- Jun 13, 2015
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Yes, but not based upon Creation Science.There are such books out there. Search Amazon for "millennium".
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Yes, but not based upon Creation Science.There are such books out there. Search Amazon for "millennium".
Theres a guy on OBOB that swears by that book as a classic Christian story. Watches it every year.You mean like Chronicles of Narnia?
Some may even suggest Lord of the Rings has Christian undertones no matter how subtle
I do remember finding a book once that was all about the underlying Christian themes and symbolism in Tolkien's Middle-earth books — never got around to reading it, though. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and I'm sure that must have influenced his writings, even possibly on an almost subconscious level, but it's very subtle (I've certainly never picked up on it in reading the books myself). I don't think he ever deliberately shaped the entire plot according to Christian ideas like Lewis did in his space trilogy and Narnia, with the view of encouraging people to think about those concepts and possibly to come to live their own lives by them.
I loved the Brothers Karamazov! I read Crime and Punishment, too. Dostoevsky and the other Russian classics were Russian Orthodox Christians, which is why their books have such depth and significance. I would love to read great fiction today by mature followers of Christ that were also mature observers of life.I'd like some literature for adults too like the Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky.
I agree with the OP. The world needs storytellers who are Christians who tell great compelling timeless stories that reflect Christian principles. Many of Jesus' stories (aka parables) did not explicitly teach doctrinal things but rather principles. To me, much of contemporary Christian literature seems to be trying to pack doctrinal statements, altar calls, or apologetics into a story (sort of like putting medicine in sugar to make it taste better), or just tacking a couple of Christian events into an otherwise secular story (let's market this story that wouldn't have made it in the secular market for Christians). Yes, this is exaggeration with some degree of sarcasm on my part, but only to some extent.
I mentioned an idea for a story during the 1,000 year reign of Christ. Here some of the ideas that I have thought about over the years.Personally, I believe there need to be Christian authors who want to tell stories that can compete against the mainstream market. I'm not saying that a Christian should rewrite the Harry Potter series with a Christian message inside of it. Most Christian authors I run into put a lot of emphasis on the gospel but their attention to world-building or plot development is uninteresting. We need creative ways to share the gospel subtly, to arouse curiosity in the readers while they read a good book instead of jumping out at them suddenly.
I've read Out of the Silent Planet quite recently (late last year or early this year, I think it was), and I must say it didn't grab me... I was aware of its Christian basis, of course, and went into it with full appreciation of that, but I'll be honest and admit that a lot of the time while reading it, I was tempted to think "Woah, what exactly was Lewis drinking when he came up with all this?!" But that's just me. I've heard tell that Perelandra, in particular, was one of his own favourites of the books that he wrote and I'd certainly be open to trying it.
For me, though, as I said, it was Narnia (from the age of 5 onwards) that spoke to my heart. I just twigged from the start, having The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe read to me (and also coming from a non-religious background), that Aslan was someone very special; then after a few more of the books it became obvious who He was and is. I don't think I could have had a better introduction to Christianity than that. But again, that's just me — it's different for everyone and the world can do with as many "good books" (explicitly Christian or otherwise) as it can get!
I, too, have read the Chronicles of Narnia several times. Recently a book and DVD was published by Michael Ward called, "The Narnia Code". In the book he shows how Lewis had drawn upon the Medieval view of the planets (combined with the myths behind the planets) as the frame work for the stories. So "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is about Christ as Jupiter the king of the planets. "Prince Caspian" is about Christ as the Warrior planet of Mars. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is about Christ as the Sunlight of the World. "Silver Chair" is about the lunacy (the moon) of mankind's delusion and insanity in sin, not realizing that we are the prince of the King (Jesus). "The Horse and His Boy" is Mercury as the messenger, Christ being sent to share the Gospel. "The Magician's Nephew" is the love of Christ in Venus. And "The Last Battle" is Saturn, Chronos, the end of time when Christ concludes the age of this creation.
I am inclined to re-read the Chronicles with this point of view to see how well his theory works.
I've heard of that theory too, but haven't read it in detail and don't know how far it holds water, so to speak, if at all. Doesn't hurt to consider, though. I will look into it when I find the time — I have an ever-growing "must-read" list as it is!
A very good Narnia commentary I read not too long ago was The Lion's World by Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury. He's a very engaging writer (and speaker — I heard him give a wonderful talk on Julian of Norwich a few years ago) and does a good job of exploring a range of themes in Lewis's fantasy world.
I am more concerned with the message the story tells than cursing. I understand the grief that constant cursing brings, but there is a time and a place in a story for a four letter word if the story is trying to be realistic.
So don't aim for a Christian market. I read the biography of CS Lewis, called, "Jack" by George Sayer. George is the son of Dorothy Sayer who was a member of the Inklings and wrote murder mysteries. In the biography Lewis says that when he published his Perelandra Triology, the reviews came from the science fiction community, and none were aware that it was a Christians Science Fiction. Lewis and Tolkien realized that they could share the gospel to a pagan world through their story telling.It's really difficult if you want to write for the Christian market and have what I'd call realism.
It seems to me that historic narrative is a huge untapped resource. I'm all the time finding narratives in the prophets, song of Solomon, the epistles and of course the normal historic narratives of the first five chapters of the OT and the NT. The rise of the prophets, the united kingdom, the explosive and spontaneous growth of the churches in Asian Minor.Personally, I believe there need to be Christian authors who want to tell stories that can compete against the mainstream market. I'm not saying that a Christian should rewrite the Harry Potter series with a Christian message inside of it. Most Christian authors I run into put a lot of emphasis on the gospel but their attention to world-building or plot development is uninteresting. We need creative ways to share the gospel subtly, to arouse curiosity in the readers while they read a good book instead of jumping out at them suddenly.
Here's an observation I've made about the arts (writing, music, painting, etc.). There seems to be a huge divide between "folk" art and "cultured" art. Cultured art treats technique and mastery as a prerequisite for personal expression; folk art values personal expression as a prerequisite for learning more and improving. Cultured art tends to say, "If you are unwilling to dedicate your life to mastery, you've got no business dabbling in this." Folk art tends to say, "If you've got something to say, start saying it."
The person who dedicates themselves to mastery of a particular instrument can play the most intricate pieces of music, join elite symphonies, and become a master of what they do. How many people listen to them? A few people can form a garage band after having learned 3 chords and then improve some over time and play music that many people like. Turn on the radio and (other than public radio), it's almost all "garage" band to some extent. To become elite, it's about playing what someone else tells you to play (composer and conductor) in the proper manner at the correct time. Without years of discipline and practice, it's not possible to be any good at that style. Improvisation and composition are considered advanced skills for exceptional people who are committed to music. Personal expression is often only putting your spin on how you play someone's work. On the other hand, pick up a guitar, learn C, D, and G chords and a couple blues scales and you can start reflecting your own feelings in music you can start creating. Enjoy doing that, and you'll keep practicing and improve your technique and skills.
Museums of are full of paintings that took years and decades of work to develop the skills to paint. Yet, virtually anyone could start doing Bob Ross style landscapes and enjoy making them and hanging them in their house or giving them as gifts. In a period of months, anyone could enjoy painting happy little trees and having happy accidents.
I think there is a similar parallel in telling stories. We've long lost the folk art of sitting around the family or communal fire at night and telling stories. We've long lost the folk art and given story telling over to the professional writer, the professional movie maker, the professional illustrator. In the west, we've largely lost our capability to be captivated by our imaginations and require professionals to fill in the details. I'm dreading the day when I go back and read Narnia or LOTR after having seen the movies. Indeed, I've been avoiding the books. I'm guessing most of the pictures I used to have in my head will be supplanted by the overwhelming power of the epic music and imagery of the movies.
As a teen, some books that were formational on my thinking were the Louis L'Amour westerns. Not high literature by any stretch of the imagination. Indeed, one could argue he basically re-told the same story over and over. But there was something there. A self-taught man who dropped out of school but loved reading and then writing stories about what he knew. He told stories about how men could survive in a hard world and retain their honor and integrity. Those stories in large part shaped my sense of a man's obligation to keep his word, to do whatever it took for a friend, to quickly repay any debts, to work hard, to thrive under any conditions, to be able to choose the right path no matter how far down the wrong one you've gone, and to be able to look anyone in the eye, and to keep getting back up on your feet.
Two ways of expressing my thoughts on this:
1. Perhaps our focus going forward needs to be how to recapture the magic and impact of the folk story, the fairy tale, the improvised campfire tale, the tale that doesn't lecture to the mind, but captivates the heart. That mesmerizes the children, and brings back nostalgia in the old. Not the polished professional orchestral version that requires massive amounts of resources and efforts from specialists and professionals, but the simple troubadour or storyteller capable of captivating with only voice and gesture and perhaps simple song.
2.
Where has the magic gone? The dreams and thoughts, wonder and fear, joy and sadness, that filled the air as men round the fire told their tales.
Old gray hair and now creaky voice, shared wisdom, insight, vision, honor, and hard gained experience, that filled the air as men round the fire told their tales.
The young boy learning what he could become; dreams of good or nightmares of ill, images coming to life that filled the air as men round the fire told their tales.
The young man being accepted in by the old. At first repeating the stories he heard, then adding a few words of his own, taking his place, a new voice arose and filled the air as men round the fire told their tales.
The fire is long gone. The voices now silent. The chain was broken. The stories lost from conscious thought. But, somewhere in the hearts of men, echoes still remain, awaiting a time when once again men round the fire tell their tales.
Anyway, my musings for the evening.
Very well said, Gandalf.
I am self taught in playing the piano. I fit in the folk art category. I am embarrassed to play in front of others because I don't practice enough to be good. However, when I play my own worship music, I have a stronger sense of the Lord's presence than when I listen to professional worship songs. In my case, I know the Lord delights in my playing for Him, and I know He never criticizes my ability to play.