Naked Before God: The Return of a Broken Disciple Book

"I have a demon called cystic fibrosis, a minor twisting in the blueprints of life, and it cannot be straightened. For that I am being punished mercilessly..." With these words, Bill Williams introduces readers to the disease that has haunted him since his childhood. As he himself grapples with the malady, he records his struggle to find understanding and purpose in his affliction. This passionate book, written from the perspective of Nathaniel, an imaginary disciple of Jesus, follows this cystic fibrosis patient as he wanders through the Gospel narratives in search of an answer to the question, "Why?" Nathaniel seeks healing for his soul even as his body falls apart, and in painfully honest and often humorous language, demands to understand grace, suffering, and forgiveness while seeking to know the reality of God's love for him. "Among the first words that Jesus says to Nathaniel are, 'You cannot stay broken forever.' For those who need this Good News, I know of no other book with the toughness, the intelligence, the sadness, and the wit, faith and love of this one." -Christian Century Bill Williams, originally a computer programmer, earned his Master of Arts degree from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, where he received the Outstanding Biblical Studies Award in 1994. He died shortly after the publication of this book in 1998.Read More