A 1 Minute Video of Arezzo, Italy
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A 1 Minute Video of the Eremo delle Carceri
Reading Group Guide and Resources
for
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree
A Note from the Author
Even before I attended seminary for an MA in Theology & Literature, I took several classes in religion and discovered a love for the Old Testament, which tells the history of Yahweh's chosen people, the Israelites. Beneath the oft-cited stories -- so many of which are regularly taken out of context these days to justify very un-Christian 21st century stances -- there is evidence of the many editors that shaped the Old Testament into the text that has been handed down to us.
Some of the editorial work in the Old Testament is fairly obvious. The editors adapted stories already circulating in the region, like the Epic of Gilgamesh, and molded them to reflect the Israelites' movement from polytheism (a belief in many gods) to monotheism, the conviction that there is one all-knowing and all-powerful God.There are residual references to the elohim, the gods, that reflect the polytheistic beliefs that prevailed before monotheism.There are passages that have been preserved with slight variations that appear more than once. We have two creation stories in Genesis because each has a different emphasis and a different editorial purpose. The evidence of editorial effort is widespread.
Perhaps my interest in this aspect of the Old Testament is because this is work that I perform both for myself and for other writers. The goal of an editor is always the same: to convey the author's intended message in a way that will resonate with the reader. But as in the case of the biblical texts, how a reader understands a story evolves over time. The reader herself changes, her understanding shaped by both external events and internal development, and so does the world around her. The time at which we hear, or read, or experience a story or event affects what we make of it.
Context matters. This is true of the Bible, and it's true of the stories we tell ourselves and others. Had Porter explained his uncharacteristic silence when he and Beth were engaged, and allayed her fears that he was being unfaithful, perhaps their relationship would have survived. If Crawford had grown up in a different environment, perhaps he would have felt free to live openly as a gay man, as Hugh does. If Beth had run into Porter prior to Mia's accident, I suspect she would have relegated the encounter to a coincidence, and would not have allowed it to change the trajectory of her life.
Our lives are layers of stories that we are continually revising, revisiting, and reevaluating. In telling Beth's story, I wanted to explore how these stories -- and our personal editorial efforts -- shape us. As David writes to Beth, "...nothing in your life is without meaning, but it's up to you to decide what that meaning will be." My assertion is that the meaning we make morphs and evolves over time...which may explain why, when we are faced with difficulties, a familiar, beloved, dog-eared book can be as comforting as an old friend: it's a story we already know.
Corey Stewart
The Hague, The Netherlands
January 2023
Reading Group Questions
The olive tree and its branches have a long history of symbolism. What does the olive tree represent to Beth? How does Beth's understanding of the olive tree's significance align with what an olive tree represents to you
Beth wonders why neither Porter nor Crawford could be honest with her. David's response is that their actions and decisions don't have much to do with Beth. Do you agree with David?
When Beth answers Porter's phone call, she is tying her shoes and preparing to leave the house. Had Porter called only a few minutes later, Beth would have missed his call. There are several instances in the book when "chance" changes the course of Beth's life. Discuss the significance of a few of those instances, and how they impact Beth's life.
In the article Beth writes about Assisi, she points out that Saint Francis took a vow of poverty and "railed against the excesses of the Catholic Church," yet the Basilica built in his honor is a massive structure that dominates the landscape of Francis's hometown. What does this suggest about the idea of a legacy? Do we have any control over how we are remembered?
Speaking of the earthquake that uncovered elements of Assisi's past, Marco tells Beth that "life is like this always; with something bad come something good." When Beth repeats this story to Father Michael, she suggests that destruction and discovery go hand in hand. Do you believe this? How does Beth's relationship with David support or discredit Marco's assertion? Her relationship with Porter?
Jenny has been a constant in Beth's life.What characteristics does Jenny have that allow this friendship to persevere?
Making sense of the bad things that happen in life has been the subject of scholarship and debate for centuries, both for people of faith and for people who are not religious. How do you explain the bad things that happen to good people? Is it, as David says, "the chaos of life"?
Beth tells Porter: "David says that if our faith is based on the expectation of God’s favor and protection, then we are on thin ice, because as soon as something bad happens—which it will— our faith will fall apart.” Do you agree with David?
How do Beth's memories of her father impact her relationship with Crawford? With Porter? With David? What similarities do you see between Beth's father and the men who impact her life most?
What significance does the story of former POW Jeremiah Denton have to Beth?
Other Resources:
Download a copy of the Reading Guide here.
You can find out more about Bronnie Ware's work with hospice patients and her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, here.
You can learn more about Admiral Jeremiah Denton's life here, and see a video of Denton blinking in Morse Code here.
Learn a bit about the remarkable life of Corrie ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place (as well as several other books), here.
A nice summary of Dr. Jerome Groopman's book, The Anatomy of Hope, can be found here.