In the novel, Joshua: A Parable for Today, by Joseph F. Girzone, the author communicates that Joshua is Jesus risen again through the message he conveys and the miracles he performs. Joshua, a kind but mysterious stranger, moves to the town of Auburn and proceeds to stir up a huge debate simply by sharing his opinion about religion. Joshua does not try and preach against the Church, but he still manages to cause a giant conflict with the Church, despite his simplicity and kind nature.
Even though his actions are very similar to those of Jesus, most people do not recognize him, and instead see him as someone attacking the Church. Joshua’s overall message to the people of Auburn is that the Church does not control our connection with God, which he communicates verbally and nonviolently, only to those who ask him, however his message is received as heretical by the clergy and most people. Joshua’s general message to the people is that the Church does not control worship.
He tries to teach the people that religion is not a materialistic thing measured by activities in a Church, but a thing of beauty, that is felt in the mind and spirit. When he is asked about his opinion on the Church, Joshua answers and displays his message in the clearest way possible. “‘Josh,’ Herm asked, ‘what do you think of Church and religion? ’ ‘Real religion is in people’s hearts, not in buildings’” (Girzone 43). Joshua does not try and make his idea ambiguous, he wants the people to understand him so that they can easily right their wrong.
Even against people who see eye to eye with him, Joshua tries to vocalize his message in the nicest and most comprehensible way possible. When Joshua is maliciously asked why he doesn’t stay in one Church to pray he answers “‘I feel that Jesus loves people, not structures, and his people are not limited to Catholics or Methodists or Presbyterians. Wherever sincere people gather to honor God, God is in their midst, so I feel at home with them, whoever they are’” (Girzone 126). Here, Joshua explains that they should not be so preoccupied with what Church everyone is in, because it is the love of God that counts.
Again, even as he is attacked, Joshua tries to put forth his simple and very veracious idea that there is too much emphasis on the clergy and the Church, and that worship is shifting away from true religion. “‘Jesus taught that his apostles and shepherds should be like lights in the darkness, giving light and inspiration to the flock and treating the flock, not as beneath them, as subjects to be ruled, but as brothers and sisters who need compassionate understanding and at times, rare times, firm admonition when they endanger others’” (Girzone 248).
Here, all Joshua is trying to do is communicate that religion should not be so focused on the Church and the authority that clergy have, but instead should be focused on God himself, where clergy are merely there to guide the people, not control them. Joshua’s simple message to the people is that true religion is in one’s heart, not actions in the Church following the orders of a priest. Despite all the hate Joshua receives in return, Joshua only communicates his idea peacefully, not ever intending any harm.
He simply spoke his mind, with no evil intentions, but since his view challenged the oppressive authority of certain Church officials, the Church turn against him. One time, when Joshua explains his message to Father Pat, the priest listens to Joshua and after hearing what Joshua has to say, he understands Joshua’s message and grasps that Joshua has a deep, deep level of religious understanding and enlightenment, and he realizes that people should listen to him, because he is right, and not trying to attack the Church at all. “‘Joshua, sometimes I wonder about you and when you talk like that.
I still think there’s more to you than just a woodcarver. Your vision far transcends the merely human mind’” (Girzone 103). As he listens to Joshua, Father Pat is able to fathom what Joshua is saying, and he comes to the conclusion that Joshua is, in fact right, and his message is truthful, yet with no ill-intentions against the clergy. While being interrogated, Joshua shows that he has no dark motive to upheave the Church, he just wants to right what is wrong. Despite this, Joshua is still seen as an immoral heretic out to destroy the Church.
As he is inquired by a pastor about his preaching, Joshua tries to explain that he is doing so tranquilly, and only to improve love for God, but the priest refuses to see things sensibly from Joshua’s point of view, and calls him a sinner against the Church. “‘I do not set out to teach religion, but when discussions get around to those topics I speak freely about what I know’” (Girzone 170). As shown in the quote Joshua explains that he has no malicious intent for spreading his message, he only wants to fix what is wrong in the Church, but the priest sees none of this and accuses Joshua of opposing God.
Joshua is a kind, compassionate soul, who would never try to harm anybody, which is so clearly seen in how he treats everybody, but somehow the priests cannot understand this, and mark him for a terrorist. When news came about that Joshua was departing for Rome, every person he met went to his house to say goodbye because he had left such a lasting impact on them, and they felt a great connection with him. “Joshua looked Pat straight in the eye, and the priest broke down and confessed what he had done. ‘Well, I didn’t want you to disappear without saying goodbye to all these people who love you so much.
That would have been cruel, and knowing how sensitive you are to people’s feelings, I knew you wouldn’t mind’” (Girzone 213). Joshua is clearly a very loving and well-respected man in his community, but somehow the clergy do not see his good side, and only see him as someone trying to undermine their power, which simply is not true. Joshua’s message is received as malicious and intended to attack the Church, when really he was just trying to correct the wrong in people’s faith. Even though Joshua is preaching the same message as Jesus and is doing so in the most peaceful way possible, the Church still perceives him as a dangerous heretic.
There are even people who misinterpret Joshua’s intentions, and see him as a vile threat, such as the group of mean ladies who Joshua only treats cordially. “‘We are concerned about things we have heard about you and things that some of us have heard with our own ears and we don’t like it’” (Girzone 122). As Joshua is confronted by the group, they talk to him like he is a traitor to the Church, when really, if they had listened to what Joshua was trying to communicate, they would know that he is not trying to upholster religion, but revert it back to the way it was, and the way it should be.
No matter what kind of logic or calm attitude Joshua uses, the clergy remained firm on their decision that Joshua was opposed to religion and the Church, by twisting his words and meanings around to say something he would never do. “‘I tried to talk to him in a nice way, but he insulted me and told me I was unfit to be a priest’” (Girzone 173). After Joshua’s talk with Father Kavanaugh, the priest reports Joshua as highly critical of the Church and very quick to anger, which is just the opposite of true.
In fact, it was the father who lost his temper, and Joshua who stayed calm, but the father twisted everything around because Joshua was right and he wanted to propagate to the people that Joshua was nefarious. When Joshua talks with the pope and the cardinals in Rome, they already see him as a criminal, even though they haven’t met him. All they have is the corrupt accounts of him from other priests, so when they talk to him, they only see him as a bad guy. If they bothered to listen to Joshua or see him as a person, they would see their wrongdoing, but they insist their vision is correct and perceive Joshua’s message harshly and incorrectly.
The only cardinal who sees truth is Cardinal Riccardo, but he is helpless to change the wronged views of others, and the vote is decided against Joshua. “Cardinal Riccardo processed the report of the Congregation. The vote for censure was six to one” (Girzone 269). To the people of the Church, Joshua is trying to tear down their power with malice in his heart, but if they bothered to see things clearly, from Joshua’s point of view, they would realize how wrong they are. Yet, they do not, and treat him no better than a varmint because of how they misinterpret his message.
Even though his message is not ill-intended, the Church sees it that way and receives it as a direct threat in which they retaliate fiercely, when really Joshua was just pointing out how the Church has defected from its old and better ways. Even though Joshua is the reincarnation of Jesus and shows it through following a similar cycle of actions that Jesus did in his life, as well as saying the same message and performing many of the same miracles, only a select few people truly realize who Joshua really is.
Joshua is instead seen as someone who despises the Church. Really, Joshua is just trying to fix the Church and revert it back to some of the old traditions it has forgotten, but this is seen as a threat. Joshua’s message he tries to convey to the people is that the Church does not control our worship or connection with God, because true worship of God is in one’s heart which he communicates simply and placidly, not enforcing it on anybody, yet the Church perceives him as a heretic out to destroy religion, which is simply just not his plan.
