In the end, I don't think that I am all that shocked that Rodrigues apostatizes. I think his spiritual journey all the way to that moment, in a way, shaped him into the action. I think the silence he heard from God and finally realizing that trampling on the fumie was what God wanted him to do, made his faith even stronger. Even when Ferreira wanted him to apostatize, wanted him to actually renounce his faith, Rodrigues didn't waver. He thought about what would happen if he actually lost his faith but he never did. His faith is strong, and his grief is a little less in knowing that he saved the peasants.
I commented on Nathanael Carroll's!
Honestly I'm not all that surprised either but was slightly disappointed that the whole book he did not want to apostatize and then he did.
ReplyDeleteThe slow degradation of Rodrigues' faith increased the possibility that he would apostatize soon, so I figured it might happen eventually. But at the same time, I was really holding out hope that Rodrigues would remain faithful and not give in.
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