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Christian-Made Fantasy Can Shine Light in the Grimdark
Tim Pietz in Articles, Aug 18, 2022

125. Why Do ‘False Prophets’ Predict Doom for Movie Theaters and Other Cultural Experiences?
Fantastical Truth Podcast, Aug 16, 2022

The Choice
Reviews, Aug 12, 2022

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The Deliverer, Jason William Karpf
Blood Secrets, Morgan L. Busse
When Legends Rise, Daphne Self
The Withering, P. S. Patton
The Wonderland Trials, Sara Ella
Shadow of Honor, Ronie Kendig
Lost Bits, Kerry Nietz
Rats of Dweltford, Matt Barron
Vivid, Ashley Bustamante
The Godot Orange, Bruce Roberts
My Soul to Take, Bryan Davis
The Gift of Dragons, Rachel A. Greco
Into Shadow's Fire, Mark Castleberry
Deceived, Madisyn Carlin
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The Choice
“Bradley Caffee’s tight prose makes The Choice a quick Empire Strikes Back–style dystopian sequel that is difficult to resist.”
—Lorehaven on Aug 12, 2022

100 Cupboards
“With thoughtful narrative voice and emotional honesty, N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards (2007) opens doors to worlds of mystery and adventure.”
—Lorehaven on Aug 5, 2022

Blood Secrets
“Blood Secrets charts a satisfying conclusion to the Skyworld duology, with dashing prose that draws readers into this world of steam and mystery.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 22, 2022

Jabberwock’s Curse
“In Jabberwock’s Curse, R.V. Bowman blends different elements from Lewis Carroll’s classic into a quick-paced coming-of age story whose three heroes must learn who they were created to be.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 8, 2022

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Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney
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125. Why Do ‘False Prophets’ Predict Doom for Movie Theaters and Other Cultural Experiences?
Fantastical Truth, Aug 16, 2022

124. How Should Christian Novels Help Secular Readers?
Fantastical Truth, Aug 9, 2022

123. Which Fantastical Novels Won Big at the 2022 Realm Awards?
Fantastical Truth, Aug 2, 2022

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Fantastical Truth, Jul 29, 2022

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Yes, Speculative Faith Is Closed, At Least For Now
E. Stephen Burnett, Dec 30

Last Stands, Custer, General Gordon, and Being a Christian Warrior
Travis Perry, Jul 2

How Christian Must Christian Fiction Be?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 24

Gender In Fiction: The Implication Of Failure
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 10

Making a Story Visual UPDATE: Behind the Scenes of the Animal Eye Comic
Travis Perry, May 9

What Does “Woke” Culture Have To Do With Christian Fiction?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Apr 26

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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67. How Do Fantastic Stories Avoid Preachiness While Still Discipling Readers in Christ? | with L. G. McCary

Christian-made stories should not preach from on high at readers beyond the “fourth wall,” but should help disciple our imaginations in Christ.
Fantastical Truth on Jun 22, 2021 · 3 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:11 — 70.2MB) | Embed

“Fiction should not preach!” many critics say. They may even preach about it. But even if excellent Christian-made stories should not preach, does this mean the stories will have no teaching at all? Is preaching the only way we learn, or don’t we also learn through discipleship. This includes but isn’t limited to sermons! With help from Lorehaven writer and That Pale Host author L. G. McCary, we explore how great Christian-made stories do have a purpose: not to preach at readers beyond the “fourth wall,” but to help disciple our imaginations in Christ.

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L. G. McCaryL. G. McCary is an old-school Whovian and a lifelong Trekkie. She has a bachelor’s in psychology which means she knows enough to mess with readers’ heads but not enough to diagnose their problems. She is the wife of an Army chaplain and the homeschooling mom of four rambunctious kids. She writes supernatural and dark science fiction on topics as diverse as artificial intelligence, ghosts, sentient snowmen, and space hotels. Her first novel, That Pale Host, releases October 2021 from Monster Ivy Publishing. Her short story, “Rendering,” appears in Havok’s Rebirth anthology.

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1. What do we mean by ‘preachy stories’ and what’s the problem with this?

How do we understand this label preachy?

  • What are legit examples of preachiness?
  • How do both evangelical and secular stories get preachy?
  • Preachy fiction feels annoying. But so can preaching that we need.
  • The best rebukes to bad “preachiness” are based on biblical facts, not our dislike.
  • Biblically, stories aren’t meant to preach.
  • Sermons are meant to preach.
  • Stories and sermons have different purposes.

2. Why do Christians overcorrect in trying to avoid ‘preachy’ fiction?

  • In response to preachiness, fans may reject not just preachiness but meaning!
  • This can lead to stories that feel at once even preachier and more shallow.
  • This is Stephen’s one exception to his working definition of “Christian fiction.”
  • Usually he defines a “Christian thing” as, “A Christian made the thing.”
  • Exception: Unless the Christian forces a solid (even secular-preachy!) partition.

3. How does great fiction help disciple (not preach at) readers?

  • We may subconsciously define “preacher” with images, not words: he’s a distant figure at a pulpit.
  • Instead, let’s subconsciously define a good pastor with images, not words. He’s a teacher, brother, friend.
  • These are very different concepts. The preacher simply lectures at a distance. The other helps pastor you in person.
  • As Christians, we ought to seek Christian-made books that help with this pastoral act of what Scripture calls discipleship.
  • This is how we grow. Sermons help disciple us, but as part of greater whole.
  • We grow by truth applied in relationships. Fiction alone helps simulate this.

Next on Fantastical Truth

What if your father drank a vial of holy water that might have come from the Tree of Life? Then you researched his work, and found yourself waking up in the Middle Ages—just as the peasants began revolting? Novelist Jody Hedlund explores this in Come Back to Me, book 1 of her fantasy-romance-time travel series The Waters of Time, and next week she joins us on Fantastical Truth.

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    In the Fantastical Truth podcast from Lorehaven, hosts E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell explore fantastical stories for God's glory and apply their wonders of these imaginary worlds to the real world Jesus calls us to serve.
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    1. notleia says:
      June 24, 2021 at 6:02 pm

      I think a large part of the problem is that a lotta people in this subculture have trouble distinguishing between “descriptive” versus “proscriptive.” Which makes sense because there have been countless denominational and church splits over what, exactly, is descriptive vs proscriptive in the Bible itself. (At least they come by it honestly?)

      Also sidetrack: I found this tumblr scheisspost that talks about the difference about Joss Whedon!Thor and TaikaWaititi!Thor that reminds me a lot of Burnett’s very many feelings about firstmovie!Thor and Ragnarok!Thor, and I find it interesting:
      https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AabDKJdPHDmp1YZ7wVR39gslHVkXb2rV_4z75b9m2AUtkXcdaNg3xa0/

      Reply
      • E. Stephen Burnett says:
        June 25, 2021 at 9:30 am

        I think a large part of the problem is that a lotta people in this subculture have trouble distinguishing between “descriptive” versus “proscriptive.”

        Exactly.

        Reply
    2. Autumn Grayson says:
      June 29, 2021 at 11:50 pm

      An excellent biblical story/show/whatever is the animated short film Adam And Dog. It’s somewhat fantastical in the way the scenery is illustrated and such. But it basically goes through the story of Adam and Eve from a dog’s perspective, which gives a fresh take on the whole situation. It did a great job of showing, rather than telling — letting the audience experience the peace and beauty of Eden and the sadness of having to leave. I’d say it’s even more poignant since it’s shown from the perspective of a character that doesn’t entirely understand what happened with the humans. There is some nudity, since it’s about Adam and Eve, but it’s animated(and therefore not exploiting real people) and isn’t hyper sexualized. But anyway, here’s a link to the show:

      Reply

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    Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.