The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

2016 Composition Contest Winnners 9 organized religion as superfluous to spiritual growth. Because of his desire to be more active as a priest, Father Jacob, suffering from dementia, imagines a wedding that he is supposed to perform in the antique chapel. After he realizes his error, Father Jacob falls down and laments, “Who needs an old blind priest anyway? No one.” He feels like an anachronism and that his mission--to further the name of Christ and pray for people--is irrelevant in his time. Father Jacob goes on to ask himself “What was I thinking? I don’t even get letters any more.” The letters were his last bastion of ministerial activity. Once the letters are gone, he feels he will no longer have meaningful relationships with people. Both Father Jacob’s resignation to religious apathy and the church’s derelict building reveal Finnish society’s withdrawal from religious life. Despite Finns departure from church, religious thought and attitudes are still respected amongst society, just as Father Jacob is still respected within his community. Although Father Jacob lacks an audience to attend his sermons, his neighbors willingly serve him however they can. Before Leila comes to assist Father Jacob, the neighbor Mrs. Brügge would help him read and write letters. Only after Mrs. Brügge moves into a nursing home in the city does Father Jacob ask Leila to come and help. The postman regards Father Jacob highly as well. He regularly composed letters for Father Jacob to pray over and respond to. The postman’s evident concern for Father Jacob compels him to break into the house when he fears Leila may harm Father Jacob. Mrs. Brügge and the postman’s treatment of Father Jacob show the veneration of his position. The majority of Finns still value faith, though this value no longer manifests into organized religious practice. A series of surveys conducted in the late 1900s shows that though Finnish society holds religious sentiments, these values do not result in church activity. Approximately 42% of Finns say religion is “very important” or “somewhat important” in their life; only 20% of Finns say religion is “not at all important” to them (Wilcox, Reardon, and Manuel 266). Compared to Finland’s much larger neighbor Russia, the Finns’ religious values are surprisingly high. The same studies showed that almost 30% of Russians report religion is “not at all important” in their lives. Compared to the surrounding countries, Finnish society contains irregular religious leanings. Mrs. Brügge and the postman, who both respect and care for Father Jacob, characterize the Finns’ value for sentimental