John Ames III is the subject and voice of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. The novel is written by Ames toward the end of almost eighty years of life; he has the benefit of knowing his life is waning and wants to be sure his young son will know something about his father. Ames is a third-generation Congregationalist minister. His grandfather worked for the Abolitionist cause and fought in the Civil War.
Ames’s father rebelled strongly against such violence, becoming a pacifist who preached a doctrine of love. Ames is also a pacifist preacher, but as he nears the end of his life he reflects on his God, his salvation, and his faith in terms of everyday life. He believes “Christianity is a life, not a doctrine….”
One way Ames connects his faith, his God, and his life is through recognizing miracles. Ames was an unhappy man for most of his life after losing his wife and young daughter. Now he has a wife who loves him (something he long thought would take a miracle) and a son to whom he says:…show more content… As he nears the end of his life, every small thing takes on new significance and meaning, and Ames understands that miracles are a tangible representation of God’s grace in his life.
Another way Ames expresses his theology through his life is by finding the sacred in all things. He finds God where he lives. He sometimes feels as if the Lord breathes on this poor gray ember of Creation and it turns to radiance…. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don't have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to
