By C. E. Moore
GENRE: CHRISTIAN LIFE
PUBLISHER: THOMAS NELSON
PUBLICATION DATE: DECEMBER 29, 2009
Alright. The show is over. I was highly confused and dissatisfied with the show’s conclusion. As a matter of fact, I think a lot of people have convinced themselves that the ending was beautiful and meaningful. It’s the only way to feel as if you haven’t wasted the last six years of your life—that the show did not, in fact, collapse beneath the weight of its own mythology. But, one thing that is absolutely undeniable is the cultural phenomenon that was J. J. Abrams’ LOST. On screen the program brought together people from disparate walks of life. It also managed to do the same off screen, people gathering around the physical and virtual water cooler to discuss their thoughts and theories surround each week’s episodes. Admittedly, even though I didn’t like the ending, I feel as if there is a (programming) void in my life where LOST used to reside. What now?
Thank…you…Chris Seay. When the Matrix trilogy came to a close, Seay helped the adventure and contemplation continue with his fantastic The Gospel Reloaded (coauthored with Greg Garrett). Now, he helps viewers mine the spiritual depths of one of the most popular television shows of all time with his newest title, The Gospel According to LOST.
What I like most about Seay’s book is that he doesn’t try to answer all of LOST’s questions. Even the program’s writers and producers have admitted they had no intention of answering all the questions the show raised. To a certain extent, that was the point. I also like how Seay laid out the book as he set about contemplating life’s bigger questions, such as the clash between faith and reason, the dichotomy between fatalism and fate, and struggling with guilt. Like the show, Seay makes a majority of the chapters “character-centric.” Thus, the chapter about emotional brokenness is “Hurleycentric” and his chapter on lost sheep and true confession is “Ekocentric.” Fans of the show will definitely appreciate this approach and allow them to switch gears easily as Seay moves from idea to idea.
The one thing I would have liked more is if Seay had waited until the show had concluded before writing this title. Even though he admitted up front that it was not his intention to answer the show’s questions, I think his theological musings might have been taken a bit deeper had he had the whole picture (as far as the show runners were going to give us) in front of him. I’m sure releasing the book when he did was more of a marketing decision, capitalizing on the much-hyped season premiere of “The Final Season.” Still, I wonder how particular chapters might have read a little differently had Seay had every episode to contemplate.
Overall, I think The Gospel According to LOST will appeal to some and not to others. Fans of the show will definitely like the title. But, those who like a little more theological bite in their reading will likely find this title a bit lacking. Have no fear, though. Seay is set to release The Gospel According to Jesus in late September, which allows for less ambiguity of meaning and has a strong sense of theological austerity.
Review title provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson Publishers
