Author JAMES BRYAN SMITH
Publisher BROADMAN AND HOLMAN
ISBN 0-8054-2784-4
One reviewer said of this book “a slim volume that packs enough emotional punch to draw readers into its fantasy.” It is fiction, Christian fiction in which the author attempts to unfold something of life in heaven and examines the issue of suffering from a heavenly perspective. Tim is a writer of Christian books who has gone to a monastery for a five-day retreat. He is aware that his Christian life has seriously stalled mainly due to the three bereavements that have shattered his life, his mother, his little daughter and also his firm friend a Christian singer songwriter have left this life and gone to heaven leaving him with a heart full of questions and pain. Whilst undertaking the short retreat Tim experiences a dream that transforms his understanding and liberates him. He is taken to heaven and the main substance of this book consists of his meeting with various people who have died, gone to heaven and who are able to help steer Tim to a true appreciation of where they are, what occurred and why, to see pain, sorrow and the experiences of life on earth from a heavenly perspective sets Tim free. First he must receive and give forgiveness, then experience the letting go of the false masks of being the Christian acceptable to those around him and finally let go the drive to control that has dominated him and so he is ready to be taken into the room of marvels where he is able to understand from a heavenly perspective. There is truth in this dream like allegory, but there are some doubtful elements too, this kind of writing can border on the emotional and sink down into the sentimental and in parts this book does exactly that and it mars at least in part. It would appear that possibly the author has been much affected by the writings of C.S.Lewis who himself wrote of heaven in certain ways but there was a greater robustness in Lewis than is found in this book which presents the truth that ‘all is love’ in ways that lack the reverence of holiness. There are assumptions present within the dream that those in heaven can see and influence things on earth and that idea is doubtful Biblically speaking. At points, as I read this book, I was stirred and uplifted and at other points felt myself stroked by a grace that seems too soft, lacking the firmness of the Holy God of love.
