Reading between the lines

Captain Anthony Hunt is the Corps Officer at Centenary Corps in Queensland. An avid reader, Salvos Online asked Anthony three book-related questions:

Besides the gospels and Psalms, which is your favourite book in the Bible and why?

Great question! Honestly, it depends a bit on where I’m at in life, but right now, I’d say Revelation. I know for a lot of people it’s not usually their go-to, but for me, it’s been really meaningful.

A lot of folks read Revelation like it’s a terrifying roadmap of doom and gloom. But at its heart, it’s actually a book of hope and encouragement. It was written to remind Christians, then and now, that no matter how things look, Jesus is King – and Caesar (or any other worldly power) isn’t.

When we worship Jesus – the Lion and the Lamb – we’re actually standing in protest against the broken systems of this world. We’re declaring that true authority belongs to God alone. And that’s incredibly freeing. As Revelation 19 says: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns supreme … The wedding feast has begun.”

I’d encourage anyone to read Revelation not with fear, but with hope – not with anxiety, but with worship. It’s a powerful reminder of who’s really in charge.

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Besides the Bible, what is a Christian book that has strongly influenced your faith?

During COVID, like many people, I became more aware of just how much systemic racism affects the daily lives of people of colour. I wanted to listen and learn, so I deliberately read more books written by non-white authors. One that really stuck with me was Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley, an Anglican priest and student of NT Wright.

In this book, McCaulley unpacks how African-American Christians read and interpret the Bible through their lived experience – dealing with oppression, injustice, and hope all at once. He brings the voice of the Black Church into conversation with Scripture, and tackles topics that often get overlooked by white theologians: race, political protest, policing, and more.

Reading it opened my eyes to how much our own background and experiences shape the way we understand faith. It challenged me to approach theology with more humility and to listen to voices different from my own. And even when there’s disagreement, it’s taught me the importance of respectful dialogue and learning from one another in diversity.

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What is a secular book that has revealed to you a Christian message or theme?

The one that springs to mind is Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. His memoir about growing up in crushing poverty in Ireland during the Great Depression paints such a vivid, often heartbreaking picture of hopelessness – yet somehow, Frank manages to carry a sense of hope through it all.

You see how poverty, addiction, abandonment, and exploitation shaped him. And while he doesn’t always make great choices, you can’t help but feel for him – that he still deserves a chance at something better.

For me, it echoes the heart of the Gospel. Even when we mess up, cut corners, or completely derail our lives, God still chooses to step in. Through Jesus, He offers us grace – a chance at a better, God-centred life, not because we’ve earned it, but because He loves us. That’s the beauty of the Good News: redemption, even in the mess.