Callista - Book 44

I stumbled upon this book while learning more about St. John Henry Newman who was canonized on October 13th (last Sunday).  I didn't know he had written novels!  This one was published in 1855 and was actually well received.  He's fallen out of favor now, probably due to his heavily religious content. 

St. John Henry Newman was a well respected Anglican priest and theologian who lead the Oxford Movement, a movement that wanted Anglicanism to grew closer to its Christian roots.  Newman was an expert on the early church fathers.  One famous quote from him was "To be steeped in history is to cease to be protestant."  He swam the Tiber and became Catholic causing quite the stir.  He became quite influential in the Catholic church as well, though for a while he was kind of left in obscurity until his new church fellows grew to trust him and recognize his genius.  Many people say he is the greatest theologian since Aquinas.

Callista is set in the 3rd century near Carthage, but out in the boonies where Christianity has sort of faded for the most part due to early times of persecution.  The persecutions were fairly sporadic and had much to do with who the emperor (and if he had an ax to grind against the Christians) and also on local politics and power struggles. 

The main characters are Agellius, a young man who was baptized as a young child but has had not support and knows of no other Christians now that his father has passed away.  His brother who also had been baptized has come under the influence of their evil step mother.  His uncle, Jocundus, is a kind man who wants to do right but is very much of the Roman mindset and is very prejudiced against the Christians.  Jocundus employs two Greeks, Aristo and Callista.  Callista is beautiful, intelligent, spunky, clever, affectionate, witty.  Agellius wants to marry her and Jocundus thinks this will help steer Agellius further from Christianity so he facilitates the match.  But Callista has a mind of her own.

The story is set during the Plague of Cyprian.  A terrible plague of locusts that brought on much pestilence and death hit that area while Cyprian was bishop.  The people blamed the Christians and went on a rampage of persecution.  Callista gets caught up in this.

The dialogue is too formal and too expository to be natural.  The language is erudite.  Many Latin references throughout.  However the characters are surprisingly well developed, the dilemma is compellingly developed, the action keeps things moving and the theological conclusions are moving and inspiring. 

I am so glad I read this novel.  It is part of my #Victober line up.  I am enjoying becoming more familiar with the wonderful mind and soul of St. John Henry Newman.

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