Double-crossing, graphic violence and misguided beliefs are
not a part of the story of the birth of Christianity. A distrustful conman
derived by a greedy politician and his supporters is not the backstory behind
the New Testament. However, in Sovereignty,
He Lied For Your Sins, this thought-provoking piece of historical fiction explores
a different story about the Son of God.
It is written from the narrative perspective of a Roman
banker named Amphion Gallius whose family owns and operates several churches.
Like his father before him, Amphion is desperate to make a name for himself –
which is where his idea of profiting from faith comes from.
A beneficial contract is extended to Amphion by Pontius
Pilate, and he needs someone to become the face and the voice behind the
revival of his family’s churches.
Jesus Christ is a skillful speaker with a local following
when he’s blackmailed into joining the revival. He’s forced to pose as the Son
of God and convince the citizens of Judea that he is the Messiah they’ve been
waiting for.
Amphion’s brother Marcus is in charge of creating the New Testament
while his other associates partake in staging the “miracles” that Jesus
performs to convince the locals to give back to their church. An assassination
attempt turns water into wine right before the eyes of dozens of wedding
guests. The Sea of Galilee goes from a dwindling supply of fish to an overnight
array of Gobiidae. Capsized boats of men are rescued by walking on water.
What starts as a small manipulation of people’s faith turns
into something far beyond the control of Amphion and his associates. Author
Rhys Hagan presents themes that are daring and controversial to the faith of
Christianity. He challenges the origins of the faith, the way corporations and
governments take interest in religious beliefs and the detriment that misplaced
beliefs can have on a person.
“My goal in writing Sovereignty
was to criticize religion and, in doing so, provoke critical thinking,” he said
in a press release. “I felt that adopting a holistic and objective point of
view through these characters was the only fair way to do this.”
The brutality and the significant people of the era are clearly
well-researched while the challenge to Christian faith is bold. It can be seen
as powerful, or disrespectful, but it can’t be denied that it tests the reader and
still manages to hold suspense despite its well-known non-fiction counterpart.
“Radical Christianity preys on people’s fear whereas
hospitable Christianity appeals to people’s sense of community,” Hagan said. “A
fear of hell can persuade some people to abide by any doctrine if it is
introduced correctly. Sovereignty
extends to the idea that corporate and governmental influences may directly
impact our personal beliefs. What are people willing to pay to avoid hell?”