Daniel Molyneux's Blog - Posts Tagged "religious"
An interview with author Daniel Molyneux
Judas Son of SimonWhat is the central message you want readers to come away with after reading Judas Son of Simon?
The transforming power of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
What inspired you to write Judas Son of Simon?
There is a short, and a long answer. The idea came to me when I was standing on the site of ancient Megiddo, looking across Galilee’s Jezreel Valley.
What’s the long answer?
For years, I have been studying the Holy Land’s history, geography, archeology, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. This made my understanding of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures bloom in a way that amazed me. I wanted others to have a similar life-changing experience.
Why did you choose to write Judas as historical fiction, rather than non-fiction?
Non-fiction books about the Holy Land, tend to be dry and academic. I wanted to write a novel that made the story of Judas come alive, giving the reader a riveting experience, but that also aided the reader’s spiritual journey. It was my goal to make Judas Son of Simon a dramatic, emotional, and spiritually transformative experience.
But Judas is largely historically accurate, is that correct?
Yes. I set about writing a dramatic page-turner that people couldn’t put down. But Judas also needed to be a useful source of historical, biblical, archeological, and theological information.
How did you go about achieving that goal?
The characters in Judas are actual figures, from history and the Bible. The one exception is Judas’ wife. We have no information about whether he was married or not. Also, unlike most novels, Judas has three appendices, and extensive notes, to provide the reader with additional information. The reader could take a copy of Judas to the Holy Land, and largely retrace Jesus’ movements.
What do the notes address?
They address issues and events brought up in the novel. I recommend Judas be read for the dramatic enjoyment of it, the first time, without looking at notes. If the reader is interested in delving deeper, I recommend a second reading, to reference the notes and appendices. In this way, the reader can choose how much they wish to dive into the details.
Judas sounds like a unique novel. What would you compare it to?
In some ways, it reads like the Gospels, which were used as a foundation for the book. But in mood, tenor, voice and drama, Judas shares similarities with Peter Shaffer’s play, Amadeus. Amadeus is the story of Mozart, told from the perspective of his arch enemy, Salieri, and his struggle with God. In the same way, Judas Son of Simon is the story of Jesus, told from the perspective of his betrayer, Judas, and his struggle with God.
Is there a film about Jesus you would compare to Judas?
Judas is not the usual campy “bathrobe drama” where Jesus and his disciples walk around with saintly expressions, while halos hover overhead. The characters in Judas are real people, living in a real world, facing real dangers, temptations, passions, doubts, and conflicts. But Judas’ raw emotional power may best compare to the 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ.
You mentioned having a background in drama?
Yes, I have a BA in Drama, and studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
What are your academic and theological qualifications for writing Judas?
Besides studying the Holy Land my whole life, I have a master’s degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a doctorate from Fuller Seminary, and did post-graduate work at Concordia Seminary. I am also an ordained pastor.
What will surprise readers most when reading Judas?
There are surprises in every chapter, sometimes every page. Jesus’ parables are an example. Often, we read his parables from a modern perspective, missing the meaning Jesus originally intended. The reader will be surprised how relevant, controversial, and political his statements were when Jesus made them.
Can you give another example?
People think they know about Judas’ death. Circumstances were starkly different than many believe.
When will Judas Son of Simon be released?
Judas is being released in time for Easter, 2017.
The transforming power of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
What inspired you to write Judas Son of Simon?
There is a short, and a long answer. The idea came to me when I was standing on the site of ancient Megiddo, looking across Galilee’s Jezreel Valley.
What’s the long answer?
For years, I have been studying the Holy Land’s history, geography, archeology, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. This made my understanding of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures bloom in a way that amazed me. I wanted others to have a similar life-changing experience.
Why did you choose to write Judas as historical fiction, rather than non-fiction?
Non-fiction books about the Holy Land, tend to be dry and academic. I wanted to write a novel that made the story of Judas come alive, giving the reader a riveting experience, but that also aided the reader’s spiritual journey. It was my goal to make Judas Son of Simon a dramatic, emotional, and spiritually transformative experience.
But Judas is largely historically accurate, is that correct?
Yes. I set about writing a dramatic page-turner that people couldn’t put down. But Judas also needed to be a useful source of historical, biblical, archeological, and theological information.
How did you go about achieving that goal?
The characters in Judas are actual figures, from history and the Bible. The one exception is Judas’ wife. We have no information about whether he was married or not. Also, unlike most novels, Judas has three appendices, and extensive notes, to provide the reader with additional information. The reader could take a copy of Judas to the Holy Land, and largely retrace Jesus’ movements.
What do the notes address?
They address issues and events brought up in the novel. I recommend Judas be read for the dramatic enjoyment of it, the first time, without looking at notes. If the reader is interested in delving deeper, I recommend a second reading, to reference the notes and appendices. In this way, the reader can choose how much they wish to dive into the details.
Judas sounds like a unique novel. What would you compare it to?
In some ways, it reads like the Gospels, which were used as a foundation for the book. But in mood, tenor, voice and drama, Judas shares similarities with Peter Shaffer’s play, Amadeus. Amadeus is the story of Mozart, told from the perspective of his arch enemy, Salieri, and his struggle with God. In the same way, Judas Son of Simon is the story of Jesus, told from the perspective of his betrayer, Judas, and his struggle with God.
Is there a film about Jesus you would compare to Judas?
Judas is not the usual campy “bathrobe drama” where Jesus and his disciples walk around with saintly expressions, while halos hover overhead. The characters in Judas are real people, living in a real world, facing real dangers, temptations, passions, doubts, and conflicts. But Judas’ raw emotional power may best compare to the 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ.
You mentioned having a background in drama?
Yes, I have a BA in Drama, and studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
What are your academic and theological qualifications for writing Judas?
Besides studying the Holy Land my whole life, I have a master’s degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a doctorate from Fuller Seminary, and did post-graduate work at Concordia Seminary. I am also an ordained pastor.
What will surprise readers most when reading Judas?
There are surprises in every chapter, sometimes every page. Jesus’ parables are an example. Often, we read his parables from a modern perspective, missing the meaning Jesus originally intended. The reader will be surprised how relevant, controversial, and political his statements were when Jesus made them.
Can you give another example?
People think they know about Judas’ death. Circumstances were starkly different than many believe.
When will Judas Son of Simon be released?
Judas is being released in time for Easter, 2017.
