book early to avoid disappointment
On the Acknowledgments page of The Thing Itself, the new novel by Adam Roberts, there’s this:
As an atheist writing a novel about why you should believe in God, I have taken more than I can say from the eloquent and persuasive devotional writing of my friends Alan Jacobs and Francis Spufford, Christians both.
Well, one thing led to another, so... The place: Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge (the English one). The date: The evening of 15 June. The event: A conversation about The Thing Itself and associated topics featuring
- the esteemed author himself
- Francis Spufford
- The Rt Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Williams of Oystermouth (more familiarly known as Rowan Williams)
- and yours truly.