Afterthoughts on the Inquisitor’s Tale

Is there God? If so, how can God allow so much suffering  and pain to exist in the world? These are tough questions even for veteran theologians to answer, but the author of the Inquisitor’s Tale, an acclaimed author of children’s books, not only does not shy away from them, but encourage his young readers to give some profound thoughts  over them by taking them on an adventure with the three protagonists, Jean, Jacob, and William.  Though the three young children live in the precarious times of the Middle Ages, when random killings over religious differences were perceived as a norm and superstition penetrated everyday life, the search for faith and the meaning of life was as vigorous as it is today.

It doesn’t take much intellectual prowess to appreciate the complexity of life. Among the three young protagonists, Jean, an illiterate peasant girl, is the one least versed in theologian training, whereas William, a young Saracen monk who is used to having impassioned conversations and debates over theology for having grown up in a monastery, and Jacob, a quiet Jewish boy who was taught to read the holy book of Talmud at an early age, are fluent in the language of faith.  Yet, it is through Jean that God speaks directly to, and it is Jean, who always manages to give us a down-to-earth analogy of what life is. When asked to describe her verdicts after consuming the pungent, putrid Epoisses cheese for the first time in her life, she declares that it tastes like life, “Rotten, and strange and rich and way, way too strong.” At such a tender age, she already comprehends that life is anything but easy.  Instead, it is a mixture of pain and triumph.

In addition to King Louis IX,  Queen Blanche of Castile, and Jean de Joinville, another historical person that is featured in the book is Roger Bacon, a Medieval theologian who tried to demonstrate that one could find the omnipresence of God in the realm of nature.  When Jacob questions the existence of God after having gone through numerous horrendous events, including witnessing the deaths of his own parents and friend, Bacon says one cannot dismiss the presence and power of God simply because of myriads of tragedies that befall us or those around. He further points out that mortals cannot understand the grand scheme of God’s plan when we were absent from the genesis of this world.  Simply put, our mission in life is to try to devote our time to deciphering God’s plan, rather than questioning the divine existence.  

By assigning supernatural powers to the three young protagonists and performing acts of miracles through them, God shows us that his work is never readily comprehensible, never superficial, never instantaneously recognizable.  He does not work like a magician, simply waving his wand and saying poof! Instead, He works through people. If they are willing to open their eyes to the wonder and mystery of God’s work, they will witness the divine wisdom and beauty coexisting with ignorance and cruelty. And when they do, they will elevate themselves to the state of martyrdom, which means the state of witnessing in Greek and Latin.