Redeeming Love

Author Francine Rivers is a born-again Evangelical Christian, and this particular branch of Christianity clearly informs much of the text. It is filled with biblical allusions, from character names to several plot arcs, and the most direct link to Rivers’s faith is the way characters communicate directly with God. Unlike other branches of Christianity, in which God is a distant figure or communicates through the priesthood, Evangelical Christianity preaches a personal relationship with the divine.

To solidify the importance of this direct connection, the book’s typeface is enhanced so that God’s words stand out from the rest. While characters’ internal thoughts are depicted by italicized text, communication from God is both bolded and italicized. This suggest that not only are the words manifesting inside the characters’ minds, but they are louder, clearer, and more substantial than the characters’ own thoughts. As such, they are imbued with a clear, evident sense of power which portends to their importance.

Though almost every character believes in God, very few are aware of the way they can communicate with the deity. Michael is the most practiced and refined exhibitor of this skill. He tells Sarah as much, saying that “[God] talks to everyone personally.