More Church Folks
Michele Andrea Bowen
Grand Central, Jul 28 2010, $24.99
ISBN: 9780446577762
In 1986 at the Gospel United Church, older flock members remember the two-decade plus old scandal at the Triennial General Conference (see Church Folk) as another meeting is about to convene. At this church meeting, bishops are elected to fill vacancies. Senior Bishop Percy Jennings wants good Christian males to sit in these critical seats. Bishop Jennings believes Pastors Theophilus Simmons and Eddie Tate are ideal individuals who would make super Bishops. He needs at least one of them to gain a seat if he is to clean the church of its avarice embezzlers who cannot spell Bible.
Bishop Jennings learns something nasty is occurring in Mozambique. He assigns Pastor Tate’s mentee Pastor Denzelle Flowers to investigate. Denzelle’s day job supervisor is elated that his ordained minister FBI agent Flowers is going to Africa to look into drug smuggling. Pastor Flowers soon discovers a scheme to sell illegal sexual enhancement drugs to Bishop Jennings’ prime adversary’s mentee Pastor Sonny Washington; they plan to extort the votes of those caught in an adulterous scandal.
The return to the Church Folks environs is a terrific insightful tale that once again reflects on the religious leaders being a microcosm of the larger society. Some care about the spiritual and other needs of their flock while some of the leadership care about themselves as Michele Andrea Bowen makes a strong case that just because you’re a bishop or pastor does not mean you are holier than the congregation. Although the ensemble cast can be overwhelming for the reader as well as church officials, with interesting FBI intrigue enhancing the thriller, fans will relish this exciting entry as the avarice and the nurturing battle for the souls of the congregation with motives wider than the chasm between heaven and hell.
Harriet Klausner
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