Title: Facets of the Kingdom
Author: Loris Gillin
Publisher: Independently published
ISBN: ‎ 1922644218
Pages: 75
Genre: Social Studies / Religion
Reviewed by: Dan MacIntosh

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Author Loris Gillin had much on her mind when she wrote Facets of the Kingdom. It’s a short book, much closer to a long essay than an average non-fiction work. However, this writing that explores three monotheistic world religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam), sets this jewel against the dark backdrop of the modern world. This trio of major beliefs is studied within the context of pressing social problems. Granted, the covid pandemic is/was as medical as social, but lockdowns, social distancing and suspended activities (ranging from avoiding physically going to work to suspending attending school) created plenty of unique social problems. The American Black Lives Matters protests, as well as the Australian ‘black deaths in custody’ movement, were also at the front of her mind. One is left with the impression this book was Gillin’s method of just trying to make sense of it all.

Gillin’s book does a good job of summarizing the histories of these three major religions. Although, based upon the way arguments (and even wars) are too often fought over the distinct differences in these belief systems, Gillin reminds us of how their roots are very much related to each other. She also writes about religious and racial issues from the perspective of a psychologist and director of a not-for-profit counselling service. Additionally, she is a spiritual person herself (a Christian), so her discussion of religious issues comes with some degree of personal experience.

Furthermore, Gillin has traveled widely and witnessed firsthand integration of various cultures. One chapter is titled Travelogue. In it, Gillin describes some of the interactions she experienced while traveling abroad. One section of her Travelogue includes a visit to England, which was a response to an invitation to join Operation Mobilization. This project was given the name London Calling, with an aim “to meet other visitors to England who engage in leaving their homes in Middle Eastern countries during their summertime.” She adds, “The purpose of London Calling arose at a time when immigration by Muslim populations to Australia were finding their way to the major industrial states of Victoria and New South Wales. Australia is an open society, and a major need for that to continue was to ameliorate cultural boundaries both inside and outside of the mosque.” Rather than contemplate racial differences from an insulated and isolated sociologist’s perspective, Gillin took the extra step of reaching out and meeting different cultures personally, in order to better understand how these groups can learn to live together better.

Gillin also includes remembrances from her trip to Israel in this Travelogue chapter. Many of these recollections are highly personal. For example, she describes an encounter with a woman in Tel Aviv named Fatima. Fatima was originally from Morocco and each able to communicate – albeit limitedly — with each other in French. It was while in Israel, Gillin also discovered that in this country, Arabs that were in the country prior to the border disputes of Fattah and Hamas, oftentimes worked in agriculture or trading and lived relatively normal lives among Israelis.

Yes, Facets of the Kingdom packs a whole lot of information in the space of relatively few words. However, it is noteworthy and worth the short time it takes to read it for a few significant reasons. First, it’s knowledgeable because Gillin is highly educated about the various subjects it covers. Secondly, it’s personal. While fully researched, Gillin many times writes from personal experience; she’s not just viewing from up atop her high tower, so to speak. Instead, she has intentionally engaged with various cultures in order to experience for herself what it means to reach out to someone that may look different from her or view God differently. Thus, her book is informative, and her outgoing lifestyle is an inspiration and sets the best possible example for us all.