Holy Clues: The Gospel According to Sherlock Holmes

Review: This book is very hard to categorize. It is most easily described as a series of informal lectures on the religious viewpoints inherant in the published Sherlock Holmes stories. The individual essays are lively and interesting without feeling at all "Preachy" to one who has heard far too many sermons in the past. It is obvious that the author has thought extensively about the material and has concluded that there are strong religious elements in the tales.

The fact that the author of the tales, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, openly espoused an entirely different set of views on the supernatural than those presented in the Canon is examined and explained. Doyle's spiritualism never seemed to slop over into the Holmes tales and Kendrick uses Hound of the Baskervilles to illustrate and explain this paradox. Kendrick concludes that the religious message of the entire Canon is deep and profound but is buried carefully out of sight. Examples are cited from many of the tales of the Rationalism of Holmes and of his strong belief in an ordered and structured universe where evil comes from the hearts of men, not from the supernatural.

The fact that the author is a Universalist minister with postgraduate degrees in Divinity and Writing indicates the main viewpoint of his writing. Rationalism and scientific examination of the universe provide a strong basis for religion that can de-emphasize Revellation as a source for faith. The strongly rational point of view of the Canonical writings fits well into this viewpoint and provides ample materials for religious analysis. The author makes a good case for the religious content of the tales and provides a number of insights into the thinking behind them and the assumptions buried therein. It also manages to be a warm and humane book by an author whose own nature gives his words a special glow.

Making a case for the existence and nature of God from the order, beauty and complexity of the universe is a popular approach to religion. The author does it well, but had not had the fortune to read a recent science fiction book by Robert J. Sawyer. His book, Calculating God (TOR Books, 2000), takes an extremely close look at the latest findings in the "Hard" sciences and makes an even stronger case for Divine Creation than does Kendrick's book. These authors should meet and discuss their views.

This book is an intriguing analysis of the Canon. It is thought-provoking and well written by an enthusiastic Holmesian. If you enjoy such materials and enjoy speculating on philosophy and religion, this book belongs in your library. If you simply enjoy a good detective story, borrow it from a library and see if it catches your interest.

Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, 2003