The Sword, by Bryan Litfin

Imagine a world in the not-too-distant future where, due to a global pandemic and a devastating nuclear war, human civilization has been reduced to a medieval standard of living.  Actually, it's not that hard to imagine, since that scenario has been played out in many books and movies.  In Bryan Litfin's The Sword, the first book in his Chiveis Trilogy, Litfin adds a twist.  In his post-apocalyptic world, all memory of Christianity has been purged, and pagan religions prevail.

In the kingdom of Chiveis, the priestesses of the pagan religions call the shots.  When Teo, an independent-minded soldier is rescued from a bear attack by Ana, a beautiful country girl, their lives are entwined for good.  Ana's beauty had not been unrecognized, sparking envy in a princess and lust in a neighboring king.  After Teo rescues her from the clutches of the king, they go on the run and discover a partially intact Bible in an abandoned church.

Teo secretly translates portions of the Bible and he and Ana gather a group of seekers who begin to worship this unknown God, who they discern is the creator of all, is infinitely good, and demands sacrifice for sin.  Inevitably, these worshippers face harsh persecution.  Litfin's narrative is full of sword play and action, scheming and betrayal, and exploration of spiritual ideas.

As a work of fiction, The Sword is definitely fun to read, with its action, suspense, and romance.  But Litfin, who has a PhD in religious studies and who taught theology at Moody Bible Institute for many years, has a bigger purpose than spinning an entertaining tale.  The Sword is a thought experiment.  What would society look like if all traces of Christianity were wiped out?  What sort of Christianity would we rebuild if all we had was a portion of the Old Testament?  What miraculous interventions would God choose to use to reveal himself?  What kind of community would a group of new believers create, and how would they stand up under persecution?

The Sword is an entertaining, thought-provoking page turner that leaves readers eager to jump into the next story, The Gift.