Except for his pent-up anger, the Rev. Swain Hammond has always been a cool-headed rational sort of guy. The novel Revelation opens with what many would call a moment of grace: As Swain and his wife Julie grill shish-kabobs in their Chapel Hill back yard, he hears God speak to him out loud.
But S...
Except for his pent-up anger, the Rev. Swain Hammond has always been a cool-headed rational sort of guy. The novel Revelation opens with what many would call a moment of grace: As Swain and his wife Julie grill shish-kabobs in their Chapel Hill back yard, he hears God speak to him out loud.
But Swain’s experience of “revelation” is far from what he has imagined and longed for. (PLEASE NOTE: Swain is an R-RATED kind of guy, uses some “offensive language,” engages in carnal activity, etc.)
As a result of his mystical experience, he faces a dilemma in his marriage, his church, his conscience and his soul.For one thing, neither he nor most of his congregation believe in a God who broadcasts in English.
Swain is certain he has had a direct experience of God – he’s also pretty sure that some of the brainy opinionated pillars of the church may take another view of what’s happening to him.
But surely he can’t keep secret the very thing his career is supposedly devoted to teaching.
Revelation is the story of this 38 year-old minister – attractive but socially awkward, happily married but wildly tempted, introverted, a seeker who wants to escape the very thing he has been seeking.