Surprised by Oxford

When Carolyn Weber is awarded a scholarship to do her graduate studies at Oxford University, she sets off on what promises to be a life-changing adventure. Immersed in the the study of classic literature, surrounded by history, and enveloped by a richly diverse group of friends, she tries with all her might to hold unswervingly to her post-modern agnostic beliefs. Wrought with wit, her memoir is both intellectually stimulating and spiritually inspiring.

"Prayer is weird. There's no way around it. The concept of it seemed bizarre. Talking, possibly out loud, to Someone unseen who might or might not be listening? Weeeird."

Weaving words into narrative like a skilled artist weaves a tapestry, Weber recounts her journey to faith. She does not skip over the difficult themes that many Christians writers have either long forgotten or gingerly avoid. At the same time, she humbly submits to truth once it is revealed --and welcomes it as both a stranger and a friend.

"Then a story from the Gospel of Mark jumped into my head. Scripture has a way of working like that. Be forewarned."

My fellow forty-somethings will appreciate the author's references to current events during her formative years, which reveal that Weber is right about our age. She knits her story together with references from Milton and Donne, quotes from secular literature, and lyrics from contemporary music --demonstrating God's ability to work His redemptive power through--or perhaps despite--the brokenness that surrounds us.

"'Grace, the name of a girl', U2 later sang. And the name of a thought that changed the world."

Surprised by Oxford is for the believer who is sick and tired of the second-rate writing that typifies contemporary Christian literature. It is for the skeptic who is open to a challenge. As well written as it is thought provoking, this memoir reads like a novel. I tore through it in two days, but I have been ruminating on it for months. It is one of those rare books that leaves you feeling both smarter and happier for having read it.

"Just before going abroad on my scholarship, I came across an epigram by Alexander Pope, the eighteenth-century English poet famous for his clever wit and urbane satire. Pope engraved the verse on the collar of a dog, which he then gifted the king:

I am his Highness’ Dog at Kew:

Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?

Granted, the dog image is not as elegant or politically correct as some might prefer, but it does effectively beg the question: just who is your master? For we all have one." 

 All quotes from of Surprised by Oxford, by Carolyn Weber