Collar

Sue Sorensen is Associate Professor of English at Canadian Mennonite University, Manitoba, and an active member of First Lutheran Church in Winnipeg. She is the author of a novel, 'A Large Harmonium', and the editor of 'West of Eden: Essays on Canadian Prairie Literature'.

• Foreword Acknowledgments Prelude: Why Literary Ministers? Interlude: The Collar by George Herbert 1 Heroism and Suffering Romero, The Mission, Becket, Murder in the Cathedral, The Power and the Glory, Gilead Interlude: 'Diary of a Country Priest' by Georges Bernanos 2 The Counselor / Confessor George Eliot, E. M. Forster, A. S. Byatt Interlude: 'Scenes of Clerical Life' by George Eliot 3 Fools for Christ Tristram Shandy, The Vicar of Wakefield, Bleak House, The Warden, Monsignor Quixote, Heavens Above!, Rowan Atkinson's vicars Interlude: Barbara Pym and Jan Karon 4 The Collared Detective Brother Cadfael mysteries, Father Brown stories, The Name of the Rose Interlude: 'Cry, the Beloved Country' by Alan Paton 5 Passion, For Better and for Worse The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, Racing Demon, Priest Interlude: 'The Book Against God', A Novel by James Wood 6 Failure, For Worse and for Better Jane Eyre, Middlemarch, Margaret Oliphant, Jane Austen, John Updike, Clint Eastwood Interlude: 'Doubt', A Parable by John Patrick Shanley 7 Disaster A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Brand, The Spire, Light in August, Rain Interlude: 'Pale Rider', directed by Clint Eastwood 8 Frustration: The Collar on Screen The Thorn Birds, Footloose, 7th Heaven, Keeping the Faith, The Vicar of Dibley, Rev. Interlude: The Bing Crosby and Richard Burton Movie Priests 9 Clergy Wives and Daughters: The Concealed Collar A Clergyman's Daughter, Bed Among the Lentils, The Rector's Wife, Candida Interlude: Iris Murdoch, 'The Bell' 10 The Canadian Collar The Stone Angel, Such is My Beloved, As For Me and My House, Good to a Fault, Robertson Davies, Ralph Connor, Stephen Leacock, Warren Cariou Interlude: 'Lights and Shadows of Clerical Life' by William Cheetham Postlude: 'Corpus permixtum' Bibliography Index

A marvelous mix of scintillating literary criticism and probing theological reflection, Sue Sorensen has provided insight into why funny stories are funnier and tragic stories more tragic when a clergyman is the principal character. But she also explores the deeper question, 'Have these artists, as outsiders looking in, captured that mysterious soul of the one who has that special call from Christ?' Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton SocietyLike every professional, the minister inherits images he or she did not create and may or may not want to project. Some of these images persist well beyond the epochs that shaped them. A few are positive, even heroic; many are negative and demeaning. Not only for those directly involved in the vocation, but for all who try to understand what the church has been and is, it is good to sort out these sometimes 'graven' images. And what better way of doing that than by considering the great stories in which clergy have some degree of prominence? Douglas John Hall, Author of 'What Christianity Is Not'"Sorenson writes well: clearly and crisply. Her analysis of the literature, and film, is for the most-part even-handed; and she is not blind to a work's weaknesses even while appreciating the portrayal of ministry offered. Her observations, both theological and literary, provide material to ponder."-Derek Tovey, Stimulus: The New Zealand Journal of Christian Thought and Practice, Vol. 22 Issue 2, 2015"This is a book about fictional perceptions of Christian ministers within literature across several centuries and, more recently, within films and television. It is a delight to read..I thoroughly recommend this imaginiative book."-Robin Gill, Theology, Vol 118, No. 5, 2015