About theology
It seems most writers today equate the presence of any meaningful theology in the their fiction with being preachy. Visions of putting a theological gun to their readers’ heads abound. Is there a place for theology in fiction and if so what is it?
Rebecca LuElla Miller – “… I am an advocate of Christians writing deeper, more meaningfully. Isn’t there, then, a risk that their “deeper” will cross my line and tread upon the sacrosanct? What if a person claims the name of Christ, but the theology of their story declares man’s goodness? Or God’s unwillingness to act as Judge? Or a believer’s sure and eventual health and wealth?
So is it better if we just leave the theology out and content ourselves with happy little stories of people finding Jesus?”
Angela Hunt – Angela Hunt has some interesting observations concerning
one’s personal theology and writing at Charis Connection. She notes that as convictions mature and change in life they are bound to be reflected in one’s writing. She writes:
Novels, like it or not, do put forth a world view; characters learn lessons and change in ways that reflect the author’s view of life. So it’s crucial that we get it right from an eternal perspective.
The responsibility could be overwhelming, if you thought about it very long or very deeply. Those of us who are believers are presenting and/or justifying the ways of God to man . . . as if He needed our help . . . and yet He chooses to use us.
Mike Dellosso – I know with Scream some critics said it was too preachy and you know what? I don’t care. Some may think that’s a wrong attitude but if there’s one thing my battle with cancer taught me it’s that life is short and we need to use what God gave us while we have a chance to. I want to write with no inhibitions. If God puts a story or theme or message on my heart, I’m going to write about it. And if the critics get their bowties in a knot over the message and how it’s delivered, so be it. I’m not worrying about what others think. With Scream I’ve had so many readers email me thanking me for the message and how strong it is in the story. I can’t ignore that kind of response.
Steven James – I don’t believe good fiction is written with the intention to make a point, but rather to render the truth. In other words, if I start a story with the goal of trying to prove or argue something– for example, that we should forgive other people–the story will end up shallow and didactic. However, if I write from the perspective of a dilemma, such as — what does it mean to forgive someone who doesn’t want to be forgiven — if I do that, I’m able to help people think about the issue and engage with his honestly. Ever since Aristotle pointed it out in his book Poetics (and probably before that) writers have understood that good stories end in ways that are both unexpected and inevitable. If I read a story and I start to think, “Oh I get it–if this person would just trust in Jesus, then her problems will be solved,” and that’s precisely where the story goes, the story has failed since the ending is only inevitable and not unexpected.
