Mythology Is History If You Know How to Read It
The way each of us reads mythology depends, in part, on what we were taught about it and on our cultural background. Today, I want to point out some beautiful things we can learn from mindsets commonly held in Eastern cultures, things that can greatly enrich your fiction reading experience.
“Don’t write off the old tales, my brother. Mythology is history if you know how to read it.”
Nico, the main character in my novel Endling, receives this note with one of the folk tales his brother, Tino, sends him. Tino, like many of us in the Descendant Publishing family, is a story lover. He hopes that Nico will be able to sift truths out of his collections of myths and, in doing so, better understand the world he lives in.
And though he’d like to deny it, Nico does begin to see those tales reflected in the world around him. Though he might hold the record for the character in denial the longest, eventually the truths whispered in those myths become a clamor he can’t ignore. (Any Anberlin fans out there see what I did? #elderemosunite)
Western Dualism vs. Eastern Mystery
The Western world tends to be dualistic, seeing things as either this or that, right or wrong, light or dark. You could say Western culture is more black-and-white: it’s either one thing or the other, but not both.
On the other hand, Christians from many Eastern or Celtic cultures find it easier to make room for more than one truth at a time. I recently read that a Western teacher will try to convince your head and expect your heart to follow, whereas an Eastern teacher will reach for your heart, knowing your head will get there too.[1]
For instance, a few years ago, I heard many (Western) people wrestling with how God can be both just and merciful. If we’re honest, they can seem like opposites. I remember hearing sermons that felt like obstacle courses of reasoning, where, in the end, mercy got stuffed into a box roughly shaped like justice. The preacher would arrive at a place of discomfort, as if sighing over a wayward son: “What are we supposed to do with this conundrum? It’s out of our hands.”
Meanwhile, friends and teachers from Eastern or Celtic Christianity, or even Christian mystics, shrug nonchalantly. “Yes,” they say. “God is just and zealous as well as loving and merciful. He has a strict code of righteousness, and He also welcomes sinners.” There’s no head-shaking over the paradox; instead, it’s delightful. It’s one of the mysteries of an unfathomable God who wants to know us and be known.
Applying This to Mythology
So how can we, even as black-and-white thinkers, glean more from mythology and story than before?
First, I think we need a renewed respect for mythology, one rooted in Scripture. Much of the Bible was originally written through a Jewish worldview. Most Christians hold it as the true and inerrant word of God. We may differ on what is poetic and what is literal (and that’s okay, we’re all on Team Jesus), but we agree that we’re supposed to live according to what we learn there.
We learn about rest from the Creation story (really, from the whole Torah), faithfulness from the tale of Job, wisdom from the Proverbs, how to lament and rejoice from the Psalms, and how to love like Jesus from the New Testament.
What intrigues me as I study world mythology is that I see those same patterns in the stories passed down from nearly every culture. There are stories of creation, floods, hard work and good rest, faithfulness through trial (even the very tale of Job)[2], mourning, rejoicing, wisdom that aligns with God’s word, gods coming down to earth (some good, some evil), giants and heroes, and, most importantly, redemption.
Some of these stories closely resemble those in the Bible; others differ greatly, often sadly and hopelessly. But depending on how you interpret Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 82, and Genesis 6, the Bible itself may hold explanations for the lostness of those tales.
Some people try to write the Bible off as just another myth. Instead, I see one God, one beginning, and all peoples reaching out for what is true and good and beautiful, reaching out for Him. And He answers. He comes Himself and draws them to Himself. That is the most exciting reason to read mythology!
The Apostles Quoted Myth Too
The New Testament writers themselves referenced non-canonical Jewish myths[3] and Greek mythology.[4] The councils that decided what to include as inspired Scripture didn’t include every Jewish writing, but Peter and Jude certainly wanted us to learn from them.
If the first-century apostles of Jesus referenced the folklore of their culture, and the surrounding cultures, it stands to reason that we can, too. There is immense value waiting for us in the vast library of stories available in this digital age.
Three Tips for Reading Ancient Tales
1. Start Where You’re Comfortable
Maybe this means beginning with extra-biblical sources early Christians would have known. That helps us understand what the original readers and writers had in mind.
Or, if you’d rather keep fiction separate from Scripture, start with myths and legends that simply interest you. You could explore stories from your local area or from somewhere completely unfamiliar. Reading something new lets you hold it separate from what you’ve already internalized as true.
2. Explore the Myths of Your Ancestors
These are the stories that formed the people who came before you. Some were designed to keep children away from danger; others feature figures you might recognize, like the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology, who resemble the Rephaim in Jewish literature.
Some stories are easier to enjoy than others, especially when their sense of right and wrong differs from ours. But if you read long enough, you’ll see God’s hand at work, calling all people to Himself.
I often come across stories that remind me of C.S. Lewis’s Tarkaan soldier in The Last Battle. Knowing Lewis’s love of classic literature, I can’t help but wonder if he had similar myths in mind when he wrote it. Either way, you’ll start to see the longing for redemption, wholeness, perfect love, and eternal life, all fulfilled when the gospel reached (or will reach) those cultures.
3. Read with Your Heart Before Your Head
This brings us back to an Eastern way of thinking: heart first, head second.
I’ve seen much fruit in my spiritual life by understanding Christianity as it was practiced by my earliest ancestors. Reading Celtic mythology and the lives of the Celtic saints can feel like an obstacle course for the Western mind. How do I reconcile the striking similarities between the pagan Brigid and Saint Brigid? How do I process the “normal” details that suddenly turn audacious in the next sentence?
The short answer is, you don’t.
In her book The Celtic Way of Prayer: The Recovery of the Religious Imagination, Esther de Waal writes, “If we try to root out tares from wheat in order to find truth buried in these lives, we shall only suffer frustration.”
I’ve found this to be deeply practical wisdom when reading saints’ lives, myths, or legends. When my mind starts sorting fact from fiction, I recall Jesus’ own parable, and rest. I can be still and let the Spirit teach me whatever He wants me to learn.
I once heard a scholar, whose name I can’t confirm, though I think it was Dr. Louis Markos, tell of Greek friends who teased him about what we call Greek mythology. When he asked what they called it in school, they said, simply, “History.”
It didn’t matter whether it seemed plausible. It was the story of their people.
Holding Stories with Open Hands
If we can recognize that there will be both wheat and tares in every story, we can hold those tales with open, generous hands and allow them to teach us what they will. Like our Eastern brothers and sisters, we can form a relationship with literature that speaks to our hearts and lets our minds glean what they may.
And if you enjoy original myths and legends woven into a science-fantasy novel (and the longest-running denial of reality a character has ever attempted), be sure to check out Endling, coming February 2026, from Descendant Publishing.
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever discovered truth or spiritual insight in an unexpected place, like a story, song, or myth outside your faith tradition? How did it shape your view of God?
When you read ancient stories or legends, do you tend to analyze them with your head or absorb them with your heart? How might both approaches offer value?
Which biblical story or theme have you seen echoed in other cultures’ myths? What do those similarities make you think about God’s relationship with humanity?
How comfortable are you with mystery or paradox in faith, such as God being both just and merciful? What emotions or questions does that tension stir in you?
If someone from a very different culture shared their traditional stories with you, how might you listen in a way that honors both their heritage and your own beliefs?
Have you ever found it hard to separate truth from “fiction” in spiritual or historical stories? How do you discern what God might want to teach you through them?
Challenges
1. Find the Echo
Pick one myth or legend from a culture different from your own and note any parallels to a biblical theme, creation, sacrifice, redemption, etc. Share what you discover in the comments or your journal.
2. Read with Both Heart and Head
As you read Scripture or myth this week, pause to notice when you’re analyzing (head) versus feeling or reflecting (heart). What insights come when you allow both to work together?
3. Explore Your Roots
Research one story or legend from your ancestral heritage. How might it reveal what your ancestors valued, feared, or hoped for, and how does it point toward redemption?
4. Practice Holy Curiosity
Start a conversation with a friend or online reader who enjoys stories from a culture or worldview unlike yours. Ask what draws them to those tales and listen without trying to correct or debate.
5. Hold Mystery Open-Handed
Spend time in prayer or journaling about a spiritual question you can’t fully explain (e.g., paradoxes about God’s nature). Rather than solving it, practice resting in wonder.
6. Connect Through Story
If you’ve read or written a story where faith and myth intersect, tag Elicia or Descendant Publishing on social media. Share one insight or “aha moment” that changed how you view ancient stories.
References & Further Reading
[1] Western Thinking vs. Eastern Thinking – Living as Disciples
[2] Job in Islam – Wikipedia
[3] Jude 1:14 – Bible Gateway
[4] 2 Peter 2:4 – Bible Gateway
[5] Possibly Dr. Louis Markos in interviews with Dr. Michael S. Heiser on The Naked Bible Podcast:
About Elicia
Elicia Johnson is an author, artist, farmer and homeschool mom in Montana. You can find her on Instagram (http://instagram.com/plaineliciajane ) or subscribe to her newsletter here (http://withloveelli.substack.com).
