“Christ the Lord, and Man”
Review of Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, Anne Rice.

By Kara Martin

I was so suspicious opening the pages of this book: Anne Rice, the Vampire novelist writing a biography of Jesus? As usual, I deliberately made sure I knew very little about the background so I would not have been prejudiced. Instead, I found out my own prejudices.

It started when Jesus was getting excited about seeing a woman in the village, Avigail. Maybe I was worried about another Last Temptation of Christ, instead I had to face the fact that I might be worried about Jesus being human after all.

However, what we are working with here is a master story-teller, supplementing truth with plot innovation, dialogue and characterisation that is based on scholarly research. We are also dealing with a woman who has had a profound reawakening to God, and has dedicated the remainder of her years to writing about Jesus.

The result is a book of depth that has been recognised by scholars as accurate in setting, by theologians as consistent with conservative doctrine, and by readers everywhere as a revelation.

This book is the second in Anne Rice’s biography of Jesus. The first was Out of Egypt, telling the story of Jesus’ birth and childhood. In Road to Cana, Jesus is working as a carpenter in his village, and approaching the start of his public ministry. As the title suggests, it covers his baptism, temptation and the miracle at the wedding in Cana.

Rice doesn’t stick strictly to the Gospel text. There is a little bit of licence, for example, Rice portrays Jesus’ first miracle as the healing of Mary Magdalene from evil spirits, and she has tended to pick and choose between the gospels rather than focusing on one account. So purists will be a little disappointed; but her material is carefully researched and what she has done has added depth and colour and continuity; with reverence.

Some may also be disappointed with the sense of Jesus’ gradual awakening to his divinity; and the fact that his brothers are from an earlier marriage of Joseph. Mostly, however, the theology will satisfy bible lovers.

Rice has added to our understanding of Jesus: this is a Jesus who is human as well as Lord, who eats and drinks, and faces challenges. He is sinless but NOT an automaton: there is humour and gentleness and joy. She makes Jesus more real, and more approachable, and possibly more likable. Rice makes you realise how much of our Jesus may be more ritual and stained glass window than biblical.

Christ is the Lord, and Yeshua bar Joseph. He is the Messiah, and a simple carpenter from Nazareth. He is loving, caring, just, and able to perform miracles. It all comes alive from the pages of this book.

This is a wonderful work, completed with great skill and integrity. It would be an excellent way in for seekers, and it is a faith-affirming experience for Christians. I’m encouraged that it has been endorsed by CS Lewis biographer Peter Kreeft, renowned Jesus scholar Ben Witherington, and others. I am really looking forward to the rest in the series.

Readers may need to be reminded that this is a narrative account, a work of fiction, however well-researched and based on fact. It is a book best read hand-in-hand with the Gospels.

Open House book reviewer KARA MARTIN is a lecturer with Macquarie Christian Studies Institute (www.mcsi.edu.au), and is an avid reader and book group attendee.