Can Christian Fantasy be a valid genre?
It is a valid question. According to the Bible, Christians don’t participate in fables or old wives’ tales, so why read them?
This statement is usually made by someone who has interpreted I Timothy 4:7 and connected to the Christian Fiction/Fantasy genre–and usually with good intentions. The purpose of our time here on earth is to point others to God. So, why burden ourselves with stories of no significance?
The Greco-Roman Context.
Most likely, the context of I Timothy was in relation to the mixture of religious ideas that were floating around in Greek culture at the time, leaving people confused about the origins of the universe from God’s perspective. It is possible Timothy was trying to get others to question these myths, and rather focus on the story of Jesus.
Don’t myths and legends confuse people?
We have enough myth, legend, and heresy, why would anyone want to dabble in anything other than the truth?
I don’t know of a Christian writer out there today that is blatantly attempting to confuse people about the origins of the universe. Christian writers, just like Christian musicians and Christian painters, should desire on some level to connect others to God through their chosen mediums. Even if that is not their primary purpose, these artists still reflect the talents God has blessed them with through the art they produce. That is, of course, if they are truly Christians, meaning that their heart has been changed by God’s love and forgiveness. If it was a true conversion, then they can’t help but express the very One that created them and gave them those talents. It is inevitable!
Stories were something Jesus used on a regular basis.
Yes, he certainly used fiction to portray truths about the Kingdom of God, and he garnered the attention of thousands on a daily basis. His stories captivated and brought wonder to those who listened to him. Some may call Him the master storyteller. But his stories always had a purpose. Draw people to the truth of His nature, and His love.
Consider the story of the Prodigal Son. It likely wasn’t a real story, but a parable, told by Jesus to make a point about the nature of God and His mercy. It is a wonderful plot, filled with emotional ups and downs, despicable choices, jealousy and hatred, fairness, mercy, and ultimately, love. What an awesome story! No doubt Jesus used these elements of storytelling to drive in some really important truths in a powerful way.
I must confess that as a storyteller myself I tend to be a bit biased. I love everything about a good story. Plots of light versus darkness, characters that start out bad and through a series of circumstances ultimately choose good, and even the occasional tear-jerking tragedy. As long as it tugs at my emotions and makes me think, I consider it a good story.
That doesn’t mean that all stories and all plots would be acceptable to Jesus. I think he would avoid plots that glorify evil or promote excessive violence or immoral behavior. These are not becoming behaviors for a Christian, and not true reflections of God’s original design for humankind. Writers who call themselves Christian but insist on including these behaviors in their stories as a means of glorifying them may be acting outside of God’s purpose for storytelling.
I would never want to judge a Christian Fantasy writer without praying first, however, then questioning them personally. Sure, they may be soliciting immoral behavior while claiming the name of God on their lips, but that does not mean I will abandon scripture in my method of calling them out. As Christians, we must be unified as the body of Christ, not divisive. Christian writers are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we must treat them as such until God gives us permission not to. Again, this should be done with much prayer and using the proper method of confronting others according to scripture.
Can Fantasy and Sci-Fi authors draw other people to God?
Christian authors who participate in writing Christian Fantasy/Fiction should do well to remember this as they write. Fashion amazing stories with intriguing plots, but always have a purpose in mind. As Jesus did, we should be pointing others toward a heavenly perspective.
Lessons of love, forgiveness, mercy, justice, meekness, patience, hard work, caring for others and for the environment, repentance, gentleness, honesty, and perseverance–these are all heavenly-minded perspectives.
What about villains? Can Christians write about evil?
Jesus certainly discussed evil deeds and told stories of individuals with unwilling and hardened hearts. The Pharisees were always a good target for Jesus, and they were the religious authority! I believe as long as our villain-writing doesn’t cross that line of glorifying their acts of evil, a spine-tingling description and character embellishment of the antagonist who’s bent on destroying the universe can really add an element of depth to a Christian novel. Just remember, we are trying to point others to God, not away from Him!
We should always check the purpose of stories against scripture.
This doesn’t just apply to what we read as Christians, or what Christian authors write. It applies to what we watch, too. I must rebuke myself in this aspect, for I confess that I haven’t always weighed my content on the TV with regard to scripture. Some shows and movies are just plain evil, and I should avoid them. Again, we should also consider the purpose. A documentary about child trafficking may contain plenty of evil elements, but it also has a greater purpose–to inform and expose. These are noble purposes.
If a story, show, or movie is questionable, always return to the scriptures. Weigh the content and the purpose against Biblical characteristics of pointing others to a heavenly mindset. The great news is that Christians already have that perspective built right in–placed there by the Creator above. When you walk away from a book, or TV show, or movie, will what you’ve seen war against a heavenly perspective? If so, then perhaps we shouldn’t be reading it. Or watching it.
Questions & Comments
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Always in the Light!
References
Focus On the Family: “Questions about Fantasy/Fiction”