More than a century after Nietzsche's madman accused human race of deicide, alleged murder of God is still working its way through courts of academic philosophy, theology, and literary criticism. (1) While it seemed by late twentieth century that death of God was an undisputed event among intellectuals and artists in oil-wealthy, largely secular Norway, new millennium has seen a renewed focus in public sphere on issues of faith, including in works of literature. Already in 1990s conspicuous increase in religious themes in Norwegian novels baffled and irritated critics like Eivind Tjonneland (1999) who called for an ideological critique of this culturally regressive, moralistic, and puritanical trend. Yet growing presence of spiritual themes and religious language did not signal a resurgence of orthodox Christian belief as much as a search for new frontiers of literary expression beyond die-hard historical materialism. Dag Solstad, a prominent radical of Profil-generation, has clarified for record that he was compelled to bring God into his 1996 novel Professor Andersens natt (Professor Andersen's Night) in obedience to an esthetic law that demands epic integrity, even when it forces him to violate his own sensibilities. (2) Three-quarters of early critics ignored God's centrality in work, Solstad claims, perhaps because they found it embarrassing, but also because they did not understand inherent principle in construction of novels, det genuint romanmessige ved en roman (2013, 14) [the genuine novel-ness of a novel]. In a similar vein, Lars Amund Vaage (2001) has identified novel as most vital literary form in postmodern times, thanks to its broad exploratory power, which does not privilege scientific over subjective or explanation over intimation (73). (3) While some critics lament mere inclusion of a metaphysical dimension, others are confounded by heterodox representation of religion in contemporary works of literature. Ase Kallestad (2004) argues that Norwegian literature from 1990s reveals a diffuse theological longing in main characters, but she concludes that their idiosyncratic relationships to God do not represent any religion. (4) Kallestad claims rather that works by several leading Norwegian authors, including Solstad and Hanne 0rstavik, have unearthed a postmodern, sometimes masochistic, theological individualism--a longing for subjugation to a higher power without comfort of personal salvation or collective worship practices (204-6). However, two novels that appeared shortly after turn of millenium, Orstavik's Presten (2004; The Pastor) and Vaage's Tangentane (2005; The Piano Keys), place spotlight directly on members of Lutheran clergy against backdrop of contemporary congregations. These works foreground experience of practicing pastors who question call to ministry and effectiveness of their response. Appearing during a decade of political discussion and revision of status of Church of Norway, both novels point to current ecclesiastical challenges and criticize key aspects of institutional religion, but they do not dismiss it as irrelevant. By exposing scarred and shifting interior landscapes of pastors in midst of a crisis of calling, authors draw attention to both individual and interpersonal dimensions of religious identity in post-Christian Norway. In their very different performances, these texts recognize phenomenology of religious practice as a wellspring of literary innovation. Their common themes and sharply contrasting fictional discourses invite a comparative reading. The immediate issue for protagonists in Presten and Tangentane is how to go forward with call to ministry, when the Word has lost its power. Kallestad (2004) found that Norwegian authors employ biblical and mystical language to convey deep spiritual longing that their characters experience. …