Redeemed Fiction

As some of you may know, I am attempting to write something resembling a novel. At any rate I am very curious, about the craft of fiction writing especially as it relates to my Christian faith, and what others have to say about it.

There are many, many Christian writers today who have spoken out against Christian fiction authors that in any way hold up their 'faith' more than their 'story'. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone who would disagree. Unanimously, 'story' must always come first and 'deep meaning' must always come second.

They caution you not deface your work by "spray-painting Christian messages and symbols" all over your story. After all, they say, non-Christian readers will be more attracted to the "subtleties of your worldview" and that "Biblical concepts just might trickle down into the non-Christians’ subconscious". They speak of the "need for Christian novelists who don’t propagandize". They caution you, for the reputation of Christian authors everywhere, "don't shove your message down their throats", don't go about "writing spiritual invitations disguised as good stories".

But most importantly, don't "sacrifice the story to evangelism".

I would like to say that I am not going to "sacrifice my story to evangelism"-

My story IS EVANGELISM. The STORY is CONVERSION, what other story is there to tell? What could a Christian author possibly write about that could be greater than the story of his REDEMPTION, the substitution, the sacrifice of Christ for our PROPITIATION, and the new LIFE that happens afterwards????

What greater message could ever be written than of Christ?
What Christian is ever bored of this story?
And what non-believer DOESN'T NEED TO HEAR IT?

And in empirical REALITY- WHAT GREATER STORY IS THERE? In our universe, in our dimension, what themes or ideas could you possibly represent that could be greater than the God who saved you?

What greater story can man tell than the story of his merciful Lord buying him with a price??

But most of all: WHY is AVOIDING this GREAT STORY some kind of MORAL??

How can you tell a man who has been gifted with the ability and desire to write fiction, that creating a work that primarily honors the Savior who bought him, is some how an offensive thing that should be avoided??

How can you tell an artist that he is not allowed to express in his work the greatest beauty he has ever seen?

How come the greatest thing you can say about a Christian or his literary work is that he didn't shove his message down your throat??

As if a Christian who DOESN'T speak of the GREATEST DARN THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO HIM is somehow more creative and "down-to-earth" and honest than the man who DOES.

And the man who does speak of such things is accused of PROSELYTIZING, even by his fellow "Christians".


Allison