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Q&A with Trevin Wax ----------------------- Q. Your other books are non-fiction, so what inspired you to try your hand at fiction? A. I started out writing fiction, actually. As a teenager, I wrote lots of short stories and enjoyed circulating them among my classmates, friends, and family members. In some ways, writing fiction again is like going back to my roots as a writer. I thought it would fun to dive into a fictional world and create some characters who could engage in dialogue about the big questions of life and faith Q. The book is described as “theology in story.” How would you describe your purpose in that? A. That's a way of saying, "This isn't your normal fiction book." I'm being up front about the purpose of the story - to teach. Readers who pick up this book will learn something from the characters and their questions and conversations. It's not just a theology book, because this is a narrative about two people engaging the big questions of life. Neither is it just a fiction book, because there are certainly some theological teachings that come through in the dialogue. It's both - theology in story. Q. The main character, 22-year-old Chris Walker, starts to doubt his faith during his senior year of college. Why do so many young people go through a season of questioning and doubt? A. A lot of kids grow up in the church and they're taught what to think, but not necessarily how to think. Then they go off to college, run into people with radically different perspectives on the world, and it causes a crisis of faith. They aren't sure whether or not they will stick with the Christianity they grew up with. So they wonder, "Do I just go through the motions of my faith? Or do I really own my faith? Or do I walk away?" Q. How can parents, pastors and friends support those who are asking the tough questions or who have been disillusioned by faith? A. Don't ever be dismissive of tough questions. At the same time, look at the questions behind the questions. Often, the questions are not merely intellectual quandaries but are connected to issues of morality, personal choices, and relationships. We are not talking heads doing theology in outer space somewhere. We are real people in a real world who are wrestling with truth at all sorts of levels. It's important for parents and pastors and friends to not rush to judgment, but to walk alongside those who have doubts. Q. Does Chris discover that the faith of his grandher is still relevant today? How does he come to understand that truth is unchanging even in an ever-changing world? A. I don't want to give away too much of the book. I think what surprises Chris the most is how Gil peels back the layer of his heart to show the root issues of many of his problems. Gil is never satisfied to just give answers. He throws questions back at Chris in a way that challenges his way of thinking. Q. Chris struggles with the hypocrisy he sees in other Christians. How does Grandpa Gil help him process through this? A. Two ways: by helping Chris see that his disdain for hypocrisy is actually rooted in the Christian faith he's doubting. And by modeling for Chris what authentic, humble Christianity is. Q. How does Gil explain evangelism to Chris? How had Chris’ experiences of studying religion in college affect whether he knew God or just knew about God? A. Again, I don't want to give away too much of the content of their conversations, but I will say this: Gil shows Chris that it's not inherently intolerant to persuade others to put their faith in Jesus. He also shows how scholarship can be either a tool to help us know and love God more, or something that distances us from God's cl on our life. It's not enough to know about God. God wants us to know Him. Q. Does Chris resolve all of his doubts by the end of the weekend he spends with his grandher? A. Readers will have to pick up the book to find out, of course! I would just say that this is a realistic look at faith and doubt and truth, and that a happy end with a person's doubts erased after a few conversations isn't the way real life works. Not when there are serious issues and struggles being faced. That said, there is a resolution to the book that I think will prove satisfying to most readers. Q. What do you hope readers will take away from the story of Chris and Gil? A. That we can talk about big ideas with winsomeness and love. That we can walk alongside people with struggles without belittling them or their doubts. That the gospel is true and powerful and impacts everything about our lives.