The Glory of Kings: A Philosophical Defense of Christianity is written by Dr. Larry Hunt, currently a Professor at Harding University, Searcy AR. From the University’s website one discovers that Dr. Hunt’s specialty is in medieval literature and this fact, once discovered, is easily seen in the content of the work. The book is designated as a philosophical defense of Christianity and as such uses the fictional account of one man’s search for understanding, and that man’s conversation and encounters with other characters within what can only be described as dream sequences. Secondary to the conversations and encounters being set in a dreamlike state, sudden and unexpected events take place that change the characters and setting – dramatically. The apologetic portion of the work, pursuant to the narrative structure of the book, is presented to the reader via the conversations that take place among the characters.

In the initial setting of the book the apologia takes place in a conversation between the author and a character introduced as “Amicus.” This character, immediately given the status of friend and confidant, takes the protagonist thru a series of conversations that appear to be designed to help in the discovery of the self by examining awareness, free-will, reason, and faith. God certainly appears in the discussions but remains more of a referent than an active character, very similar to the role of God in the discussions of Job with the four friends. The large concepts of self, reason, faith, the vicissitudes of life, and individual purpose, are represented by more concrete imagery: an island, a horse, an ark, a sea, a mountain top. It is in these metaphorical representations that the apologetic conversations take place using the surroundings as the visualization of the concepts being considered.

In true dream-like quality, the protagonist is whisked away from the subtle reasoning of the character Amicus and taken to a foreboding castle where he is placed in a locked room with four new characters: Julian, Faust, Anfortas, and Autumn. Where the first scenes seemed to be the presentation of apologia in a logical and reasoned fashion, the new setting has a deeper and darker emotive element filled with ideas of resignation, despair, hostility, and fear. The protagonist is part of the conversation between the characters but more as an observer than an actual participant, but when he does participate he is quickly silenced by the hostility and irrationality of the Anfortas. Julian, as expected once the historical reference is discovered, provides the balance and check to the deep animosity of the floor bound Anfortas.

One is reluctant to discuss the climax of the work, as it is a part of the narrative that is better read than reviewed; but, the resolution – again in true dreamlike fashion – is abrupt. One also began this read somewhat half-heartedly as the genre of fiction is not one’s forte, but the imagery and use of character names presented a very enjoyable element to the reader’s curiosity that kept one moving from the work to investigation of source material for the deeper meaning hidden below the surface.

One such deeper meaning which may not have been intended by the author is suggested by the cover of the book and the primary antagonist of the work. The cover has a picture of a knight on a beach surrounded by books, and the primary antagonist is another knight – Anfortas, the Fisher King – who from literature is the final guard of the Holy Grail, the lapsit exillis. The juxtaposition of the two knights recalls the two knights of Kieregaard: the protagonist representing the Knight of Faith, and the antagonist representing the Knight of Infinite Resignation. The protagonist coming to grips with the paradox of knowing he cannot understand, nor does he have the capability to understand God on His level, but also knowing that grasping the smaller parts (the apologia concepts of the book) is sufficient to give at least partial understanding of the whole. The protagonist is content with the limited knowledge he has and is strengthened by that knowledge. The antagonist one the other hand is faced with the resignation that while the Holy Grail is within reach (a means of healing and restoration in literature) he remains wounded and incomplete; he understands what the power of the lapsit exillis can do but remains broken, either from his inability or unwillingness to access that power. The antagonist’s resignation is manifested in anger and hostility toward what he perceives as the ultimate author of his condition – God.

At 100 pages the work is a quick and enjoyable read, worth both the time and money.

Some quotes from the work:

“You, whose mind is bound by time and space, must content yourself with signs and symbols of Truth, frail metaphors that often break in the hands of too eager philosophers. That is why the proverb says, ‘Lean not on your own understanding’” (15-16).

“The I AM dwells in his creations, thought he is also distinct from them and superior to them. His relationship to his creation is similar to that of a poet to his poem. Part of the poet dwells within his poem because its very being stems from him, and yet the poet is not the poem. The I AM dwells in you because you are his creation” (43).

“Julian, however, looked back at Anfortas and regarded him curiously before speaking. “I don’t believe anyone wants to die,” she said kindly, ”not even people who kill themselves. I think they only want to be free of their pain, not their lives”” (69).

“I have met several people who believed they were God. All were insane. If you had ever met one of them you would notice immediately the difference between their behavior and that of Christ. Where Christ was humble, they are arrogant and self-indulgent, where Christ resisted Satan’s temptation to rule the nations of the world, they suffer from delusions of grandeur and megalomania, where Christ, for love of us, bore insults and torture without a word of protest, they howl indignantly at the slightest offence” (87-88).