grace.’ Is forgiveness an option?
