Sophfronia Scott on God, mid-life career change, and defining a generation

“You have to understand your own particular journey — and what you need as a writer, and who you are, and what you want out of the publishing process — because that’s what is going to help you make decisions.” – Sophfronia Scott

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf speaks with Sophfronia Scott about her working-class Ohio upbringing, and the background behind her name (2:40); her beginnings at TIME Magazine and her groundbreaking article on Generation X (13:00); her mid-life career change and commitment to a career as an author (30:00); her spiritual journey (40:00); and dealing with her son’s experience as a student at Sandy Hook Elementary (49:00).

Sophfronia Scott (@Sophfronia) is a writer and author who has debuted three books in the past year, including Unforgivable Love, which retells the tale of Dangerous Liasons in 1940s Harlem; This Child of Faith, a spiritual memoir that touches on the school shooting at Sandy Hook; and Love’s Long Line, a collection of essays.

For more information on Sophfronia, including a full list of her publications, check out https://sophfronia.com/

Notable Links

• Proceeding with Caution by Sophfronia Scott and David M. Gross (TIME article)
• Stephen Koepp, TIME editor
• Generation X Reconsidered (TIME, 1997)
• Great Migration (African-American demographic shift)
• Lorain, Ohio (Sophfronia’s hometown)
• Thirtysomething (television series)
• Girls (television series)
• Annie Dillard (author)
• Toni Morrison (novelist)
• Robert Vivian (writer)
• VeggieTales (children’s TV show)
• Top Ten Reasons to be Episcopalian, by Robin Williams
• Frederick Buechner (writer and theologian)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer (theologian)
• Peter J. Gomes (preacher and theologian)
• Rob Bell (author and pastor)
• Thomas Merton (writer and theologian)
• Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, by Thomas Merton (book)
• The Journals of Thomas Merton (book series)
• The Asian Journal of Thomas Merton (book)
• Surprised by Hope, by N.T. Wright (book)
• Rumi (poet)
• Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
• How Faith Helped My Son After He Survived Sandy Hook, by Sophfronia Scott

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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