Wormwood and Gall

After nearly a century of restless churning under the oppressive Roman Empire, Hebrew revolutionaries took up arms against the vaunted Roman legions; initial successes chased the Romans from Palestine but unleashed a brutal reprisal. In the spring of 70 CE, the legions set upon Jerusalem and raised their siege engines and ramparts and launched their catapults.

The Great Roman-Jewish War was a watershed moment–no, more than that, an apocalypse in which the end of the world seemed near–not only for the Hebrew people, but also for emerging Christianity, and “Wormwood and Gall” remembers this oft-forgotten setting for an early, important chapter in the history of the church. Amid death and destruction, the dispirited remnant of the followers of Jesus, who had been awaiting the return of their crucified messiah for four decades, needed encouragement and words of hope. In response, an unknown person compiled the good news narrative that has come to be known as “the Gospel according to Mark.”

“Wormwood and Gall” is a fictionalized account of the birth pangs of the early church against the background of revolution, civil war, and apocalyptic devastation. Authentic historical details are woven into this gripping tapestry of horror, hope, and reckoning that was the Great Roman-Jewish War. Poetic language blends deep theological concepts into tense moments and engaging actions.