Women of the Bible: "Remember Lot's Wife"

Jesus’s “Exhibit A” to illustrate “Whoever tries to keep one’s life will lose it, but whoever loses one’s life will preserve it” (Luke 17:30–32) is Lot’s wife. We find the tragic end of this woman, married to Abraham’s nephew, in Genesis 19. 

As the story goes, two angels arrive at evening in Sodom, where Lot is sitting at the city gate—doubtless because he holds judicial office there. In Proverbs 31 we see a similar reference, as the “husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land” (Prov 31:23). This detail about Lot suggests he is deeply embedded in Sodom and fully aware of what goes on there.

When Lot sees the two figures approaching, he gets up to greet them, bows his face to the ground, and urges them to lodge with him. Hospitality was a core value in the ancient Near East. 

The visitors decline, saying they’ll stay in the town square. But Lot insists. So they enter his house. And Lot cooks them a feast. But before they can rest, the unthinkable happens. Old and young men from Sodom surround Lot’s house demanding access to these visitors. “Where are the men who came to you tonight?” they ask. “Bring them out to us so we can ‘know’ them!” “Know” here is a Semitic idiom for sex. So, the men of all ages in Sodom want to have forced sex with Lot’s visitors.

Imagine Lot’s horror! Gang rape? Attack guests? But Lot shows he’s no Boy Scout, either. He steps outside his house beyond the angels’ earshot, calls the men of Sodom “brothers,” and offers an alternative: “I have two daughters who have never ‘known’ a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please” (v. 8). Great dad, huh?   

But Lot’s proposal fails. The men of Sodom don’t want women. They want men. So they attack Lot, insulting him by calling him a “foreigner” and threatening to hurt him even more than they planned to hurt his guests (v. 9). And they press in on Lot so much that they almost break down his door. 

Fortunately for him, the ones inside quickly rescue Lot by pulling him in, shutting the door, and striking the attackers with blindness. At this, the visitors urge Lot to grab his family and get them to safety, because God has sent them to do what the city elders have apparently failed to do—bring justice. The angels say “The outcry against this place is so great before the Lord” that they have come to destroy it (v. 13). 

But Lot sees a complication. His daughters are betrothed, so he delays long enough to go urge his future sons-in-law to escape with the family. But they accuse Lot of mocking them.  

At dawn, the angels tell Lot to hurry up and get his family out, or they’ll be destroyed along with the cities in the area. But Lot hesitates. So his visitors grab the hands of Lot and his family, “because the Lord had compassion on them” (v. 16). And the angels lead the group outside the city. 

Once outside Sodom’s gates, the angels urge, “Runfor your lives! Don’t lookbehind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”

But Lot digs in his heels and negotiates to go to a nearby town rather than all the way to the mountains. So God agrees to spare this one town for Lot. 

Finally, when the sun has risen, the Lord rains down sulfur and firefrom the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 24). In fact, God overthrows the entire region except the town where Lot and his family have taken refuge. 

God has shown mercy on mercy to this family. And they have one job—run without looking back! But what does Lot’s wife do? She flagrantly disobeys by looking back. And what’s more, she does so with longing. 

That’s why she is destroyed along with that which she desires. She dies with her old life rather than experience the rescue and new life mercifully offered.     

Jesus said that “in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building” but suddenly one day when they least expected it, they were destroyed (v. 29). Jesus added, “It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back (vv. 30–32). No delaying to talk to the future sons-in-law. Because he will appear suddenly: “There will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.” And “There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Jesus exhorted his listeners, “Remember Lot’s wife!”

God had spared Noah’s family. Similarly, God plucked Lot’s family out of destruction. But Lot’s wife chose, with longing, to look back rather than forward. She preferred a community that accepted gang rape over a chance to start over with her family. And Jesus told his followers to remember her—to let her serve as a warning. She tried to keep her life, but she lost it. She longed for what destroyed, and ultimately it destroyed her.

What are your longings? Do they bring life or death? Do they contribute to your ultimate flourishing or to your ruin? Will you keep looking back? Or will you fall on the mercy of God?

Photo by Christian Garcia on Unsplash

The Bible: Women Are More Present Than We Might Think

Recently, I heard from a woman who said that since about the age of 12 years, she has attended church weekly, sometimes multiple times a week. Yet in all those years, she heard little teaching that features, highlights, or affirms women. She said, “From a very early point in my journey I would consider whether words like ‘he,’ ‘men’ or ‘disciple’ were intended for everyone or just males. In many instances during my studies, I would replace those words with ‘she’ or ‘women’ in my notes, because it made it feel more personal and applicable to me as a woman. Still, I have pretty much always felt like an outsider or like there was something wrong with me…. I have often felt like the church was the most repressive institution for me as a woman, and I do not think that could possibly be Jesus’s intent, given the way he interacted with women.”  

 Indeed, exclusion of females is not reflective of Jesus. Paul gets a bad rap, too. But he held a much higher view of women than we often hear. Is it any wonder that women are leaving churches in unprecedented numbers?  

 In the weeks ahead, I plan to address some of this woman’s concerns. And today I’ll begin with this assertion: Bible translations sometimes hide the presence of women. But we’re there.

 Case in point: a familiar verse I heard quoted this week—words the apostle Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). When I heard the word “men” in that saying, I knew the underlying Greek said anthropoi. That is, people. As in, “Teach people who will teach other people.” But I wondered if others in the room heard it that way? Did the males in the room do the mental gymnastics to include their sisters, daughters, wives, nieces, female co-workers? Did the females hear themselves represented? Or did they assume the apostle’s exhortation applied only to somebody else? Increasingly, when people hear the word “men,” they don’t think “humans”; they envision only “males.” Some good data on language use backs up this assertion. In fact, saying “men” when we mean “people” now qualifies as Christianese. 

Anthropoi can mean humans or males. So, we ask: were the many witnesses to whom Paul spoke males only? No, Paul publicly taught women and men. Did he expect women also to pass on what they heard? He did (see Titus 2:3). So why render the word as the exclusive “men,” and thereby exclude females?

The translation I’m citing here was published not in 1611, but in 2001, by a team of more than 100 all-male evangelical scholars and pastors. Some think Bible translations have become more female-inclusive since the dawn of radical feminism in the US; but since World War II, some translators have actually given us less inclusive translations. If we believe it is not good for a man to be alone (Gen. 2:18)—indeed, if we believe Genesis teaches the complementary relationship of men and women—we know we need each other. Including in translation work. One would think that would be a no-brainer, especially in an area in which God seems to have given one sex unique gifting.

Last week, I heard another example—the famous quote from Jesus: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). Now, again, we know Jesus expected the twelve to seek both male and female disciples. But sure enough, translators have rendered anthropoi as “men.” In fact, they included this tiny footnote: “The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women.” So, these translators acknowledge the author has both men and women in view, but they still render the language in a way that excludes females. Why would they do that?

I’ve already written about other examples of translation gender bias here (a man who walks in the counsel of the wicked vs. a person who…) and here (a man should provide for his own family vs. someone providing for that person’s own family). As is evidenced by the correspondence I referred to above , many people have not even been told that the very word “disciple” in the New Testament refers to male and female followers of Jesus. But Dorcas is explicitly called a disciple (Acts 9:36). 

Bottom line: Women are more represented in the scriptures than many translations indicate. Far more.

And I haven’t even mentioned passages that actually outright address women in ministry. Romans 16 is filled with them. Theologian Marg Mowczko observes, “Most English Bibles, including the ESV [which is the source of my examples above], are reliable and trustworthy in how they translate verses and passages that pertain to the doctrine of salvation. The same cannot be said about how they translate verses that pertain to women in ministry. Some Bible readers aren’t even aware that many women are mentioned in the New Testament as being ministers and church leaders. This is because English translations have typically obscured or downplayed the passages that mention these women. The English Standard Version (ESV) and the New Living Translation (NLT), in particular, are notorious for downplaying the ministries and roles of New Testament women in their translations.” 

Andrew Bartlett, author of Men and Women in Christ: Fresh Light from the Biblical Texts (IVP, 2019), wrote a piece for CT in the past year in which he highlighted some of the most egregious renderings of New Testament verses relating to women.    

The best source for clarity on the topic of women’s inclusion is the Greek New Testament. But the ability to learn Koine Greek—or Hebrew, languages in which the Bible’s human authors wrote—is a privilege most people don’t have. So, we need to use and recommend the best translations we can find. Check the front pages of your Bible(s) and see who served on the translation committee(s). Look for male and female teamwork and geographic and denominational diversity. For English, I like the NET, the CEB, and the 2011 version of the NIV.  I especially like the NET in the YouVersion app, which makes it easy to check out translation notes that are accessible to most English readers. 

 Yesterday, I received a text from a female Bible teacher with whom I’d been discussing this topic. She wrote, “I’m going to look up every verse that says ‘man’ in Logos [Bible software] to see if I’m included. Mind blow. I just looked up James 5:16. ‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.’ So, my prayers are powerful and effective too!” 

Yes. Yes. Yes! They are. 

Next time: Why don't we see more women in the Bible?

Sampling of Book Titles Inspired by Bible Verses

My dissertation supervisor told me that the Bible and Shakespeare were the two most-used sources for book titles. How many of these biblical phrases do you recognize?

Absalom, Absalom!

William Faulkner

2 Samuel 19:4

An Acceptable Time              

Madeleine L'Engle     

Psalms 66:13

A Time to Kill                        

John Grisham            

Ecclesiastes 3:3

Behold the Man                     

Michael Moorcock      

John 19:5

Butter In a Lordly Dish           

Agatha Christie        

Judges 5:25

I Sat Down and Wept            

Elizabeth Smart         

Psalm 137:1

Clouds of Witness                  

Dorothy L. Sayers       

Hebrews 12:1

Consider the Lilies                 

Iain Crichton Smith    

Matthew 6:28

East of Eden                           

John Steinbeck           

Genesis 4:16

Fear and Trembling             

Søren Kierkegaard    

Philippians 2:12

The Golden Bowl                   

Henry James                

Ecclesiastes 12:6

The House of Mirth                

Edith Wharton            

Ecclesiastes 7:4

I Will Fear No Evil                  

Robert A. Heinlein     

Psalms 23:4

If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem   

William Faulkner       

Psalms 137:5

In a Glass Darkly                    

Sheridan Le Fanu       

I Corinthians 13:12

Jacob Have I Loved                 

Katherine Paterson    

Romans 9:13

The Last Enemy                     

Richard Hillary            

I Corinthians 15:26

Lilies of the Field                   

William E.  Barrett    

Matthew 6:28

The Little Foxes                     

Lillian Hellman            

Song of Songs 2:15

Many Waters                         

Madeleine L'Engle     

Song of Songs 8:7

The Millstone                         

Margaret Drabble      

Matthew 18:6

Moab Is My Washpot            

Stephen Fry                

Psalms 60:8

The Moon by Night                

Madeleine L'Engle     

Psalms 121:6

The Needle's Eye                   

Margaret Drabble      

Matthew 19:24

Noli Me Tangere                    

José Rizal                   

John 20:17

Number the Stars                  

Lois Lowry                  

Psalms 147:4

Quo Vadis                             

Henryk Sienkiewicz    

John 13:36 (Vulgate translation)

A Scanner Darkly                    

Philip K. Dick              

I Corinthians 13:12

Stranger in a Strange Land    

Robert A. Heinlein     

Exodus 2:22

The Sun Also Rises                

Ernest Hemingway    

Ecclesiastes 1:5

The Violent Bear It Away      

Flannery O'Connor     

Matthew 11:12 (Douay translation)

The Way of All Flesh             

Samuel Butler            

Joshua 23:14 (Wesley's notes translation)

The Wealth of Nations          

Adam Smith               

Isaiah 61:6

The Wings of the Dove          

Henry James              

Psalms 55:6

How to Read the Bible Like a Seminary Professor

In Dr. Mark Yarbrough’s book, How to Read the Bible Like a Seminary Professor, each member of his family  makes an appearance in at least one anecdote. Yarbrough reported, “They all said, ‘Dad, I’m in.’ Some wanted  even more than one page.” From left they are Jacob ("Contaminated with diesel fuel"); Kayla (“I grows, I growd!”);  Kayci  (“Look Daddy, no hands!”); and Joseph ("Lost at a rock concert").

 How to Read the BibleLike a Seminary Professor: A Practical and Entertaining Exploration of theWorld's Most Famous Book releases today (3/3). And this book is the first Biblereference work (1) that I have ever read cover to cover, and (2) that has evermade me laugh out loud. Recently, thebook’s author DTS academic dean Dr. Mark Yarbrough took some time to talk aboutthis new resource.

What motivated you to write How to Read the Bible Like a Seminary Professor?

In the history of evangelicalism, we’ve been blessed with great books about the Bible. We have wonderful commentaries, and we’ve listened to sound expositors, especially in the past thirty years. But one of the potential side effects is that we have forgotten to teach people how to feed themselves. So my hope is to give people confidence in their study of the Word. If just one person who reads this book gains the confidence to run toward the Word, I’ll be eternally grateful.

The “voice” of the author makes it seem like you had fun writing it. Yes?

I had a blast. It was so much fun. I loved everything about it. I loved talking it out, storyboarding, and even getting up at 3 AM. Sometimes I would get up early and an entire chapter would just come out. I did most of my work at our kitchen table when the chaos of life happened around me. I could build a little mental glass wall while the spaghetti was being slung around me, and occasionally I would stop to help a kid with algebra. The book came out of the midst of life.

You used lots of personal illustrations, especially stories about your kids. What’s your favorite in this book?

I guess I don’t have a favorite. I love them all because they are about my kids! However, “Contaminated” (Chapter 19) makes me laugh, and it was such an unusual experience.  My oldest son, from the moment he hit planet earth, was full of life and energy and into everything. On one occasion he drank some diesel fuel, which scared the living daylights out of me. Especially because I was the parent on duty—a little fact that I don't think I mentioned in the book. I learned this funny thing about how the human body dissipates fuel. You know how the “Peanuts” character, Pigpen, is surrounded by a little cloud? That was my little boy. Ultimately it was a great picture of who we are in our sin—an event drawn from everyday life that speaks theologically.

What audience did you have in mind when you wrote your book?

The reader I envisioned was someone with a passion for the Word of God. I didn’t write an apologetics or evangelism book. This work speaks directly to someone who has a heart for the Lord—someone with a real life, real family, real struggles, and real inferiority. I mean, the Bible can be intimidating. It’s big. (He whispers) and GOD WROTE IT. As the author, I’m just a normal person, and I wrote out of the context of life.

I do think some schools will use the book in programs where the Bible is the central text. But lots of people will never take a class. These folks simply want to be better students of the Word. I tried to speak to both groups.

What are some of the most common ways we misuse the Bible?

We misuse the Bible by lobbying for our personal perspectives without understanding the whole of Scripture. We appeal to the Bible as an authority to validate our opinions. In fact that is where I start the book. Some teachers read a text and ask, “What does this mean to you?” without first finding what the text actually says. So the most common misuse is that we don’t slow down and observe the text and see what is actually in front of our eyes.

How do you think a seminary professor’s take on the Bible differs from that of the average person?

Typically seminary professors, the ones I envision at least, approach the text assuming it is authoritative. In other words it is God’s Word. He has spoken. It is truth. But seminary professors also acknowledge that the Bible is really good literature. Many people don’t understand that second part—that the Bible is God’s Word given through human means. God spoke his authoritative Word, and he chose to reveal it through those carried along by the Holy Spirit. And because of that, we have different “types” of literature. We want to honor how God chose to reveal it to us in all its majesty. In evangelicalism there is—I hope and pray—a strong authoritative emphasis. But often the average person does not see the Word or approach it as having great literary beauty.

What’s a common misinterpretation or misapplied passage that you deal with in your book?

I spent a lot of time, my longest example, talking about how to read narrative literature. Take the Book of Jonah and your typical Sunday School message out of the book: “Shame on Jonah; he didn't go. God got his attention. Jonah finally gets it.” We teach it this way. But then we have no clue what to do with chapter 4 [the part where Jonah pouts and waits for God to destroy the Ninevites]. I wanted to show the power of narrative literature, because when we see “what the author is doing with what he’s saying,” (to quote one of my colleagues), he paints readers in a corner at the end. Jonah is a bad prophet from beginning to end. God basically says, “You are that prophet”—if your heart is like Jonah’s. And think about that in its larger historical context. Oh, how God wished his people in his land had responded like the Ninevites did. God desired Jeroboam II to respond like the king of Nineveh! The Book of Jonah is a parody and a challenge—for then and for now.

What are some wrong ideas that people have about the Bible?

They think, “It’s only for professionals.” I hear that regularly. Or people say, “I can’t understand it” or “I’m overwhelmed with its complexity.” We make it complex, and the evil one helps us. J. I. Packer once said, “’If I were the devil, the first thing I would do is keep people from digging in the Word of God.” That quote has motivated me for years.  We need to know the master story of the Bible, and often we don't. People hear bits and pieces. They might hear a good sermon, study one Bible book, or get a good lesson from a Sunday school class. But most people don't get the big picture. So that is where this book begins—with the big picture.”

You can order the book from Amazon or your favorite Christian bookseller. 

The Noah Film: How to Respond

I loved John Grisham’s book, The Firm. But my husband, Gary, never read it. Consequently, whenhe and I watched the movie together, I disliked what Hollywood had done to thestory. But Gary, unfamiliar with the plot in the original, really liked themovie version. In fact, for some strange reason it annoyed him when I constantlyinterrupted the film to whisper, “That’s not how it happened in the book! Thebook was way better!” In fact, he finally, kindly, asked me to be quiet so hecould just enjoy the film.

As the saying goes, “Never judge a book by its movie.”

Hollywood’s new telling of a story and butchering some ofthe original in the process is nothing new. It’s not persecution. It’s not intentional irreverence. It’s thechallenge of taking a form of narrative that allows backstory and interiordialogue and moving it to a form that allows only for show-show-show. Oh. Andit’s also about what will make the most money.

Complicating the dynamic in the case of the Noah filmreleasing today is the fact that this story is thousands of years old. And thatmeans the writer of Genesis didn’t tell stories the way Westerners do. Thestory structure of the three-paneled beginning-middle-end, to which we are soaccustomed, is only about as old as Aristotle, who lived in the fourth centuryB.C. That’s thousands of years afterNoah—and Moses, who recorded Noah’s story.

See the problem? Taking an apple story and making it into anorange narrative requires making some “creative decisions” that those who love thebook version will dislike. A lot. Especially because the book in question isnot just some author’s story. It’s theauthor’s story.   

But think about it…even when Christians produce Biblestories, we sigh and wish they’d stop messing with the text. Consider all theobjections to The Bible TV series.

Not only does the typical movie structure of storytellingrequire changing an original to shoehorn it into the contemporary structure.It also requires filling in some details the written story didn’t give. Like theidentity of the Prince of Egypt’s faither. And whether someone gave Jesus’smother a cloth to wipe his blood. And how much Noah said “God.” 

We can argue all day about whether such a dynamic ought tobe so. It's the reality. So what do we do with thatreality?

Here’s what we don’t do: We don’t assume we’re beingpersecuted because someone changed our story. We don’t wail because the filmdoesn’t mention God. (The Esther story never mentions God, and we still got thepoint.) We don’t write long lists of where the producers got it wrong. And wedon’t complain, as one person did, that the writer took a nice man and made himout to be a drunk. (Ps-s-t: That drunk part’s actually in the original.)

Here’s a better way: If we can do so in good conscience, wepatronize the arts when they tell our story, even if they do so imperfectly.Even though the Mel Gibson version of The Passion of the Christ took somecreative license, that movie is the highest-grossing non-English-language filmof all time, and the U.S.’s highest-grossing R-rated film ever. Ever. And suddenly LA’s greed has workedin our favor, because the film’s financial success got Hollywood asking aboutwhat Christians want. And remember, Hollywood hadn’t done that for a while. Notsince about the time of Ben-Hur. Orat least that’s what TIME magazinereported in its March 31 edition. TIME alsoreported that Jonathan Bock of GraceHill Media "believes the momentum behind faith-based films is more thanjust a blip in Hollywood… It's a return of the Christian community's role as apatron of the arts."

In terms of our interactions with others about the film, wealso highly recommend the original. We say, “Yeah, the movie was maybe a goodstart. But the book version is way better—especiallyif you read the entire backstory starting from the beginning. Want to borrow mycopy?”

Just don’t say all this while they’re watching the movie. Atleast wait till they get out of the theater.

Why Ancient Noah's Faith Still Matters: Guest Post

The world’s abuzz about “Noah” opening tomorrow. So, how do we discuss the movie with family and friends? In this guest blog post, my friend David Sanford points the way.

Today, many people live by the polls. The opinions of others guide their beliefs and votes and choices, as if majority rule could possibly set the standards for right and wrong.

If Noah of “Noah and the Ark” fame had been interviewed by Gallup on issues of ethics and morality, he would have found himself completely outnumbered. To his credit, that did not stop Noah from living a blameless life. For the first 500 years of his life, Noah kept on doing right in a world that was going very wrong.

Even after God called him to make a boat that would be his means of rescue from the coming judgment, Noah endured another 100 years of standing against the tide of growing violence and hatred (Hebrews 11:7).

He became a public spectacle, building a ship that no one but his family and the animals would choose to enter, no matter how diligently Noah warned his fellow citizens (2 Peter 2:5).

No one listened, and no one cared, and Noah and his family were the only ones left when the Great Flood swept the inhabited world away (Luke 17:27).

In the end, Noah received the only approval that really mattered: He found favor with God. Because of this, he and his family were spared from otherwise certain destruction.

Like Noah, you and I are never so outnumbered that it is impossible to live by faith, pleasing God.

Tip: You can read the ancient biblical accounts of Noah (Genesis 6:1–9:17) for yourself in about 30 minutes.  

Noah’s 17 Faith Affirmations

·         I am heartbroken by the evil of people around me (Genesis 6:6).

·         I seek to find favor with God in the midst of a wicked society (6:8).

·         I live a righteous and godly life, no matter what other people are doing (6:9).

·         I believe God will provide the means to obey His commands (6:20).

·         I use God’s way of escape from judgment (7:7).

·         I believe God never idly threatens to bring judgment (7:11).

·         I seek to bring my family under God’s protective hand (7:13).

·         I believe God judged the wickedness of the ancient world by sending a massive flood, just as He said He would (7:23).

·         I wait for God’s direction before moving forward into a new situation (8:15).

·         I move ahead when God tells me (8:18).

·         I worship God for His rescue, salvation and deliverance (8:20).

·         I thank God for His mercy to humanity, even though we are all sinful from childhood (8:21).

·         I accept God’s gifts of meat, fruit, and vegetables for food (9:3) even if I don’t eat all of them.

·         I thank God for His promise to never flood all the earth again (9:11).

·         I thank God for the rainbow, a sign that He will remember His promise to Noah (9:16).

·         I believe that all people now living are descended from Noah and his family (9:19). 

David Sanford serves on the leadership team at Corban University in Salem, Oregon. Among his manypublishing credits, David is executive editor of Holy Bible: Mosaic,general editor of Handbook onThriving as an Adoptive Family, managing editor of the IVP Resonate series, co-author of How to ReadYour Bible, and author of If GodDisappears: 9 Faith Wreckers and What to Do About Them.

Got a Spare Bible?

October is Bible Drive Month. Since 1992, Bible Foundation has chosen October to launch a collection of used Bibles. Where will your donation go? Here are some of the many places asking for them: hospitals, nursing homes, rescue missions, homeless shelters, street ministries, remote villages, homes, churches, schools, bus stations, railway stations, prisons, jails and refugee camps.

. If your used Bible is not sticky with syrup stains, it's good enough to give. Even if you have only portions of a Bible, send them.
. The Bible you contribute can be in any language--it doesn't have to be English.
.  Mail it "Library rate" from the post office to get the best rate. You send it to a collection center, where it gets bundled and shipped to one of numerous places in the world where the Bible is in demand. Pass the word! Questions? Email bf@bf.org. For more info, visit www.bf.org.

Mail to:
Bible Foundation
P. O. Box 908
Newberg, OR 97132

Moon Over Manifest

Clare Vanderpool is the first author to come along in thirtyyears to win the Newberry Medal (2011) for a debut novel with Moon Over Manifest. The Newberry is aliterary award given to the author of the most distinguished contribution toAmerican literature for children. Before Random House’s Delacorte Press pickedup her book, Vanderpool collected quite a string of rejections, both fromagents and publishing houses. But “any dream is worth doing,” she says. “Youjust have to have the right balance.” And a cheerleader. Of her husband shesays, “No way I could have written any book without him.” He was “on duty”(with their four kids) “and he was an encouragement. Years and years passed,”she says, “But he said to keep at it.”

Moon Over Manifest isthe story of Abilene Tucker, whose  father sends her to live with an old friend inManifest, Kansas, while he works a railroad job. In Manifest she discovers anold box full of mementos, and with the help of Miss Sadie, a woman who tellsonly stories from the past, Abilene learns more about the town and its secrets.In doing so she figures out where her own story fits in the grand scheme.

Vanderpool’s YA novel is a work of historical fiction set inboth 1936 and 1918, and in it she weaves the two narratives together into oneseamless fabric. She says she didn’t worry about the two time periods confusingyoung readers, but her editors did. “I knew the book was for kids, but I didn’tmake story decisions with the audience in mind,” she said. “I just wrote astory. I had faith in the reader.”  

Abilene Tucker, the protagonist, is a rough but vulnerablecharacter whom readers love. When I asked Ms. Vanderpool at the Calvin Festivallast week how an author makes a character lovable, she said, “It’s my job tofind out more about the character. The more I know, the more lovable she is. IfI set out to make a lovable character, she would come off as cute. I didn’t setout to make [Abilene] lovable. I set out to know her.” From the beginningreaders know what Abilene wants, and we want her to get it.

Like Adichie, Vanderpool cites Willa Cather among thewriters who have mentored her through their work. She points to Cather’s use ofplace and description, and the way “place affects characters” in Cather’s workas influencing her own writing. She also admires the characters of Richard Peck(2001 Newberry, A Year Down Yonder)…“In one paragraph [you] can set up a character you totally believe. You don’thave to spend pages. Just find out the important thing.”

Moon Over Manifestfeatures many characters who are immigrants, with Ellis Island even making acameo appearance. “‘Immigrant’ used to mean a different thing,” Vanderpool says. “Peopledon’t normally choose to leave their homeland unless something awful is goingon, whether persecution, famine, or poverty. They have dreams for a betterlife.”

This is the story about a young adult who discovers what itmeans to arrive as an outsider. And it’s a story of loss and redemption, ofcomplexity and simplicity, and a grand testament to the power of story itself.Vanderpool sprinkles it with quotable lines such as “It’s best to get a look ata place before it gets a look at you,” and literary references from such works asMoby-Dick (“It is not down in anymap; true places never are”) and the Bible. As to the latter, Vanderpool didnot set out to weave faith topics into her narrative. She says, “Faith is likeskin—not like something I put on and take off on occasion. This is my story, myworld, the way I would say it. That’s how it comes out.”