THE GREAT SUPERSTITION: A NOVELLA OF FAITH ON TRIAL Power Magazine Issue 1 Feature

Story By: Rachel Parsons

---

Larry Kimport’s novella, In the Kingdom of the Wilderness, is a brief glimpse into the brokenness of this world and how redemption does not always come from where we expect or even want it to come from. Kimport illustrates a journey that takes place during the early years after Jesus’ ministry and ascension, where the stories of his life and works were just that— stories, passed down by word of mouth, not yet documented in the physical form of the Gospels.

I had the opportunity to meet Larry Kimport in person at a local library in southern New Jersey—a far cry from the antiquity-entrenched setting of ancient Judea. But as we escaped the heat of the summer, Kimport recounted how he took on the challenging task of writing historical fiction in a tasteful manner that calls upon the life of Jesus, “when God’s own Word became flesh and briefly walked among man,” pulling from John 1:14.

His novella touches on the diverse ways that Jesus’ ministry touched those close to him, calling back to the lives of the original eyewitnesses found in the Gospels. Kimport gives a voice to those overlooked in the biblical tale and often in life—the son of the Roman centurion, the unbelieving Jews, robbers and bandits, and women. One of these women is the protagonist, Rebecca, who was just a child when she first listened to the sweet and simple truths of Jesus— her mother’s eldest brother.

Rebecca is a broken woman who seeks refuge with her infant son and grown daughter after the Roman Empire destroys their only home, their beloved Jerusalem, in 70 A.D. Along the road with other refugees, the whispers of her traveling companions and the shadows cast by the firelight bring Rebecca’s memories back to life while she hides her identity and her past. Just the mention of her questionable relation could put her and her dear, small family in danger with their fellow Jews and with the Roman authorities that patrol those roads.

In a fleeting moment of her childhood, when God’s own Word became flesh and briefly walked among man, the carpenter whose name causes such suspicion once sat with her and described “innocence and faith” as “the blessings of children.” But if Rebecca can no longer find any semblance of that innocence and faith in her own life, will she ever experience any peace, any blessing? Or will she be able to finally lift her eyes to where these blessings can truly and finally be found?

I believe- or rather, I wonder- if He, the carpenter’s son, was not so much a messenger as a discoverer- a discoverer of a deeper, more beautiful truth.

One of the most interesting aspects of Kimport’s story is how he presents the Christian faith as it would have originally been viewed during that time in history: as “the Great Superstition” with those who belong to it as “Followers of the Great Superstition.” This depiction places an eerie and ominous mood over the story as the characters constantly look over their shoulders, whisper accusations, point fingers, and for the faithful few, display the quiet strength to face even their own deaths. Kimport describes it as “the spiraling emotion of those who would die for their faith.” So seamless is this depiction that Rebecca’s story is easily accessible to a wide audience; any reader would feel comfortable following her journey, whether they are skeptics, questioners, or Followers themselves.

In a world where faith-infused so obvious that readers have no need to think or wrestle with the presented concepts on their own, it is refreshing to discover a story that avoids this treatment. Not every story needs a Gospel presentation thrust into the face of the audience. Sometimes the gentle dichotomy of fiction and faith can be difficult to balance, but Kimport handles it flawlessly. In The Kingdom of the Wilderness echoes the soft and modest faith in Kimport’s own life. When asked how his faith connects with his writing, Kimport said, “When my friends saw the kind of book I wrote, they said, ‘I didn’t know you were like that!’ But I’m quiet about it… I wrote it for my family, for my wife, for Jesus. I do it for Him. I just didn’t want to let the story go.”

While Larry Kimport continues to work on his next novel, readers can find In the Kingdom of the Wilderness available for purchase online at In The Name Publishing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Learn more about Kimport and his work on his website, larrykimportbooks.com. ■