Not So Lost Letters

Despite the fact that this is yet another book I had to read for a class, I really enjoyed this form of scholarly historical fiction! I think that this novel's genre is what I liked most about it. Sometimes I even forgot that I was reading it for school! This book is a fictional epistolary collection, meaning that it is made up entirely of letters. These letters are passed between two characters, revealing their blossoming friendship despite their differing religious viewpoints and the fact that they never actually meet face to face. These two characters are based on biblical figures: Antipas, a man mentioned in Revelation, and Luke, one of the four gospel authors. Overall, these two characters talk about Luke's gospel, which at the time is an unpublished manuscript. One of the most moving aspects of the story between these men's' correspondence is that Antipas becomes a Christian. He partakes in Christian gatherings, questioning the validity of the man Jesus Christ that they worship and unable to ignore the intrigue of the gospel that Luke shares with him. It takes Antipas quite a while to completely devote himself to the faith, after much study and questioning of the life of Jesus that Luke wrote about, but once he does, he never looks back. I absolutely loved how this entire book was based off of two men who actually existed, mainly because I feel like it brought the figures to life in very engaging as well as educational ways. The ending of this book is also very well-written and executed. I feel like it really encapsulates what it means to truly be a follower of Christ through our actions.



Some of my favorite quotes from The Lost Letters of Pergamum:

"In my experience, one cannot become familiar with the story of Jesus without also being challenged by it."

"... Jesus sought relationship with others, creating new configurations of community."

"I have seen the start of something that as refreshed my soul, tired as it was from years of striving to promote my own reputation and honor."

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