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Ever wondered what it would feel like to lie on arctic land, naked under the northern lights? Can the glittering air of the far north be regarded as beautiful all the while it starves us of blood-fire in that bold and killing cold?
Wiebe, characteristically, exposes us to pure harsh treatment ("Cold beyond cold awakens Greenstockings, with the driven intensity of needles"). And he lays bare souls of characters in the great temptations, triumphs and tragedies of their situations. ("Keskarrah says to them all . . . These English can't keep death from us, nor from themselves.").
This is a historical novel about the encounter between hospitable aboriginal peoples and enterprising white European explorers in the subarctic forests and arctic regions of northern Canada, 1820-21. English history records it as John Franklin's first expedition. Wiebe calls it by his title.
Who are the strangers? Human beings who marvel at or entirely misunderstand each other's history (real or imagined), ingenuity, idiocy, sacred traditions and seemingly stupid ceremonies.
What is the discovery? A white man finds love with a young native woman--the scenes are Wiebian in their fascination with the erotic poetry of love-making (Note: not cheap sex scenes). Whites and natives find each other's passions--for land, lust, love, and a lick of food--peculiar. Chapters alternate between perspectives, making for a reader's mind-melding toward a common truth to be found between strange realities. What is that truth? Ah! Something to do with the politics (power) of culture (male-female relations figure as powerfully as human-divine). Something to do with the senses--like having sex and eating food (or not). And something to do with the intrepid spirit of true Canadians. But who are they?
When it comes to these themes and questions, Wiebe is once again hardly a stranger. Read the book--if you don't mind a shocking, cleansing wind when you open the door to let Wiebe in.
Doug Schulz has taught at MBCI, Winnipeg and is currently pastor of Cedar Park MB Church in Delta, B.C.
The author sees western Christianity as more of a cultural religion than following what he calls the "Jesus faith," doing what Jesus would do in a given situation. According to Mosher, western missions has always been done from a position of wealth and power with a sense of superiority over coloured races. He maintains that little effort has been made to identify with the poor of the world.
Mosher contends that modern missions depends too much on methodology and too little on God's power. He claims that the church has too "often pursued human praise, economic wealth, political power, military might, racial prejudice, and cultural arrogance." "Even seminary training is oriented more toward producing successful, professional pastors and teachers, only some of whom may also reflect God's righteousness."
God's Power, Jesus' Faith and World Mission is a "must" for all cross-cultural ministers, but will also inspire others who wish to translate their faith into action.
Ben Doerksen is a former missionary and missions instructor at Bethany Bible Institute. He currently lives in Calgary.
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