CHRISTIAN LIT MAGAZINE
The Commission by Bob Blackman presents a frightening look at a New World Order in a futuristic society.
The world has been united into a single nation, called Terrapax, and a single recognized religion has been instated. The Messianists, a group of believers who refuse to subject themselves to what is obviously a false religion, are sent to a “reeducation” camp, so that they may reconsider their foolish resistance and be indoctrinated into the new, widely-recognized belief system. Once it is obvious the Messianists are continuing to cling to their faith, they are exiled to another planet.
Author Bob Blackman tackles the intimidating subject of what would happen “if a group of Christians were the only settlers of an unoccupied planet...would their faith flourish through unity or falter through complacency?” The premise is a tough one, but Mr. Blackman does an admirable and imaginative job of carrying the story through to its conclusion. Although written in a slight disengaging style, the text shows the experience and spiritual maturity of the author, who is a retired Baptist minister.
ChristianLit Magazine recommends The Commission with few reservations and whole-heartedly endorses the theme of staying faithful to the “true gospel,” which is so strongly dealt with in The Commission.
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© Copyright 2000-2005, Skylar Hamilton Burris
The Commission is a work of social science-fiction. The story begins in the second half of the 21st century, where Terrapax, a libertarian's nightmare vision of the United Nations, has taken over the world and established a new universalistic state religion. People are free to worship their own gods, provided they do not teach that their religion is anymore "right" than any other religion, provided they do not proselytize in any way, and provided their churches kick back ten percent to the Spiritual Health Organization. Should one refuse this arrangement and persist in outmoded and "bigoted" beliefs, the "intolerant" will be shipped off to a re-education camp. Eventually, one group of Christians, from a denomination called the Messianists, is exiled to another planet for its persistent refusal to recant. Will members of this all-Christian society continue to maintain their faith, or will a loss of tradition and authority give birth to heresy?
After reading the back cover blurb, I had hoped the novel would focus on examining whether opposition and adversity are essential to the existence of a vibrant faith and whether (true) tolerance of Christianity actually leads to complacency among Christians. But this question really is not much developed in the novel. However, many other intriguing questions are introduced. Indeed, the plot is a clever vehicle for a host of difficult questions, and I found myself repeatedly pausing in my reading to think. The Commission could serve as a real discussion sparker among Christians, and it is likely to inspire the Christian reader to reflect on many things: Where is our nation headed with its emphasis on religious "tolerance"? Could this emphasis on "tolerance" eventually lead to a law against proselytizing? Can publicly recanting your faith while privately maintaining it ever be justified? What might cause you to recant? Would God have us fight back with violence against oppressive tyranny? How long would it take heresy to develop in an all-Christian society, and how might it develop? The author has heresy developing in part because of a lack of access to scriptures, but I think it would have been just as believable to have it developing despite the ready availability of the scriptures. At any rate, the novel reminds us that heresy is always internal and that the true threat to Christian orthodoxy never comes from non-believers, but from professed believers.
The author's writing ability is decent, but not gripping; the narrative tone is often more journalistic than literary. There are also some minor narrative problems; for instance, narration begins in the present tense as Taylor Hudson begins to tell the history of Eden (which is appropriately told in past tense), but when the action returns to the scene we left at the novel's opening, the narration does not return to the present tense. Nevertheless, the characters are realistic, and it is not, ultimately, the style of writing that makes this particular book worth reading; rather, it is the storyline and the thematic content. The Commission is an intriguing book posing intriguing questions. It is well plotted and moves at a reasonable pace. The author has a good story to tell, and he communicates weighty ideas without being overbearing or boring.
R. Robinson (Brisbane, Australia)
What if ...?, December 31, 2004
"The Commission" is a near-future novel which explores the strengths and weaknesses of faith in isolation, and the lengths to which a believer might go to keep the faith. As I read it, I found myself asking, "How important is the Great Commission to me? And how important is it to Jesus? Is there such a thing as Christianity without evangelism? What would I be willing to sacrifice for it?" The book raises more questions than Blackman intended. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and the story feels as though it could happen tomorrow. There are no saccharine moments, yet the overall tone is one of hope.
Skylar (United States)
It Will Make You Think, March 9, 2005
When a group of 21st century Christians is exiled to another planet for refusing to recant, will members of this all-Christian society continue to maintain their faith, or will a loss of tradition and authority give birth to heresy?
The Commission is an intriguing book posing intriguing questions. The author has a good story to tell, and he communicates weighty ideas without being overbearing or boring.
Mary Newport, A reviewer
One Generation Away November 15, 2004
A real page turner, with the underlying truth, that in one generation Crhistianity, could be erased, that believers need to be committed to the importance of the Word. Great Job!!
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