War of the Worlds (by Adrian Plass)

(Amazon UK link)

Over the last few decades I have acquired and read everything (as far as I know) written by Adrian Plass. I love his dry humour, his honesty, and his willingness to point out cracks in established religion and its practices. I first read ‘War of the Worlds’ nearly 10 years ago, and I have to admit it wasn’t my favourite of his books. I didn’t dislike it, or thought it badly written, I just didn’t relate to its contents.

But in gradually re-reading my Plass collection, I thought I would give this book another try. And in reading a chapter or so (sometimes only half a chapter) in the past couple of weeks, I’ve found it quite thought-provoking and considerably more relevant than I did a decade ago.

The overall theme of the book is the idea that we - as Christian believers - may be leading somewhat different lives in public and in private. Others have talked about wearing masks in public - something we have literally been doing in the past two years - as a way of expressing how we put on different faces, depending on who we are with. And the church tends to encourage this behaviour.

So in the first chapter, for instance, Adrian Plass demonstrates some of the unhelpful responses that believers sometimes give to people who have been bereaved. It’s not just believers who do this, of course - there are many unhelpful clichés that are offered, none of which show true empathy or understanding. And it’s not, as Plass points out, that what is said is necessarily false (eg ‘He’s in a better place now’, or ‘At least he’s out of his pain’ or ‘He had a good innings…’). But people need to be able to grieve, to express their misery, to have others acknowledge that life is sometimes awful, and unfair, and that we desperately miss someone.

The second chapter looks at the way some Christians change their style of talking - even their vocabulary - when they pray. And the third looks at what it means to be committed to loving our neighbour, and the vast chasm that can sometimes appear between theory and practice, when there are those around us who are suffering or destitute.

Other chapters look at attempts to manipulate God, to avoid talking about obvious problems or issues, and to accept who we are, with our weaknesses, rather than trying to paper over them and pretend to be who we are not.

However they’re not in any way judgemental. What I love about Adrian Plass’s style of writing is that he includes himself in any advice or recommendations he gives, and he tells anecdotes which often show him in a poor light, acknowledging that he is far from perfect, and makes as many - if not more - mistakes than his readers. There’s a bit of humour here and there, found in random sketches, stories or poems, which lightens the mood, and perhaps also makes it easier to remember the important and serious points being made.

I wouldn’t say I relate entirely to the content of the book, but I know of others who do - not necessarily in themselves, but in people they have interacted with. Honesty is often preached, but not so often truly practised, and as I get older it can seem increasingly more difficult to get to know anyone.

The highlight of the book in my opinion, as apparently was the case when I first read it, is the short story at the end. It’s brilliantly written, and since I had no memory of it, I was as surprised at the ending as I was ten years ago. It’s a little piece of perfection, in my view.

Recommended if you’re part of a church, even if only loosely so, and wonder why people can seem shallow, or disconnected, or if you wish you were more outspoken sometimes. It’s still not my favourite of Adrian Plass’s books (too many others vie for that privilege), but it’s definitely one I hope to read again in another ten years or so.

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