 cover art by Donna Harris (Canada) | Inspired by actual events, the story of Q. is a soulful, suspense filled tale that speaks to the human search for spiritual meaning and what appears to be our instinctual desire to understand ourselves, some idea of God, and the world in which we live. It deals with some of the most controversial and thought provoking topics of our time and is a bold, wonderfilled exploration of the power of religion to lift, but also to harm the human experience. Described as 'Fascinating', 'Riveting', 'Full of timely controversy', and 'Capable of changing the way you view the world, religion, and yourself forever'. |
Synopsis
Two thousand years ago, a boy named Mateo entered an underground cave known as the Sanctuary, to learn stories that contained a truth ‘older than the memory of man’.
Two thousand years later, a girl named Farah will learn that same truth. It will stop her from taking her own life.
Meanwhile, a 21st century theologian, Roger Erskine, has been looking for answers. When he uncovers the original meaning of an ancient document known as ‘Q’, he believes he has found one. He also realizes that a terrible mistake has been made. Notoriously elusive, the Q-Document was famously used as the main source of information by those who wrote down the stories that would eventually become the Bible, but the contents of the document go further back in time than anyone realized. In a world divided by religion, Roger understands that what he has discovered about the original meaning of ‘Q’, is powerful enough to change lives the world over. His seminar on the topic (based on a course he teaches at the university) is fully booked (again), with people curious and dubious about what he has to say.
What follows is a three day roller-coaster ride. Emotions and debate run high in Roger’s classroom, euphoria and a deep sense of relief weep Farah back to life, and Rose, Roger’s mother, is challenged in a way she never dreamed possible, as the very foundations of her faith are shaken and beneath the crumbling mess she finds something she never expected could be true about life, death, and the meaning of being human.
"The details of the symbolic meanings revealed in the story of Q. have been garnered from current Biblical, archeological, and scientific scholarship, which makes it a fascinating read. But the story itself, filled with symbolism and layered meanings is a conversation - about religion, reality, and the heart of what it means to be human."
(October 2009)
