The Word (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Irving Wallace |
| Products | Mystery thriller novel |
The Word is a mystery thriller novel published in 1972 by American author Irving Wallace, which delves into the origins of the New Testament.
Plot
The narrative revolves around the unearthing of a previously unknown gospel within ancient Roman ruins, attributed to James, the younger brother of Jesus, unveiling new insights into Jesus' life. Steven Randall, a divorced public relations professional managing his own agency in New York City, is commissioned by New Testament International—an alliance of American and European Bible publishers—to promote James' Gospel. This confidential initiative, concealed for six years, seeks to ignite a Christian revival. Nevertheless, Steven encounters resistance from extremist clerics in Central Europe who oppose the publication, fearing it will strengthen conservative churches’ hierarchical dominance over worship instead of fostering a more democratic faith.
The plot thickens with the unexplained disappearance of Prof. Augusto Monti, the archaeologist responsible for discovering the gospel, whose daughter Angela emerges as a potential romantic interest for Steven. Doubts regarding the gospel’s legitimacy—whether it is an authentic first-century manuscript or a modern forgery—intensify the conflict, testing Steven’s dedication to the project and his rekindled spirituality.
Locales
- New York City, where Steven works and resides.
- Oak City, Wisconsin, depicted as Steven's fictional hometown.
- London, England, the setting where Steven encounters Dr. Bernard Jeffries and Dr. Florian Knight.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands, location of New Testament International’s headquarters and Maertin de Vroome's Westerkerk.
- Paris, France, site of Henri Aubert's laboratory at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique.
- Mainz, location of Karl Hennig's printing facility.
- Simonopetra Monastery, situated on Mount Athos, Greece.
- Rome, Italy, home to the Monti family and where the gospel was discovered at ancient Ostia Antica.
- Milan, Italy, where Steven first meets Angela.
Topics
Wallace explores significant themes related to biblical origins and modern Christianity, including:
- Historical accounts of major discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Codex Sinaiticus, and the Apocryphal Gospel of Peter, with emphasis on their publication and display.
- The ideological struggle between conservative Christians advocating for church hierarchy and liberal or radical factions striving to democratize Christianity by emphasizing a more humanized gospel.
- Obstacles confronting Christian ecumenism amid this divide between conservative and liberal perspectives.
- Technical aspects essential to Bible production, including Radiocarbon dating, translation from ancient languages, proofreading, editing, printing processes, and assembling the King James Version.
- The fictional figure Maertin de Vroome, a radical leader within the Dutch Reformed Church, inspired by theologians like Rudolf Bultmann and Paul Tillich, who opposes the new gospel project.
Reception
The Word achieved status as a New York Times bestseller, remaining on the list for 31 weeks and holding the #1 position for two weeks.
TV miniseries
The novel was transformed into a television miniseries spanning eight hours, divided into four episodes of two hours each, which was broadcast on CBS between November 12 and 15, 1978. The ensemble featured David Janssen portraying Steven, Kate Mulgrew as Darlene (renamed Tony), along with Florinda Bolkan, James Whitmore, Eddie Albert, Geraldine Chaplin, Hurd Hatfield, John Huston, John McEnery, Ron Moody, Diana Muldaur, Janice Rule, Martha Scott, and Nicol Williamson in the role of Maertin de Vroome, as well as Mario Scaccia. British vocalist Tessie O'Shea appeared briefly playing herself. A shortened VHS edition lasting three hours was made available in 1996; however, the complete miniseries has not been released on any home video format.