Welcome to our first edition of “Luke’s Book Nook”! We wanted to try out a new feature for our Tri-Faith Initiative newsletter and share some books that might be of interest to our readers. Often, these will be about nonfiction books to learn more about religious identities, interfaith efforts, and intersections between religion and other aspects of identity. But also I wanted to mix in some novels (particularly for summer “beach reads”) that may have something to teach about religion, culture, and identity that can also help us in our mission at Tri-Faith Initiative to “cultivate inclusive environments to advance interfaith relationships and understanding.” Do I personally agree with all perspectives offered in these books? Not necessarily. But each book I’m recommending here is one that I have found (or–for those I’m in the process of reading–hope to find) an enriching experience. I hope you will, too.

Our first book is The Covenant of Water: a Novel by Abraham Verghese

Thanks to NPR’s Book Concierge list, this was one of my Christmas presents last winter. Don’t let the size of this novel intimidate you! Personally, I love a large novel–but this one seemed to go by quickly despite its size. The author, Abraham Verghese, MD, is a physician from India who also wrote a memoir I read in college called My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story. India also takes an important role in his latest novel, which follows three generations of a family living in the Malabar Coast from 1900 to 1977. This family faces a mysterious affliction: at least one person in each generation dies from drowning. Considering Dr. Verghese’s medical career in addition to his literary career, it is not a spoiler to say that the practice of medicine plays important roles within this story. 

This heartfelt novel of family, grieving, joy, and the strive to overcome hardships has another aspect that our interfaith-minded readers may find of interest: the protagonist family is part of an ancient Christian community within India, one that traces its origins to the apostle Thomas (as in “Doubting Thomas”). There are different names and even denominations for the Saint Thomas Christians of India, but they are members of the churches of the East (the various Eastern Orthodox churches are probably the best known of the churches of the East). The author himself grew up within a Saint Thomas Christian family, so many of the insights offered about this religious minority within India are from an insider perspective. 

This is a beautiful novel that offers a chance to dive into another time and place during this hot Nebraska summer. Two of the best compliments I can give a book I will offer this book: I’m looking forward to reading it again, and I’ve planned to read another novel by this author (his first novel, Cutting for Stone, which I recently picked up at a used bookstore while traveling in Branson). And if this book has piqued your interest in learning more about the churches of the East, keep an eye out for my upcoming recommendation for An Introduction to the Christian Orthodox Churches by John Binns.