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And the Shofar Blew

Francine Rivers

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Aug 22, 2025 Werner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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My introduction to the work of leading evangelical author Francine Rivers didn't come until 2023 (I haven't read much ECPA/CBA-style Christian fiction), with my read of her historical fiction novel Redeeming Love. That book earned five stars from me, and whetted my interest in reading her general fiction. (Contemporary general fiction, written and set in my own lifetime, has been another weak area in my reading, though I'm trying to remedy that to some extent; in the past, I've been more drawn t My introduction to the work of leading evangelical author Francine Rivers didn't come until 2023 (I haven't read much ECPA/CBA-style Christian fiction), with my read of her historical fiction novel Redeeming Love. That book earned five stars from me, and whetted my interest in reading her general fiction. (Contemporary general fiction, written and set in my own lifetime, has been another weak area in my reading, though I'm trying to remedy that to some extent; in the past, I've been more drawn to older classics, or to other genres.) So I was glad for the opportunity to read this novel with one of my Goodreads groups. It definitely did not disappoint!

What the contemporary book trade markets as "Christian fiction" tends to have a negative reputation, as consisting mostly of light romances, cultivating a saccharine sweetness, and avoiding serious content and deep characterizations. To what extent that reputation is actually true, I can't say; I've been put off enough by it that my sampling of the books in question has been too limited to allow sweeping judgments. (I'm well aware of the irony inherent in that!) But I can say that I've read several novels of this type that don't fit this stereotype; and of all the authors of these, Rivers is the one whose work least fits it. She's a serious novelist, both in the sense of dealing with serious and important themes/issues and of taking the craft of fiction seriously, a mistress of deep characterization, and an explorer of the dark dimensions of human behavior (even without directly quoted bad language or explicit sex), whose work is grounded in an unabashed commitment to the Christan gospel and faith in its redemptive power. Stylistically, she's a Realist, and one who recognizes spiritual truth as a legitimate part of reality.

Published in 2003, and with a plot that spans some 16-17 years (so, roughly from ca. 1986-2003), this tale is set, like much of her other work, almost entirely in California, where she makes her home. Our protagonist (but far from the sole maker of crucial moral decisions) is Paul Hudson, who when we meet him is the young assistant pastor of a large church in suburban Chicago. His emotionally distant, control-freak father is a Los Angeles-based, televised evangelist who's spent decades building up a massive mega-church as the center of an ecclesiastical empire, all for the "glory of God," of course (or was that for his own personal glory...?). Paul's earnest, zealous and very ambitious to follow in Daddy's footsteps in "building up the kingdom of God." He excelled in college and has compiled an impressive resume'; so when his former dean gets a call from a small, struggling and all-elderly congregation in California's Central Valley, whose aged preacher can't continue any longer, Paul gets the referral. So he, his wife and his toddler son are soon headed to Centerville Christian Church, with a call from the congregation to its pastorate. (Rivers is vague about what denomination this church is part of, because that's not her point; the kinds of spiritual issues in play here can characterize any Protestant congregation.) What he'll make of this ministry in the ensuing years will form the heart of our story.

In Old Testament times, the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn, was blown to get the attention of God's people, as a call to worship, to repentance on the Day of Atonement, and sometimes to battle. The author adroitly uses a few strategically-placed references to this in the thoughts of a couple of characters to create an effective symbolism, because God's attempt to get the attention of His people, as a group and as thick-headed individuals, will be a central theme here (and it may not be easy). She definitely avoids the trap of portraying Christians as one-dimensional incarnations of saintliness; some of her Christian characters here are more saintly than others, but all of them have their foibles, and she's very aware of the degree to which all of us can have mixed motives, and can rationalize actions and omissions that may be very contrary to the will of God. And she knows that humans can change inside over time in very real ways, not just in their outward circumstances --but those changes aren't always for the better.

Although some characters here move from an openly nonbelieving stance to Christian conversion, that's not the central plot and there's no stress on their thought process or on the preaching that precedes conversion. Some Christian fiction is written with the intent of evangelizing nonbelievers; but although Rivers makes some direct statements of the Christian gospel (salvation from the penalty and power of sin through penitent faith in Christ's atoning death for our sins), her main topic is how we as Christians go about serving God, and the issues and potential pitfalls that this presents in a contemporary setting. Like Charles Sheldon in In His Steps (although Rivers is a vastly more gifted writer), her main target audience is people who already are Christians, or who at least think they are. Personally, I can't think that most non-Christian readers would really get this novel (though some might). But I would highly recommend it for Christian readers, and for the latter I believe it would be thought-provoking. (This edition has a bit over a page of intelligent discussion questions for book clubs or reading groups that would facilitate that process.)

This is a book that's powerfully critical of some aspects of present-day American Christianity, as it's typically presented and lived out. That kind of criticism can focus on inner heart attitudes, or on outward structural elements, or on both. Rivers' own focus is much more on inner attitudes, not so much on criticism of institutional church culture and structures as such. Unquestionably, heart attitudes are more important. But some structures are more compatible with healthy attitudes, and different structures have a tendency to promote different attitudes, whether good or bad. My own reading of the New Testament has led me to believe that plural leadership in congregations, house churches, and lay ministry is a more biblical, healthier and more God-pleasing model than the monarchial "pastorate," the building-centered approach, and the professionalization of ministry. Even though Rivers doesn't make an explicit case for the former model, though, this book certainly presents a vivid evocation of the real-life abuses that the latter model all too easily lends itself to, and I hope that at least some readers might be prompted to think along these lines.

To credibly assess Rivers' place in late 20th-century and early 21st-century American literature, I'd obviously need to have read much more of that literature than I have, and probably more of her work as well. (I also haven't read assessments made by any spokespersons for the present lit-crit establishment; those don't interest me, but that's another subject.) But I can say that, within the limited body of fiction writing in that time frame that I actually have read, she stands in the first rank; and while it's hard to predict what contemporary writings will stand the test of time, I believe the two Rivers novels I've read stand a good chance. This is a powerful, high-quality novel that delivers literary satisfaction and thoughtful messaging equal to many classic novels that I've read. 2025 isn't over yet; but it's very probable that this will prove to be my favorite read of the year. ...more

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