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12/12/2005
'TIME' Article on Joseph Cites Jenkins' Novella as Example of Trends in Evangelical Church NASHVILLE, Dec. 12 /Christian Wire Service/ -- TIME Magazine turns the
holiday spotlight on Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ, in a major
story in this week's issue. The treatise on Joseph and his lesser role in
the Christmas story by religion writer David Van Biema includes the
perspective of "Left Behind" novelist Jerry B. Jenkins, whose most recent
work is a novella on the relationship between Joseph and Jesus, titled
"Holding Heaven" (Integrity Publishers, $12.99).
TIME examines how Joseph's role in the life of Jesus has been downplayed throughout the centuries yet he has remained a source of inspiration. Van Biema credits Jenkins with tapping into “two relatively recent trends in the Protestant church, particularly in its Evangelical wing”: the search for strong masculine Biblical role models and the movement away from exegesis into free-range storytelling. Jenkins and the novella's illustrator Ron DiCianni were committed to creating a portrayal of the Christmas story that included the miracle of the Christ's resurrection. Although little is know about Joseph from Scripture, the duo felt the magnitude of responsibility that Joseph must have felt about raising the Christ child brings a fresh perspective to this sacred story. Written in two acts, the first half of "Holding Heaven" depicts Joseph comforting the wakeful baby Jesus on a restless Egyptian night by telling him the circumstance of his birth. The second part captures an intimate moment with Jesus on Joseph's deathbed when he must describe to his earthly father the future events He will endure. According to Integrity Publishers, more than 90,000 copies of "Holding Heaven" have sold at both Christian and mainstream bookstores since its October release. As mentioned in TIME, an audio dramatization of "Holding Heaven" has been syndicated to nearly 300 radio stations this month. The two-part narrative, which includes actors, sound-effects and stirring music, will be heard more than 700 times during the holiday season.
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