In His Steps

The novel as a whole is a panegyric to Christian charity and the necessity for Christians to imitate Jesus in living out the greatest commandment: to love God with one’s whole heart, mind, and soul, and to love one’s neighbor as one’s very self. The congregation of the First Church of Raymond has expertise in self-love and comfort, easily building up and maintaining the appearance of well-to-do lives instilled with blessing and peace. In many instances, however, it is a façade, and Rev. Maxwell commits to exposing the rotten underbelly of the community by challenging them to really and truly commit to living the Gospel as it is presented in the Bible.

The pledge-takers’ sacrifices are first felt only lightly, but they end up transforming the town of Raymond, restoring the Rectangle, and inspiring many of the Nazareth Church in Chicago to similar heights in the establishment of the Settlement. In the concrete, individuals are loved in a way they may never have experienced before: Jack Manning the wandering homeless man, Loreen from the Rectangle, and Burns who is recovering from alcoholism. In a more universal way, the people of Raymond experience transformation by the grace poured out on their small community, and in turn they are able to share the love of God with their neighbors in the Rectangle.