The Dearly Beloved

Charles is one of the four main characters of the novel. He is the son of an antitheist Harvard professor who discouraged his son from engaging in what he considered frivolous activities like reading comic books and believing in God. Charles’s journey with faith is to find his own path and values separate from his father’s. This drives him to go into ministry, and he finds that he enjoys supporting people in their spiritual journeys. His relationship with Lily is another aspect of his faith journey, as he has to accept her lack of faith.

Charles’s faith goes through development in the novel. He is one of the strongest believers of the four but finds himself uncertain about both the Bible and his job as a minister. He still does his best to serve God and the congregation, but Will’s autism diagnosis turns his doubt into a crisis. Because of this, he becomes wracked with guilt and shame, isolating himself from his family and friends. Eventually, Lily helps bring Charles back to his faith, driving the themes of Faith Versus Doubt and The Impact of Personal Beliefs on Relationships.