What about Fantasy? Part One

by Jeanette O'Hagan

What does Christian faith and fantasy have to do with each other? Should Christians write or read fantasy? Is it Biblical? Is it perhaps harmful or deceptive?

Supernatural tales have been around since the dawn of time (myths, legends, fairy tales, tall stories) and the 18^th century novelists loved tales of Gothic thrills (ghosts, spooky castles etc), With advent of rationalism and modernism such romantic fantasies became less popular in the 19^th and 20^th century though arguably, in the mid-twentieth century, it is two staunch Christians, C. S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien, who did much to  reignite the interest in fantasy which the proliferation of the genre one sees today in books and film. It’s hard to deny the influence that Tolkien has had on modern fantasy – and it has been recently been cogently argued that Dr Who may (in part) have been inspired by Lewis’ Narnia (which makes the 2013 Christmas Special even more poignant). Both Lewis and Tolkien were influenced by George MacDonald’s modern fairy tales (another Christian writer). Many would argue (myself included) that Lewis’ fantasies strengthened their understanding of God and, in some cases, brought them to faith in Christ. Philip Yancy (an influential Christian author) credits reading Lewis’ fiction as part of his way back from atheism to Christian faith. In a world that often tries to exclude the supernatural, fantasy can whet people’s appetite for the transcendent.

On the other hand, when the Harry Potter phenomena was sweeping the world, turning reluctant readers into avid fans, many Christians argued that the books were harmful and should be shunned. To be honest, I had my doubts about them and resisted the pressure to read them when my daughter was young – though we have both since read the entire series. I was once told that the Narnia series shouldn’t be read because it ‘had witches in it.’

Some Christians would say that fantasy is harmful, perhaps even demonic, and should be avoided. Of course, some even argue against Christian romance – or any fiction at all because it is ‘telling lies’ or mere escapism. But fantasy (and certainly horror or paranormal fiction) seems to be particularly open to criticism because it pushes the envelope of reality and usually (but not always) includes supernatural beings and magical powers. After all, doesn’t the Bible enjoin truth telling? Doesn’t it say:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

And doesn’t it also contain strong prohibitions against witchcraft and the practice of magic:

I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers (Micah 5:12, NLT) or And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft. (Deut 18:10, NLT).   (See also Lev 19:26, 31; Deut 18:14, Isa 2:6-8, 18, 20; 8:19-20; 47:9,12; Ezek 13:18-21; Acts)

Is fiction telling lies?

God does value honesty and the Bible is full of history — with a careful respect for the names, dates, locations (Genesis to Chronicles, the Gospels and Acts). However, both the prophets and Jesus used parables, some realistic and some more imaginative. God himself used symbolism in dreams — and the Apocalyptic books (much of Daniel and Revelation) revel in the use of symbolism and almost bizarre images to express God’s truth. An imaginative use of metaphor and story can engage our emotions and reveal truths we may not otherwise have understood.

Is fiction, and particularly fantasy, escapist?

Well yes, to some extent. Freud claimed fiction was ‘fantasizing’ – a form of egregious wish fulfilment. The hero always wins, the heroine gets her happily-ever-after or we can imagine ourselves visiting other worlds or having superpowers. Yet, as we have seen with parables, imaginative stories can help us see and deal with profound truths. In fiction we can use themes, metaphors and images to communicate realities that can touch the heart in the way a treatise or rational argument may not. Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Charles Dickens’ novels had a tremendous impact on 19^th century social consciences. We can tell stories not only to sooth, but also challenge and inspire, to imagine other possibilities and other ways of dealing with the world’s problems. Science Fiction and Fantasy are particularly good at exploring the big philosophical questions as well as the personal. Moreover, fantasy (along perhaps with historical fiction) is genre where inclusion of the supernatural and/or religion is almost expected even in the general market.

Is it unsavoury?

Some Christians will argue that we should only read ‘clean’ fiction that doesn’t deal with difficult issues. Some object to any portrayal of dark or satanic forces or magic in Christian fiction.  However, it seems to me that the Bible itself is not a ‘clean’ read by these standards. Like God himself, His Word doesn’t shy away from showing life in all its grittiness or displaying the ugly, broken side of human nature, sometimes in rather earthy language. It also mentions spiritual forces and practices opposed to God. It includes demons, witches, sorcerers and magical practices (through a critical lens). What it doesn’t do is glorify immorality (calling bad good or good bad) and it always points to a way forward in God, sometimes boldly (Exodus, the Gospels) and at other times with more subtlety (Ruth, Esther).

It seems to me that we need to be careful to honour God in all the fiction we write and read and that fantasy is not isolated in this respect. Some time ago my husband and I decided to stop watching a heavy diet of crime shows, because the shows seemed to be getting grislier and more bizarre to maintain their shock value and this was giving a distorted picture of the world. Another friend stopped devouring romance novels because it fuelled a sense of dissatisfaction in her marriage when her husband did not come close to living up to the romantic leads. Does this mean it’s wrong to watch crime shows or that romance is not helpful? No, I don’t think so. What I think it means is that we need to be sensitive to the effect of what we read and watch has on us and that this will differ between different people.

This post has just opened the lid of this fantastical ‘can of worms’ J Next month, I will continue exploring the issues it raises:

Monday, September 7 Part Two — I’ll look at writing about magic/supernatural in fiction.

Thursday, September 10 Part Three — I’ll look at what’s helpful/beneficial in reading fantasy. 

For a more extended look at what fantasy  is - check out Fantasy and Faith: Part 1 & Part 2.

What about Fantasy?
Part One - Should we read/write Fantasy (that's this one)
Part Two - Writing Fantasy
Part Three - Reading Fantasy

Other posts:
Saints, Seekers and Sleepers
What is Christian Fiction?

Fantasy Image: Jeanette O'Hagan © 2015 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jeanette O'Hagan has a short story published in the general market Tied in Pink Romance Anthology  (profits from the anthology go towards Breast Cancer research) in December 2014 and two poems in the Poetica Christi’s Inner Child anthology launched in July 2015. She has practiced medicine, studied communication, history and theology and has taught theology.  She cares for her children, has just finished her Masters of Arts (Writing) at Swinburne University and is writing her Akrad's fantasy fiction series.  You can read some of her short fiction here. 

You can find her at her Facebook Page or at Goodreads or on her websites  JennysThread.com or Jeanette O'Hagan Writes