Fantasy and Christianity

An Editorial by R. L. Copple

Those who know I'm a Christian, speculative-fiction writer might ask the question, "Why is he writing fantasy when he could do so much more with devotionals and non-fiction?"

There are two types of people who might ask that. One group is those who don't bother with reading speculative fiction. After all, it isn't real life, now is it? It isn't about real issues, religious or otherwise. It's just escapism.

If you think that, you're thinking too surface level. The greatest works of fantasy usually touch on real life issues and problems. Consider J. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings book. It is set in a totally made-up land with magic and elves, but full of real-life events that change the way we look at one another. Whether it is the loyalty of Sam in the face of insurmountable odds and certain death, or the heroism of Aaragorn or Boromir, each in their own way says volumes about humanity in how they face life when difficult times call out the hero in us all.

The beautiful quality to fantasy, and the speculative genre in general, is the ability to highlight the real issues of our daily life when contrasted against an other-world backdrop. Often the analogies and character relationships hit home in a striking way within that context.

The story in this book is a good example of that very fact. How many of us struggle to find our place in life and then turn it into a means for self-fulfillment rather than a real ministry to others? I could preach on that and write great logical articles that would no doubt move some to greater zeal. But to go on that journey with Sisko, through the events he did, you experience the struggle as he deals with his own failures. It has an emotional impact that an article on the topic could rarely accomplish.

Don't get me wrong. Non-fiction articles, both doctrinal and how-tos, have their place. I've written plenty of those as well. However, for me it is not a matter of "either-or," but why not both? I don't expect to never write non-fiction again. I look forward to doing so, but speculative fiction has a place in my heart and imagination. It can serve as a wonderful vehicle, through the time-honored craft of good story telling (which even Jesus used), to help us experience the truth and not merely read about it.

The other type who might ask this question is those who feel that relating Christianity to such things as "magic" and other elements of many fantasy stories, either links Christianity with that which is evil, or if taken as un-real, that Christianity is fantasy too. Both of these fears arise from false views of reality itself.

First, the "magic" issue, which has been stirred up at the time of this writing by the release of the last "Harry Potter" book by J. K. Rowling. Many Christians perceive "magic" as evil, and in real life, what we would tend to call "magic" (not card trick types), generally is, but not for the reasons people tend to think. The problem is, this view results from a worldview divided between the secular and God. So, it becomes an "us vs. them" issue, and we should stay away from it because that is "their" domain, and we don't want to be equated with it.

However, in the truly Christian worldview, there is no such thing as a purely secular reality. Every breath, every ability, every accomplishment is ultimately derived from God's great bounty—even if it appears on the surface to be coming from ourselves.

Pharaoh's magicians experienced this. They did great feats of magic. Moses matched it. Then at some point the magicians couldn't keep up with Moses. Why? Not because they themselves could no longer do it, but because God no longer allowed them to while He did allow Moses to continue with even greater miracles.

When Jesus was accused by the Pharisees that his power came from Satan, what did He say? "Oh, wow, you're right. This does look like satanic magic. I had better stop." No, He said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Meaning, if He did His "magic" from Satan but was casting out demons and healing people of diseases, Satan is a very poor strategist.

Rather, the issue for Christ was from whom the power came to do amazing and great things, and (this is the big point) our acknowledgment of that. The sin isn't that someone is doing something supernatural, but their attempts to attribute what properly belongs to God for themselves.

That is a constant theme throughout the Bible, from Adam and Eve wanting to "be like God" to Simon Magnus trying to buy the power from St. Peter. One of the evilest sins listed in the Bible is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit by attributing His work to someone or something else.

Our failure to recognize from whom the power comes is the sin, not the fact that it is done. Since all comes from God, for the Christian, there is no magic that is evil. Only evil people who attempt to control God's power for their own purposes, whether that is a witch or a name-it-claim-it preacher/healer.

Therefore, on the issue of magic and fantasy, which on the surface can appear to be pagan, an attempt to apply the faulty logic of "guilty by association" derives from a view of the world where some elements are not from God and so should be avoided at all cost, even the appearance of a relationship. But this very division is not a Christian worldview.

"But are we not luring souls into Satan's hands by blurring this distinction?" No, because while skewing God's reality by separating Him from part of it, you in effect fail to notice the real tactic of Satan: to take whatever it is you are doing and, like Sikso's temptation, to make it yours and fail to acknowledge from whom it really comes. That is the distinction which must not be blurred but is when we hand part of God's creation over as inherently evil. The result is God's own miracles become suspect.

So, one characteristic of good Christian fantasy is the underlying reality that all comes from God, whether the characters realize that or not. If the reality is there, it maintains a Christian vision of the world, just as in our world, even pagan elements are simply perversions of God's truth due to selfish appropriation of it.

For the same reasons, I do not follow the idea that equating made-up worlds, stories, and the like with Christianity will make Christianity seem unreal. No more than any other reality that might appear in a fantasy story. Not everything in a fantasy story is fantasy. Only certain parts of it will be. However, most people recognize this fact and can separate what is real from what is speculative.

The real concern, I think, is that some might feel by equating amazing abilities as fantasy, that some will see Biblical miracles in the same light, or even God Himself, as fiction. They will equate them with myths in an attempt to "explain" the unexplainable.

The only problem is, a truly Christian worldview doesn't rest in explaining the unexplainable. It is a way of life, an organic part of reality. All is from God, whether it can be explained in terms of science or not. Real Christianity is not a "God of the gaps" theory but a whole life reality.

Some people fear that equating God's power with a wizard casting a spell will somehow make God's power seem less real. Because, everyone knows that the wizard and his spell are fiction. But the converse is true. While the wizard and his spell are made up, the fact is God could have created and used such a creature if He so desired. What God conceives isn't fantasy but becomes reality. What I conceive is fantasy, and I know it.

The reality is what I'm speculating could have happened. If God had chosen to, it would be the current reality now. But that is why we call it speculative fiction. It is the author's conception of what life would be like if such and such were true. But we know it isn't, and God is not any more lessened due to my speculating than if I said, "What if the sun blew up?" Well, one day it might. And God has done some very unexpected and amazing things through the years, both recorded in the Bible and through Christian history. Where are we going to draw the line of what is off limits to God?

I would even go so far as to say, the rejection of fantasy causes one to limit God, to see current day miracles and events as not coming from Him but due to some explained phenomena or scientific theory. For if all comes from God, and there is no division between a reality from God and all of reality—if we don't base what God gets on what we can't explain—then fantasy cannot take away from God. Such views are a result of a divided worldview or purely secular worldview, not Christian.

At the root of all these issues is what one's worldview is. For a truly Christian worldview, where God is the source of all, even if it has been perverted by evil people, fantasy cannot corrupt or lessen the reality of Christianity. Nor does it serve only as a form of escapism, but becomes a very rich commentary on our everyday life and goals as humans. For when you put those realities in an unreal world, they stand out all the more to our experience.

A good fantasy or speculative story will leave you changed. A good, Christian one will leave you changed for the better. I hope my stories will do just that. Thanks for reading.

© 2007 R. L. Copple
Originally published in the novella, "Infinite Realities"
(Double-Edged Publishing, November 2007)

R. L. Copple is a science fiction and fantasy writer and poet from Texas. In addition to his novella, Infinite Realities, his publication credits include stories at Ray Gun Revival, Every Day Fiction, MindFlights, ResAliens, Abandoned Towers, Fear & Trembling, and A Thousand Faces. He also hosts Ray Gun Radio, a podcast for Space Opera fans.

From the Desk...Easter, 2008

From the Desk of Lyn Perry...
March 15 - 31, 2008
Happy Easter!

"If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
~ Jesus (Luke 16.31, NIV)

In this month's issue, I'd like to offer a "Crystal Clear" speculative story that will convince everyone of God's existence! Or will it? You decide by reading Parts 1 & 2 and Parts 3, 4 & 5 of this serial novella by David Rawls.

In the mean time, for those who already believe, enjoy this most holy of weeks and celebrate Easter the earliest we'll ever celebrate it in our lifetime. (The next 23 March date for Easter will occur 2160*. The earliest calendar date possible for Easter is 22 March, but you'll have to wait until 2285 for that one :-).

Celebrate with me, Lyn
(* Interesting Source)

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From the Desk...St. Patrick's Day

From the Desk of Lyn Perry...
March 17, 2008
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This Patron Saint of Ireland has such an interesting history, I thought I'd share a bit of it with you this month.

First, Patrick wasn't even Irish. He was a Briton, born to Roman parents. Most likely he hailed from the area of the Forest of Dean in West Gloucestershire since the big Irish raids for slaves hit the south coast of Wales during the time Patrick would have been about 16 years of age. It is now generally accepted (except in Scotland where they claim Patrick was born!) that the raid he refers to in his Confessio took place in the early summer of 401 and was led by Niall of the Nine Hostages.*

What we do know is that when Patrick was about 16 years of age, he and a large number of his father’s vassals were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves in Ireland. Forced to work as a shepherd, he suffered greatly from hunger and cold. Yet during his captivity, he learned to pray:

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same....I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

After six years of captivity, Patrick escaped and was reunited with his family. But later, in a dream it seemed "all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands to me." He understood this vision to be a call to return as a missionary to pagan Ireland. And he did so, despite opposition from those who thought him unqualified or the mission too dangerous. He died March 17, 460 (we believe) and so we celebrate the day as his Feast Day.

What this has to do with clovers, leprechauns, and the color green, I have no idea. But I'm celebrating St. Patrick's Day anyway by posting new stories that are totally unrelated to any of the above.

Celebrate with me, Lyn

* Thanks to Patrick Cox of The Gray Monk for his insights. This modern day Patrick (author of A Ship of Heaven?) is currently writing a historical novel about St. Patrick.

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From the Desk...Leap Year 2008

From the desk of Lyn Perry...

February 24, 2008
Happy Intercalary Year!
You'll know what I mean on the 29th of this month.

Most of the world operates according to the Gregorian Calendar, which was designed to keep the vernal equinox on or close to March 21 (an Easter thing, for those who are curious). The vernal equinox year is about 365.242374 days long (and increasing). Obviously, this astronomical occurrence does not repeat at an exact number of full days. Therefore, our calendar (which is made up of an exact number of full days, go figure!) lags behind over time with respect to the vernal equinox. By occasionally inserting (or intercalating) an additional day into the year, this drift can be corrected. This is done every four years (called a leap year or intercalary year) - and has been since 45 BC, when the concept was introduced by Julius Caesar.

The Julian Calendar, however, was slightly too long - it calculated the year at 365.25 days and so over hundreds of years too many leap years were celebrated. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII, decreed that the Julian Calendar be modified to correct this overcompensation. And at a stoke of a papal bull (see the graphic above of the Inter Gravissimas) 10 'extra' days disappeared! We still celebrate leap year every fourth year (in calendar years divisible by 4 - like 2008!), but now with some exceptions. Because the Gregorian Calendar has 365.2425 days (still a tad long relative to the vernal equinox) we have to skip the leap year every 100 years - except when the century year is exactly divisible by 400 (thus 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was).

Now if you can follow all that, you can surely enjoy the new stories at ResAliens - which have nothing to do with leap year.

But Celebrate Anyway, Lyn Perry

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Frequently Asked Questions

A Short FAQ with the Publisher

Q. First, who are you?

A. My name is Lyn Perry and I enjoy reading, writing, and arithmetic. Well, two out of three anyway. And because reading and writing speculative fiction is a strong interest of mine, I thought I’d contribute to the genre of faith-informed spec fic by offering other writers and readers of science fiction, fantasy, spiritual and supernatural thriller a quality venue in which to share their passion. You could say ResAliens is speculative fiction with a spiritual thread.

Q. So what's behind the name Residential Aliens?

A. Believers often consider themselves to be simply passing through this world on their way to a better land. The idea is that, although we're currently residents of earth, we're really citizens of heaven and thus pilgrims, or aliens on this planet.

Hebrews 11:13 describes it like this: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." (NIV)

Q. And the reference to the Seven Stars?

A. Our sub-title, Speculative Fiction from the Seven Stars, comes from Revelation 1:16 that describes Jesus in heaven: "In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." (NIV)

The seven stars, according to verse 20, are the seven angels or messengers of the seven churches. What this means is that God uses his messengers to share his message with the Church. My hope is that God would use this magazine to help announce his kingdom and purposes on this earth.

Q. So this is a Christian zine?

A. In that I am a believer and follower of Jesus, yes. The authors and audience, however, may or may not come from a position of faith. But what I think you’ll find here is a collection of quality stories with a moral or spiritual thread that appeals to the broad and varied interests of fans of speculative fiction.

In fact, we accept stories from people of all walks of faith or from none. From my submission guidelines: I'm looking for quality speculative fiction with a spiritual foundation. Submissions need not be religious in nature. However, we are looking for engaging stories that are truthful to the human experience while offering the reader something of the eternal.

Thanks for reading!
Lyn Perry (2012)