Speculative Faith Reading Group 9: From Defeat, Final Victory

Even among the greatest stories, the finale of LWW is unique. Here are echoes of Resurrection, eternal joy, and the truth that Christ’s people will reign physically over the New Heavens and New Earth.
— E. Stephen Burnett in August 2012 —

News And Your Views

A smattering of this and that today. An update on our First Ever Spec Faith Writing Challenge, then news for For fantasy lovers. Finally, your views, in two parts.
— Rebecca LuElla Miller in July 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 8: The Stone Table

In “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,†how has Aslan’s death affected you, and how does it affect you now? How do other stories’ heroes’ deaths remind you of Christ’s ultimate death?
— E. Stephen Burnett in July 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 7: Aslan Springs Forth

In these two chapters, watch for this contrast: of the wrong sort of “seriousness†— the manipulative, duty-driven dominance of the Witch — versus the joyful, holy, righteous seriousness that Aslan brings.
— E. Stephen Burnett in July 2012 —

The Sword Endures

With all the different kinds of speculative stories, with fantastic weapons and wars, why is the symbol and themes of the sword so transcendent?
— Rebecca P. Minor in July 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 6: Greed and Gifts

In these two chapters of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†we see good and evil even more clearly — along with God-exalting, reality-reflecting truths of what really causes evil, and the seriousness of fighting it.
— E. Stephen Burnett in July 2012 —

Why Christians Can Love Speculative Stories

“Popologetics†author Ted Turnau: Speculative stories give more space to explore reality, imaginative worlds that enchant, and reflections of our true home.
— Ted Turnau in July 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 5: Enter The Lion

Who is Aslan? Is he the same as Jesus Christ? An “allegory†for Him? Or something else entirely? Who would we ask? Also, what about that strange “Lilith†explanation for the White Witch, from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe�
— E. Stephen Burnett in June 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 4: Reality and Narnia

Why did C.S. Lewis write about four children coming into the magical land of Narnia? Why not two, or three, or even one, in order to write a simpler story with a more-focused cast of characters?
— E. Stephen Burnett in June 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 3: Enter The Witch

For the real-life Speculative Faith Reading Group for LWW, this week we’ll pick up the pace. It helps that chapters 3 and 4 are short and follow one vital story development — Edmund meeting the White Witch.
— E. Stephen Burnett in June 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 2: Meeting Mr. Tumnus

Week 2 of the “Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†reading group. Goat-men, tree spirits, naked Greek gods, a drunk on a donkey, and an evil White Witch — how are these things in a classic story Christians love?
— E. Stephen Burnett in June 2012 —

Speculative Faith Reading Group 1: Entering The ‘Wardrobe’

This week I’m starting a reading group at my church for “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.†You’re invited to join. How does this story honor God, and how can we learn from C.S. Lewis’s success at redeeming pagan myth for His glory?
— E. Stephen Burnett in May 2012 —

No Such Thing As Miracles

Author Athol Dickson: “Magical realism presents the supernatural as a matter of fact, almost as an everyday event, much as science fiction does. But like pure fantasy, magical realism refuses to explain itself.â€
— Athol Dickson in May 2012 —

Spec-Faith Flashback: Jill Williamson

From our archives: Author Jill Williamson recalls how she actually wrote her YA sci-fi novel “Replication” before her fantasy “Blood of Kings” series.
— Jill Williamson in March 2012 —

Sex In The Story 6: Heroes and Heroines

Amidst belching sitcom dads, raging feminists, over-angsty teen-boy “chosen ones,†or inhuman “warrior princesses,†we find God-glorifying men and women in many stories. Here are a few.
— E. Stephen Burnett in March 2012 —

Sex In The Story 5: More Male Mythologies

We may always have sex caricatures in stories, and they may balance each other out. But how do we cure stock males, gender-neutrals, bad boys, men-children, faith-based supermen, and Prophesied Heroesâ„¢?
— E. Stephen Burnett in March 2012 —

Bringing The Personal To The Universal

Great fiction is made up of themes: Love and longing, coming of age, voyage and return, fathers, sons, daughters, mothers, overcoming the monster, death, birth, and more. These are universals, themes that can be, on one level or another, understood by any man or woman.
— Anne Elisabeth Stengl in March 2012 —

Lord Of The Fantasies: Beyond The Swordfights

In “The Lord of the Rings†films, elf-maiden Arwen almost joined the fight at Helm’s Deep, and King Aragorn almost dueled the dark lord Sauron. But the movie-makers chose otherwise. How come, and how does this show truly rare heroism?
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2012 —

Lord Of The Fantasies: Beholding Middle-earth

Because I first read “The Fellowship of the Ring†only days before seeing the film version, I did not have time to form interpretations of characters, or expectations. Thus, the film blew me away, no disappointments. But how might I have been disadvantaged?
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2012 —

Lord Of The Fantasies: Looking Back on ‘FotR’

Ten years ago, “The Lord of the Rings†still sounded too “classical†to me. I had my Narnia. Why add another fantasy world? Then, before reading the books or seeing the film, I heard Howard Shore’s film score. And I was drawn into Middle-earth.
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2012 —
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Cathy McCrumb handles heavy subjects with a light touch, keeping the novel from grimness. Recorder is a creative and engaging novel that will appeal to a broad audience.

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