Fatherless, Childless, and now Godless. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner have looked at demographic trends and the state of morals and religion in the United States and don't much like what they see. Godless continues the story in this third book in the series. The story picks up nicely, catching us up with the lives of the characters we got to know in the first two books. Their lives intertwine, and political and social forces continue to combine efforts in the drive to devalue human life.
That theme, the value of human life, looms over this whole series. With low birth rates and a failing economy, public sentiment leans more and more toward transitions--individuals volunteering for what amounts to assisted suicide--as a means to save the economy. Troy and Kevin continue to promote the "Bright Spots" initiative, in support of the fact that the most successful economic regions are those with the highest birth rates and lowest rates of volunteering for transitions.
They recruit a pastor to gather clergy support for their movement, but very few pastors will speak publicly denouncing transitions. In this future, three or four decades out, gay marriage is a done deal; the voices supporting traditional marriage had been silenced into irrelevance. The question of legal abortion had long been settled. Dobson and Bruner give a stark warning: religious leaders must take the lead in stemming the cultural tides that threaten to sweep away traditional Christian values.
Godless is both thought-provoking and well-plotted. Dobson and Bruner make a great team. Godless would be a worthy finish for a trilogy, but they do leave the door open for future stories. Back in the present day, I hope the lessons of Godless can be learned by warning and example rather than by this fiction coming true.
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