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Lloyd C. Douglas' Ministry through His Novels

Pauline Das, Ph.D.

A Minister and Novelist

Lloyd C.Douglas (1877-1951) was both a novelist and minister. His novels give importance to 'thesis' rather than 'action' and deal with the general rules that promote human happiness. They represent fairly well defined need of life, the rehabilitation of man. Douglas's novels argue again and again that man's only hope for betterment lies in the relentless examination of his own inner nature.

Lloyd viewed with concern American life and experience in an era that saw the rise of commerce and industry, resulting in wealth that affected immensely the mores, manners and morals of a great majority of American society. When he took up his first charge in 1903 as a pastor at the Lutheran church at North Manchester, he was a good shepherd to his congregation. In those days the pastors were looked upon as the actual representatives of God on earth. He was all the time preoccupied with the duties and attitude of a pastor.

He started making a scrap book which contained the newspaper clippings that spoke of him as a preacher. More than a Prophet was his next work. He was a regular contributor in 1909 to 'The Lutheran Observer'. Douglas was made Chaplain and Director of Religious Work at the University of Illinois from 1911-1915. His first book Magnificent Obsession was released in1929, when Douglas was fifty years old.

Douglas was one of the most influential religious novelists in the world. Following in the tradition of Lew Wallace's Ben Hur (1880), Douglas' novels satisfied a reading public's demands for rollicking adventure and historical romance, combined with piety. Douglas, who retired from the congregational ministry to write, never pretended his novels were refined works of literature. He graciously suffered the attacks of reviewers, who found him loquacious and sentimental.

Yet he proved incapable of writing a book that did not become a best seller; the public loved his vintage narratives of decent characters who worked through problems to happy resolutions. In 1953, Henry Koster directed a major Hollywood film adaptation of The Robe which is still highly regarded. Douglas' continuing though diluted influence may be seen in books by Fulton Oursler, Taylor Caldwell, and Frank G. Slaughter.

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Pauline Das, Ph.D.
Department of English
School of Science and Humanities
Karunya University
Coimbatore-641114
Tamilnadu, India
paulinemdas@gmail.com

Evangelism and Growth of the Assemblies of God Churches in Tamilnadu, India - From 1989 - 2003 | Africans into World Missions? | Am I the Keeper of My Sister? | Manhattan Declaration - A Call of Christian Conscience | Lloyd C. Douglas' Ministry through His Novels | Light | An Evaluation of the Growth and Expansion of the Protestant Missionary Movement in the United States | The Way Forward in Missions -- New Wine in New Wineskins | Celebration of Love in the Book of Ruth | You Are Valued! | The Light of Christmas | Jesus Christ | Freedom in Jesus Christ - Our Lord's Ministry | HOME PAGE of December 2009 Issue | HOME PAGE | CONTACT EDITOR


ISSN
1548-7164


Vol. 5 : 9
December 2009

Board of Editors

Dr. Tan Kok Beng

Olive Rajesh, Ph.D.

Stan Schmidt

Steven Wakeman

Sudhir Isaiah, Ph.D.

Sundar Singh, Ph.D.

Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

Vasanthi Isaiah, M.A., B.Ed.

M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D., Managing Editor


© Copyright 2009 M.S.Thirumalai. All rights reserved.