omdoorandanotheronebesidethebathroomdoor.Thenhemadehimselflunch,whichconsistedofcoffeeandopensandwiches,andsatinthegarden,wherehewastypingupthenotesofhisconversationwithPastorFalk.Whenthatwasdone,heraisedhiseyestothechurch.
Hedeby’snewparsonagewasquiteanordinarymoderndwellingafewminutes’walkfromthechurch.Blomkvistknockedonthedoorat4:00andexplainedtoPastorMargaretaStrandhthathehadetoseekadviceonatheologicalmatter.MargaretaStrandhwasadark-hairedwomanofabouthisownage,dressedinjeansandaflannelshirt.Shewasbarefootandhadpaintedtoenails.HehadrunintoherbeforeatSusanne’sBridgeCaféonacoupleofoasionsandtalkedtoheraboutPastorFalk.Hewasgivenafriendlyreceptionandinvitedtoeandsitinhercourtyard.
BlomkvisttoldherthathehadinterviewedOttoFalkandwhattheoldmanhadsaid.PastorStrandhlistenedandthenaskedhimtorepeatitwordforword.
“IwassenttoservehereinHedebyonlythreeyearsago,andI’veneveractuallymetPastorFalk.Heretiredseveralyearsbeforethat,butIbelievethathewasfairlyhigh-church.Whathesaidtoyoumeantsomethingonthelinesof‘keeptoScripturealone’—solascriptura—andthatitissufficientiascripturae.ThislatterisanexpressionthatestablishesthesufficiencyofScriptureamongliteralbelievers.Solafidemeansfaithaloneorthetruefaith.”
“Isee.”
“Allthisisbasicdogma,sotospeak.Ingeneralit’stheplatformofthechurchandnothingunusualatall.Hewassayingquitesimply:‘ReadtheBible—itwillprovidesufficientknowledgeandvouchesforthetruefaith.’”
Mikaelfeltabitembarrassed.
“NowIhavetoaskyouinwhatconnectionthisconversationourred,”shesaid.
“Iwasaskinghimaboutapersonhehadmetmanyyearsago,someoneI’mwritingabout.”
“Areligiousseeker?”
“Somethingalongthatline.”
“OK.IthinkIunderstandthecontext.YoutoldmethatPastorFalksaidtwootherthings—that‘Josefwillcertainlyexcludethem’andthat‘theywereneveraeptedintothecanon.’IsitpossiblethatyoumisunderstoodandthathesaidJosefusinsteadofJosef?It’sactuallythesamename.”
“That’spossible,”Blomkvistsaid.“Itapedtheconversationifyouwantt