On Theme
I read with interest this post by Athol Dickson about the tension that exists amongst Christians about Christian themes in books. He said,
I mentioned the strange fact that there’s no faster way to start an argument among people who write Christian fiction than to bring up the subject of theme.
“Right away, we divide into two camps,” I said, making two fists and putting one on the dinner table to my right, and the other on the table to my left. Lifting one fist I said, “Over here are authors who insist Christian novels have to kowtow to the most prudish people in the pews, and speak about the gospel so plainly it crosses the line into propaganda.” Lifting my other fist, I said, “But the authors over here think being authentic and relevant means we must show profanity and violence and sex realistically, and they’re willing to avoid all hint of Christianity rather than risk being seen as preachy.”
He’s right. He goes on to discuss his personal experiences, and then to talk in general about where true Christianity ought to take writing:
Whether the genre is romance, speculative fiction, mystery/suspense, general fiction or chick lit, writing about Jesus means letting go of safe assumptions and easy shortcuts. It also means approaching every novel as if it’s the first one we ever wrote in order to encounter our stories in a middle place where life is gray and complicated, because that’s where true harmony is found. This is only natural, since that harmonious yet complicated place is also where Jesus lives. The apostle John tells us Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” Jesus never compromised on one for the sake of the other, and He calls us to live our lives the same way. Imagine the power and the glory if our novels did that, too.
I struggle with this whole thing. Jesus did come with grace and truth. He dealt with people completely — not just their spiritual side. The rich young ruler walked away. Only one of the ten lepers came back to thank Him. Any CBA book I’ve ever read would have the rich young ruler say the believer’s prayer. It’d have maybe one of the lepers not come back, but certainly the majority would’ve been swayed!
So, if I write a book that is not Christian — that is, it would never be accepted by a CBA publisher because it does not have a very obvious spiritual theme — but it reflects the truth of God, is the only possible answer that I’m unbalanced in my understanding of faith? Maybe, but I don’t think so. Perhaps there’s a greater problem with the person whose only understanding of a spiritual theme is a conversion experience.
I’ll put my pen down, before I write anything that will keep me from ever getting published in the Christian market. But one last question: how many Christian authors have as many conversions occur around them in real life as take place in their books? If there’s a disparity in favor of fiction, shouldn’t that raise some red flags?
Ever’body talking about heaven as characters in stories, ain’t goin’ there.
Hmm. I dislike very much stories that are manipulative and moralizing, and I’ve read and somewhat enjoyed Christian books that don’t have an obvious spiritual theme, but they are never as satisfying as those that somehow reveal God’s glory and redemptive power. The Christian story (and reality) is incomplete without redemption.
Very well said. I reminds me of a comment from J.I. Packer, “Both legalism and self-indulgence distort the gospel.”