The Impact of Religious Teachings

Throughout Everything Happens For A Reason, readers see how religious teachings impact the worldview and beliefs of several characters. Most centrally, readers experience part of Kate Bowler's personal exploration as her faith is re-shaped by her terminal diagnosis and the reality of death. As a person of faith, one of her first instincts is to appeal to God. As a character, Kate embodies both the traditionally religious belief that God can offer salvation through the power of prayer, but she also embodies a somewhat more secular belief in and determination to save herself. Thus, readers see how religious teachings and cultural belief systems come together, as well as how, in Kate's case, the impact of religious teachings is strong enough that she turns to their tenets first. As Kate processes her diagnosis and learns to live with the reality of her new situation, she...