Christian influences in Fantasy writing

[Nickeris86]

So I am a Christian and have resiliently gone through a spiritual reawakening which has done wonders for me personal level. I have been trying to figure out where God wants me and what he wants me to do with my life rather than what I want to do. I believe that God me my gift for writing and creating a story but I am not sure if what I have been writing is working towards Gods goals for me.

What I am trying to ask is does anyone know a good way to incorporate Christian themes and morals into a dark fantasy novel. The only example I have of a fantasy novel with strong Christian influences and messages is The Chronicles of Narnia. Are there others out their and I just don't know about them?

Your help is much appreciated.

[LizW65]

Supposedly, The Lord of the Rings has strong Christian overtones, but I don't see it, myself (I didn't even get the Narnia connection until someone pointed it out to me, but in all fairness I was about seven at the time.)  Also, The Golden Compass was apparently written as a deliberate anti-Narnia, but as I haven't read it, I can't comment.
Basically, any protagonist who is sacrificed for the greater good (they may or may not be brought back to life through magic) can be percieved as a Christ figure, or at least a Dying God archetype.  If you want to incorporate a Christian theme into your writing, I would suggest picking a New Testament story that has particular resonance for you, and creating a Dark Fantasy metaphor around it.  Finding the proper balance will be the real trick--too overt and it will turn off less religious readers, and too vague and no-one will get it.

[hank the ancient]

I have to second the cautionary advice above with a very simple sentiment. Focus on the values you want to shine through rather than drawing parallels between your writing and the bible stories. Most of the time a writer tries to get allegorical with scripture they end up beating the audience over the head with it. This is why I like Jim's portrayal of Michael so much. He is a paladin played straight, but he doesn't become a figure preaching from a pulpit. Instead Michael is christian by example, one which has more to do with what he stands for than what church he goes to every Sunday. If you want to portray christian idealogies positively, please don't make it thinly veiled evangelism or a grown-up version of veggie tales.

[OZ]

   Let me echo the others in saying whatever you do, don't get too heavy handed. I hate that in a story even when I agree with the sentiments being displayed. Since I am human it bothers me even worse if I disagree. It has become popular in much urban fantasy for the characters to rant against Christianity. Even if I was not Christian (which I am) I would find it tiresome and heavy handed. By the same token stories where the main characters go on long lectures about their Christian values and about what is wrong with the values of non-Christians quickly become tiresome.
   I agree with what Hank said. If you want to portray Christian values then have your characters live them rather than having them laboriously talk about them. An example is far more valuable than a lecture.

Some of my friends like the author Ted Dekker who supposedly incorporates Christian themes into his stories some of which have fantasy elements as well. I personally was never able to get into his stuff but he is quite popular in some circles and may be an example of what you are looking for.

[areid2]

Yeah I am a strong atheist but I have always totally hated it when books start to sermonize on the values and wisdom of atheism. Characters can have the values. The story is there to entertain not convert.

[Shecky]

Yeah I am a strong atheist but I have always totally hated it when books start to sermonize on the values and wisdom of atheism. Characters can have the values. The story is there to entertain not convert.

Well said.

[mdodd]

Supposedly, The Lord of the Rings has strong Christian overtones, but I don't see it, myself (I didn't even get the Narnia connection until someone pointed it out to me, but in all fairness I was about seven at the time.)  Also, The Golden Compass was apparently written as a deliberate anti-Narnia, but as I haven't read it, I can't comment.
Basically, any protagonist who is sacrificed for the greater good (they may or may not be brought back to life through magic) can be percieved as a Christ figure, or at least a Dying God archetype.  If you want to incorporate a Christian theme into your writing, I would suggest picking a New Testament story that has particular resonance for you, and creating a Dark Fantasy metaphor around it.  Finding the proper balance will be the real trick--too overt and it will turn off less religious readers, and too vague and no-one will get it.

Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy Northern Lights/Golden Compass (depending on which part of the world you inhabit),
Amber Spyglass and Subtle Knife goes to some weird and wonderful places, I am glad I read the trilogy but not something you want to read while feeling depressed or listening to Leonard Cohen.

[Lanodantheon]

Much of what what I think (Don't get preachy/soapboxie and don't just retell bible stories) has been voiced already, but on this matter I do have some thoughts:


1. Whatever reason you are writing about, make it engaging. Give us compelling characters, stunning imagery and scenes that resonate. From there, adding a message is much easier.


2. Incorporate the Themes/morals into the action seamlessly.


The last thing I want to see in a book that has a deliberate message is a scene that sounds like this: "Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn, tell us the lesson that we should learn."


Make the theme a part of a character arc or maybe make the moral the solution to a character's book-long problem. Done too heavy-handedly this can fail (see: the wheel of morality), but if done subtly enough it works wonders and it makes the moral invisible food for thought.


3. Because you are writing "Dark Fantasy", figure out where the genre and the message meet. What does "Dark" mean to you and how can it include your message? How dark do you want to go?

[Paynesgrey]

I think it's pretty much been covered already, but basically, don't sermonize or even try to create remotely biblical parallels, just tell a story where the values and ideals you wish to promote shine through, and where the dilemmas people trying to live up to those values bite in a way the Average Reader can relate to.  That'll let you tell a good story rather than preach a sermon, and maybe demonstrate that there's some common ground between your belief system and the belief system of others who share those common ideals if not common theology.  Compassion, courage, integrity, etc.  Make characters who people can respect and admire, that people can see as living, breathing examples of the type of behavior normal people can achieve if they really set their hearts on it.  A character who is a good example does far more to convey a theological, ethical, or moral idea than any story or lecture.

[The Deposed King]

So I am a Christian and have resiliently gone through a spiritual reawakening which has done wonders for me personal level. I have been trying to figure out where God wants me and what he wants me to do with my life rather than what I want to do. I believe that God me my gift for writing and creating a story but I am not sure if what I have been writing is working towards Gods goals for me.

What I am trying to ask is does anyone know a good way to incorporate Christian themes and morals into a dark fantasy novel. The only example I have of a fantasy novel with strong Christian influences and messages is The Chronicles of Narnia. Are there others out their and I just don't know about them?

Your help is much appreciated.

I know its not a book series.  But did you watch the TV show, Kings?  It was based on teh david versus goliath story.  And focused a lot on the King that had power before David.  Might give you some ideas.


The Deposed King

[synthesis]

Ultimately, I think it's what you, personally want to convey--the things that are in your heart.  The only serious contemplation you need to do is a) how do you want to portray Christianity and b) how might it impact audience perceptions.  If you don't care at all about b, then you can include as much about Christianity as you want.  If you do care more about b, then you might want to go more along a moralistic/values line in order to retain a wider audience.  There is a lot of fiction that explores religion (I'm thinking now of like Philip Roth, Gabriel García Márquez, Salman Rushdie) but how heavy/how critical/how analytical, etc. always depends on the author.

One big thing to think about, alongside religious issues, is the fact that many political & social issues go hand in hand, which can further gain and/or alienate different audiences. 

And then there's the whole spirituality vs. religion, which for me, personally, are two separate things, yet often quite intertwined.  However, focusing more on a spiritual level might also broaden the audience.

[Nickeris86]

I like the feed back that you have all given me thanks. It has confirmed what i was thinking of doing in the first place.

Since this story takes place in a world of my own creation Christianity itself will not make an appearance however I do plan on using a lot of Christian symbolism, such as the Holy Trinity and the idea of know the father through the son, except in my world its Daughters not Son.

I hadn't intended on being heavy handed with it but i love symbolism and how complex and deep it can be while at the same time looking like your saying something else.

I am also going into the contrast between spirituality vs religion but it will more focus on how people can easily twist something into a horrid nightmare of hate and intolerance very easily.

[The Deposed King]

Sounds like a winner.  Its all in the execution now!!!


go get'em tiger.

The Deposed king

[meg_evonne]

Apparently there are several scientific studies that indicate, like universal facial recognition of emotions in comic books is cross-cultural and genetically wired, a universal genetic need seems to exist for certain story lines. We simply crave these stories told over and over again in countless re-envisioning. There is a reason that the bible, Gilgamesh,and  Baelwolf, Homer story lines continue to be re-invented.

I would suggest that there isn't a published book that doesn't have jewish or christian roots that one could trace back to those works and some of those stolen from earlier myths (flood and creation stories). Star Wars, Star Trek, Heinlein, Gone with the Wind, Harry Potter, Dresden books, etc. all uphold biblical storyline concepts such as good over evil, David vs Goliath, David and Bathseba's adultery, even the sensual x-rated sex poetry in the Book called Songs of Soloman. (And how many of your reached for a bible to check out Soloman?) Let's face it--those ancient stories survived as long as they did, because they speak to us deep inside--are even genetically wired to do so.

That being said, the fact that you defined your work as 'christian' might be troubling. Reuse of biblical story lines is par for the course, but your acknowledgment of your faith rewakening might indicate an unconscious leaning that is on the 'heavy' side. Still, this is your work! The Muse of Faith can be a wonderful guide and ignoring her could block a faith journey that you need to take for yourself. Writing for publication is highly unlikely anyway. Have the courage to write where you are led. If a higher power is working through your fingertips, s/he is also working through your mind and perhaps healing or opening new doors to your faith journey. Also, it never hurts to think a divine hand is guiding your hand--cause you might complete the work! "God" can be a powerful reason to not procrastinate getting those words on a page! *cue lightning*  *smiling*

Happy travels as you explore with your Muse of Faith.

Edited because I never answered your question...  I never enjoyed the Narnia series, but I loved and adored his adult space trilogy of Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. I haven't revisited them in years, but you might find them helpful. I read them as a teenager and the symbolism went right over the top of my head--which is where a 'christian' philosophy works best in my humble opinion.

[Figging Mint]

Since this story takes place in a world of my own creation Christianity itself will not make an appearance

Current Western-accessible culture is so permeated with themes and morals that also run through Christianity that a story sharing those themes and morals without implicit Christianity would be a difficult thing indeed to write.

This is why it is easy to be heavy-handed in the other direction.