The Story Behind My 'Wicked' Lent Study | Author Interview With Rachel Mann

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes

Rachel, I know you wear a number of different hats and are not just an author, please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do during the day? And for fun, do you have a favourite Wicked song?

My ‘day job’ is as Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton in Manchester Diocese. It’s a fascinating and demanding role that requires a lot of attention to both the pastoral and the legal. Much of my work focusses on strategy, especially around clergy appointments and looking after the many amazing church buildings in the diocese. So often Archdeacons are seen as the bad guys, the enforcers, but I try to be kind and compassionate. I’d rather be like Elphaba than Madame Morrible, but I fear that sometimes my role makes me more like the latter! In terms of my favourite Wicked song… I adore I’m Not That Girl, but it’s a toss up between Defying Gravity and For Good. If I’m having a bad day, I will always go with Defying Gravity.

You've now written a few Lent books based on films - do you get to pick the films they are based on and do you have a favourite that you've worked on?

Some of the books have been commissioned and others have been chosen by me. I will always have a soft spot for ‘From Now On’, based on The Greatest Showman, but unsurprisingly I’m currently in love with ‘Gravity Defied’. 

People may think that 'Wicked' is a strange choice for a Lent devotional (Wizard of Oz/ Witches/ magic etc) Can you share how you picked out the themes to explore in the context of Lent?

Yes, I appreciate that witches and magic will be a bit scary or off-putting for some, but the themes of Wicked run so deep. It’s the story of a scapegoated outsider (Elphaba) who discovers she has this extraordinary gift which enables her to stand up to a tyrannical, inconsistent and populist leader (the Wizard of Oz). It really is a story for our times. Its themes of self-sacrifice, goodness vs wickedness, the temptations to be popular and the cost of living authentically are rich, timeless Christian themes for Lent.

Wicked has a very general, cross-generational appeal, is that true of this course? And is it something you could invite a non-Christian friend along to?

Yes, to both. I want the course to be open-hearted and invitational and relatable for all ages. I really believe this is a course you could invite a non-Christian friend to. As someone who became a Christian as an adult I’m always aware of how difficult it can be to enter ‘Christian spaces’. I want to take away the stress. I think a course like this one on Wicked can do that.

What do you hope readers will take away from working through 'Gravity Defied'?

A richer sense of the way God can be encountered through different media and a fresh excitement about their faith. God is alive in this world, including in movies and art. I hope this course will give a reader a fresh perspective on this truth and on their faith and the faith of others.

Do you have any Lenten traditions that you like to keep?

Because I live with something called intestinal failure I can’t usually give up food or alcohol. The range of foods I can eat is already so limited. So I prefer to take something on. I do like to read a book, often something structured through the forty days of Lent, where I can attend to a passage each day. I do miss being part of small groups during Lent (my role tends to get in the way of that!).

As a Christian bookseller I'm always keen to know - what is your favourite Christian book (other than the Bible!) and how has it influenced your faith journey?

Goodness. I loved The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as a child. It taught me that self-sacrifice always trumps selfishness. As an adult, I was hugely influenced by Michael Ramsey’s The Christian Priest Today. It has helped me be a kinder, more thoughtful priest.

If you had to co-write your next book with a person from the Bible (other than Jesus), who would you choose?

These are excellent questions! I’d love to write with St John … he would blow my mind. St John’s Gospel is just so remarkable.

If you could write a Bible study on any film, which would it be and why?

I must admit, being able to write about Wicked is a dream come true. I’ve seen the stage show 14 times so I’m a big fan! I’d love to write about A Room With A View, though. I’ve watched it the best part of 100 times, though that isn’t that surprising for me. When I love a film I tend to watch it obsessively and learn every aspect of it. It is, for me, an example of one of my autistic superpowers.

And lastly now 'Gravity Defied' has launched what's next for Rachel Mann and if you want to find out more where can people find you (socials, etc)? Do you plan to do a sequel for the second film?

I do have a couple of book projects brewing - a third poetry collection as well as a memoir on my experience of digestive failure. In terms of socials, I’ve dialed down my use in recent years. You can find me on BlueSky and Insta though. As for a sequel to Gravity Defied … I’d love to do it …