The Man Born to be King

This edition is a treasure - I had never read or listened to Dorothy Sayers' cycle of BBC radio plays on the life of Christ, but Dr. Wehr's introductions and notes are the perfect companion and guide for a new reader eager to delve into the riches of this work.

The side notes are unobtrusive and don't distract from the text itself, but provide remarkable depth and context for the theological, linguistic, dramaturgic, and historical elements of Sayers' craft. I appreciated the notes from earlier drafts, inclusions from letters Sayers wrote on her creative process, and the overall focus on her careful, diligent task of depicting Biblical stories in a compelling and yet truthful way for a modern audience. I'm young enough to be well distanced from the shock of dramatic Biblical adaptations like Jesus Christ Superstar or Passion of the Christ, so it was also fascinating to have the historical context of just how novel and shocking Sayers' work was, and how skillfully she navigated the waters of potential blasphemy and public backlash.

The Man Born to be King is every bit as theologically rich and influential to 20th century British religious life as the work of Sayers' contemporary and friend C.S. Lewis, and I hope this new edition and Dr. Wehr's scholarship on this underrated gem will bring Sayers' work, as well as a deep appreciation for her genius, to a wider audience.