Author Matt Mikalatos writes about his Savior (in all of His "versions") in this sort-of-true story.
“Jesus and I sometimes grab lunch at the Red and Black Café on Twelve and Oak.” The opening line of Matt Mikalatos’ debut Imaginary Jesus isn’t a figurative “date night with Jesus” way of describing time reading the Bible. No, he begins his madcap adventure with lunch with the Almighty in downtown Portland. Or at least he thought it was Jesus.
When a story involves multiple characters named Jesus, a talking donkey, a brawling apostle Peter plopped into downtown Portland, and characters like Motorcycle Dude and the Hate Club, it is a potential train wreck waiting to happen. Thankfully Mikalatos manages to steer this careening story in and out of the imaginary, the real and the painfully honest.
The adventure begins with lunch with Matt and Jesus, who is revealed by the end of the chapter to be an imaginary Jesus, a comfortable creation of Mikalatos’ mind (though very much a real, physical character). When this is revealed, Matt and the apostle Peter begin their quest to get rid of the Imaginary Jesus (in the process, they discover there are actually quite a few that turn up) and encounter the real Jesus, for whom Matt has some questions.
The sort-of-true story borrows so heavily from Mikalatos’ life that it is sometimes hard to figure out what bizarre scene is plucked from reality, as the hero of the story is named Matt Mikalatos, and what is plumbed from the depths of his imagination. The real life application question asked throughout the story is “how do we discover the real Jesus in a world full of imposters of our own creation?”
In the process of raising significant spiritual questions, Mikalatos calls to task the different versions of “Jesus” that Christians are prone to create. No version of Jesus escapes the microscope and no group seems to have the picture painted perfectly. Protestant Jesus and Catholic Jesus argue with each other, Testosterone Jesus is an over-the-top hilarious caricature of a men’s retreat inspirational speaker and Political Jesus, Portland Jesus, Hippy Jesus, 8-Ball Jesus and many others make appearances. They are all members of the Secret Society of Imaginary Jesuses. This “obscure collection of imaginary people gather to discuss their own importance. Like the Jesus Seminar. Only imaginary.”
Think Monty Python meets C.S. Lewis. The book doesn’t really fit any specific genre and has a knack for keeping the reader slightly off-balance and uses the power of story to entertain, spark conversation and even teach. It is the moments that Mikalatos mines from his own life that are the most touching and also the most gut-busting hilarious. The Hate Club actually exists, the comic book store moments are real, and Motorcycle Guy, or at least his intro vignette, are all true; so too is the miscarriage and the questions and moments of doubt that accompany it.
Rarely does a book slide so easily from the laugh out loud moments to the tender yet challenging moments so easily. Everyone, at one point or another, will likely hit a crisis of faith and ask God, “Why did you let this happen?” While it may be a catastrophic, Haiti-like moment of destruction or the intensely personal occurrence of a miscarriage, these moments rock our faith. Mikalatos gently points out that it is not the asking that is a problem, it is the not asking and pretending like we have our ducks all in a row that causes problems. The climax brought out a whole new understanding of Communion and is worth its weight in theological gold.
If you want polished memoir-esque prose that presents life and all its challenges, pick up Donald Miller. If you want meticulous theology, try N.T. Wright. But if you want a quasi-fiction, sort-of-true adventure that just might challenge your theology and perspective on life, Imaginary Jesus may be the book for you.
