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IN John Irving’s 20th century masterpiece of a novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, the narrator John has a number of conversations with Owen Meany about the meaning of belief. In one scene in a school playground, Owen illustrates his faith in God by pointing to a grey granite statue of Mary Magdalen as twilight falls. When it has become so dark that the statue is no longer visible, Owen asks John if he knows that the statue is still there. John says that of course he knows, but Owen keeps pushing:
“You have no doubt she’s there?” Owen nagged me.