For decades, Roman Senator Marcus Servius labored to become a wealthy and admired patrician man. But now, his world is shattered. After he is exposed as a Christian during a time of intense persecution, his home, wealth, and prestige are stripped from him. The most painful loss of all is that of his beloved wife, Cassandra. Destitute and wary, Marcus prays he will be delivered from his enemies’ … enemies’ hands as he struggles to realize a new path.
In desperate need of help, Marcus disguises himself and embarks on a dangerous journey to find Benjamin Truvias, the leader of a hidden church and the man responsible for Marcus’s conversion. After Benjamin offers aid, Marcus’s life finally finds needed direction. Yet, the more he helps the church through persecutions, the closer he comes to finding who betrayed him. Caught in a maelstrom of intrigue and deception, should Marcus discover the awful truth of who caused his fall, he must choose between vengeance and forgiveness—a decision that will affect the fate of all the believers in Rome.
Destitutio Quod Remissio is the timeless epic tale of a man’s struggle to rebuild his life amid ancient Rome after he loses everything he loves and his faith is tested in ways he never imagined.
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I knew this book was going to be different from the moment I began reading. Brett Armstrong’s prose has a complexity to it that forced me to slow down, which I gladly did because of the allure of Marcus Servius’ story. The book opens with Marcus standing in front of his burning home with his wife inside. Not only is he grieved by her death, but he’s also overcome by the realization that he never shared his faith with her. As the story proceeds and persecution of the Church intensifies, you see how God uses these events and further hardships to mold Marcus into a humble yet bold servant of Christ. Destitutio Quod Remissio is a powerful story of suffering and transformation. It will stick with you long after you finish reading.
Destitutio Quod Remissio by Brett Armstrong
Destitutio Quod Remissio is such an intense book. The Latin term can be roughly translated “destitution that comes from forgiveness.” Marcus learned about the destitution that came from being persecuted for his faith. The story begins with the devastating fire that consumed his estate and everything he held dear because of the faith that he had kept hidden.
Drawn in from the very first sentence, I could feel Marcus’ emotions and fears. I empathized with his great loss and regret – he hadn’t had the courage to share the most important thing in his life with his beloved wife. His faith.
If you finish reading this book and don’t feel compelled to share your faith more, then you just might not have been paying attention. Reading about the fearful, yet brave believers who lived every day under the threat of imprisonment simply because of their belief in Jesus, unable to provide food for their families because of that same faith and yet remained stalwart in their faith was moving and inspiring.
Written from Marcus’ viewpoint, the language of the book is more scholarly and lofty. Which fits well my picture of the way a Roman Senator would speak. The story appeared to be very well researched as well.
This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net.
Get a preview of Destitutio Quod Remissio at amongTheReads.net
I would like to thank Brett Armstrong for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Roman Senator Marcus Servius is a powerful, wealthy, and admired individual, respected for serving his country both militarily and politically. He spends his days in relative ease and luxury, until one day his whole world is suddenly brought crashing down around him as he is outed for being guilty of a crime Rome detests beyond measure: Marcus is a Christian.
After losing his home, possessions, and worst of all his wife, Marcus is forced to go into hiding along with the other members of his church, where he seeks answers from his spiritual mentor and leader of the church, Benjamin Truvias. As Christian persecution becomes more and more severe, Marcus spends his time bringing aid and comfort to his fellow believers. But helping the church has also placed him in a position to learn the identity of the person responsible for his ruin, and as he gets closer to the answers he so desperately seeks, he finds himself faced with a decision that will impact not only himself, but the future of the church within Rome- Will he seek revenge, or will he choose to forgive?
Destitutio Quod Remissio is a powerfully hard-hitting story of struggle, grief, and the life-changing impact of forgiveness. In the same vein as Ben Hur, Brett Armstrong’s portrayal of Roman life is vivid, his characters real and feeling, and his overlaying message of faith and forgiveness is both deeply impactful and lasting. This inspiring book will challenge you to become a better follower of Christ through surrendering to His will and embracing His plans for your life. A brilliant work of Christian historical fiction, highly recommended!