The Reclamation
Ebook
Imagine a world where a nationalistic distortion of Christianity has become the state religion. Imagine a world that divides people into two groups: those who are "Committed" to the state religion, and those who remain "Uncommitted," refusing to pledge their loyalty to the oppressive religious sect.
Welcome to Wylie's world.
Wylie, an Uncommitted teen, lives as a second-class citizen in a late twenty-first century reality where adherence to the state religion is everything. One day, forgotten recordings from a long-past college theology class invade Wylie's life and set her on a journey toward the miraculous. When Wylie connects with true-believer Abby through a virtual holo-story, past and present flow together in unexpected ways.
Join Wylie on her adventure in this cautionary tale for believers who hope for a better way.
“In the tradition of recent dystopian novels, The Road, Handmaid’s Tale, and The Hunger Games, Marianne Modica has added a unique theological element. As current as today’s headlines, she envisions a world where Christian nationalism has taken over, while a few ‘uncommitted’ maintain a feeble resistance. Modica narrates through the eyes of a teenage girl as she turns eighteen and awakens to possibilities in her life and her beliefs. Never heavy-handed, Modica weaves her religious themes seamlessly into this adventurous tale.”
—David Penchansky, professor emeritus of theology, University of St. Thomas
“The Reclamation is an engaging and timely exploration of the disastrous consequences of combining religious faith with political power in a country we can easily recognize. The seventeen-year-old protagonist, Wylie, is a wonderfully drawn character who exhibits vulnerability, strength, and intelligence. The Reclamation is a strong testament to the power of faith, bravery, and questioning in a turbulent time not at all removed from the present.”
—Lori Magnuson, counselor
“With increasing attention being paid to the rise of white Christian nationalism, The Reclamation could not be timelier. As a professor at a Christian university, Marianne Modica knows the landscape she describes well. With overtones from The Handmaid’s Tale, she deftly outlines the tragic consequences of a theocracy. Her novel warns of Christianity gone horribly wrong and provides hope that another Christianity, a Christianity that loves, will prevail. This novel is well suited for the time we are living in.”
—Kathryn Lee, professor emerita of political science, Whitworth University
“Marianne Modica paints a future AmeriChristianity in a Venn diagram of Committed and Uncommitted, Trebs and Basses, watered-down and authoritative, deviant and faithful. Like Bradbury’s Montag, Modica introduces Wylie, Darwin, and four-legged Monty as they navigate hunger, questions, and the shadows. Thankfully, Modica also butterflies forgiveness into the same Venn diagram: freely given, freely received. My fingers are crossed for a sequel.”
—Jesse M. Brown, A.B.E. instructor, New Castle Correctional Facility
- Title: The Reclamation
- Author: Marianne Modica
- Publisher: Resource Publications
- Print Publication Date: 2023
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781666771398, 9781666771381, 1666771384, 9781666771374, 1666771376, 1666771392
- Resource ID: LLS:9781666771398
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-05-23T22:35:57Z
Marianne Modica is a professor of education at University of Valley Forge in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She is the author of several academic articles on the topic of race in education, an ethnography titled Race Among Friends, and three novels for YA and middle grade audiences, The R Word, King Me, and Green World Gray.