The Holy Ghost by John Hendrix

In The Holy Ghost, author/illustrator John Hendrix freely exercises his imaginative powers while contemplating the third Person of the Trinity.

The Holy Ghost: A Spirited Comic by John Hendrix. Abrams, 2022, 121 pages.

Reading level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: ages 12-up

In his Author’s Note, John Hendrix recalls “entering a feeling of numinous wonder” as his pastor preached on the Trinity. As the congregation sang “Be Thou My Vision” in response, he imagined a literal blue ghost hovering above, an image that “delighted me beyond words.”  The character featured in this book, a series of unrelated comics inspired by the author’s musings, may not delight every reader, but will certainly raise interesting questions and thoughts. And isn’t that partly what the Spirit does?

The little blue ghost frequently engages with a skeptical squirrel and a pharisaical skunk, encounters in which he is thoughtful, gentle, challenging, loveable, and wise. Many of these encounters are hilarious while skewering our pretentions. “I’m not sure you understand religion,” says the skunk, insisting that there’s no room for doubt. Ghost quietly replies, “I’m not sure you understand faith.” He adjusts squirrel’s antenna for better reception to God’s messages. Some respond to beauty, such as “‘Beautiful sunset’ with a very effective nostalgia upgrade.” Squirrel gets “‘pain and personal failure.’ They aren’t very popular, but they work the best.”

In his solitary panels, the Ghost is both comforting and somehow vulnerable, praising the beauty of humanity and creation while acknowledging its fallenness. This is a paradox, and perhaps the Spirit Himself is a paradox—or, as Hendrix explains it, “both a mystery and the very device that unlocks that mystery.” Some of the individual comics will make you smile, others will make you think, and still others you may never figure out because they stem from the winding thoughts of someone else’s brain. That’s our human paradox: while eminently recognizable and relatable, we remain mysteries to each other.

Is it legitimate to picture a holy mystery? Some believers will have issues with the whole idea as they interpret the second commandment. I think this is a conscience question, and no question at all that Hendrix is a sincere Christian artist who insights can be valuable to the church. For the intellectual, the quirky, the artsy, or the confrontational-tee-shirt Christian, this book could be both fun and rewarding.

Overall rating: 4.75

• Worldview/moral value: 4.5
• Artistic/literary value: 5

Read more about our ratings here.                 

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: We think highly of John Hendrix around here. See our starred reviews of The Faithful Spy, Miracle Man, and Go and Do Likewise.
• Review: The Holy Ghost delves deep. For more middle-friendly theology, see Champ Thornton’s Radical Book for Kids.

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