Colleen McCullough's 1986 novel, A Creed for the Third Millennium, is a dystopian story set in a future, cold, and ravaged America, where a government official attempts to manipulate a charismatic man into becoming a messianic figure to restore hope to the populace. The novel explores themes of manipulation, power, and the nature of belief.
Synopsis
The book is set in the United States in the year 2032, a time when an advancing ice age and ecological disasters have left the nation in despair, with a one-child policy and forced seasonal relocations in place. The government, specifically the Department of Environment, initiates "Operation Search" to find a charismatic figure who can inspire hope and boost the morale of the spiritually impoverished people.
Dr. Judith Carriol, an ambitious and calculating senior government official, discovers Dr. Joshua Christian, an obscure but deeply compassionate clinical psychologist in a small Connecticut city. Joshua has a natural magnetism and a following among his patients, and Judith recognizes in him the perfect individual to mold into a national, and eventually global, leader, a modern-day messiah.
The narrative follows Judith's Machiavellian efforts to raise Joshua to prominence and the subsequent "crusade" he embarks upon. The story heavily employs religious analogies, with Joshua's character and his family mirroring biblical figures (e.g., his brothers James and Andrew, his sister Mary). As Joshua's influence grows, the novel delves into the complexities of humanism, the nature of faith, and the potentially destructive power of love and manipulation, ultimately leading to a tragic climax.
Themes
Messianism and Charisma: The novel explores how a charismatic individual can be perceived as a savior, and how this image can be manufactured and exploited by those in power.
Manipulation vs. Love: The central conflict revolves around Judith Carriol's cold ambition to manipulate Joshua for a perceived greater good, and the human emotions, particularly love and resentment, that complicate and ultimately undermine her plan.
Dystopian Future: The setting of an ice age-ravaged America with strict population control serves as a backdrop to examine societal despair, government control, and human resilience in the face of immense hardship.
Spirituality without Religion: Reviewers note that Joshua Christian's message is a call to believe in God and humanity, even without the constraints of established religions, focusing on love for one's fellow man.