How Explicit is Your World View?

I've been disturbed by something lately, and it's almost ironic that I, an avowed teller of parables, would be disturbed by this. But I am, nonetheless.

Lately--for the last several years, in fact--I've become aware of a growing movement in Christian writers' circles to push something called "Christian worldview fiction." The gist is that a book doesn't have to have Christian content to be considered a Christian book--it's enough if the writer is a Christian with a Christian worldview.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy that. John Grisham is a Christian, and THE TESTAMENT and THE CHAMBER have Christian content. But THE FIRM doesn't, so I don't think Mr. Grisham's worldview qualifies that latter book as "Christian fiction." I don't think he'd make that case, either.

I keep saying--if you're going to make a banana pie, there has to be something of the banana about it. Either chunks of banana, or at least banana flavoring. Just because the pie isn't cherry doesn't make the pie banana. Just because a banana made the pie (I know, the analogy's stretching thin), doesn't mean it's a banana pie. If a banana could cook, don't you think he could choose to make something other than banana pies? Of course he could.

I remember experiencing an epiphany one day when I realized that I could write erotica. Not that I wanted to or planned to, but that I was technically capable. (I was so used to Christian fiction being so soundly bashed--mostly by Christian people who claim they don't read it--that I had begun to think of myself as incapable of competing in the open market.)

But then I realized that, hey, I can write anything. My intellectual world view doesn't constrain me one bit. What constrains me is my devotion to and love for Jesus. I love him, I want to obey him, and writing erotica would not bring glory to his name.

There are lots of things I can't write for the same reason. On my forty-fifth birthday, I realized that I was half-way to ninety. (You can imagine how I'll feel when I hit fifty next year.) Suddenly my lifespan had a cap on the other end. And even though I had written over 100 books, I realized I'd be hard-pressed to write another 100. (I'm getting slower and more thoughtful as I age.)

I only have a finite number of days in which to write. Maybe less than another fifty years. Wow. :-)

Therefore . . . how can I--a woman who has been called by God to love and obey him first and foremost--how can I write anything less than a story that illustrates his love for mankind? Or that illustrates the reality of what happens to a life that rejects him?

I do write parables that may not be overtly spiritual on the surface, but because I care for my readers, I always include discussion questions or something to urge the reader to think deeper. This isn't "dumbing down" the material at all, it's helping readers to think beyond the story and explore the depths of meaning. I know that fiction can and should stand on its own, that's why I don't include explanations in the story. But I would be remiss if I wrote a story that led the reader to search for God . . . and he went to Buddha or some other false teacher.

And if a story only illustrates a Christian quality like love or mercy or truth . . . well, those are lovely, godly virtues, but the world's prevailing humanism says that those things originate in man, not in God. So unless I'm pointing out the true source of those things, am I not misleading the reader? Am I not simply joining the ranks of those who perpetrate the FOG BOM philosophy? (Fatherhood of God, brotherhood of man). How is my story distinctively Christian if there's no Christ in it?

As a Christian, I can find godly virtues and values in almost any story--that's why I began a neighborhood book club that reads secular books. God's common grace abounds to all, and we all enjoy it even though many people don't recognize its source.

I fear that too many Christians don't want to be thought of as unhip, anti-intellectual, or, heaven forbid, firmly set upon ANY standard. So we create wishy-washy creations/programs/platforms that will be applauded by worldly people because they're inoffensive, artsy, and/or creative. (This movement has also popped up in churches, BTW. It's everywhere.)

Jesus told stories. He told parables that were overtly non-religious, but they had deep, often divisive meanings. When people didn't "get it," he told them the meaning behind his stories, and he didn't pull any punches.

My book with Mandisa is rolling out right now. She took a firm stand for Christ and said that while she loves everybody, she wouldn't feel comfortable performing at an event sponsored by homosexuals. Has she taken flack? You bet. But she took a STAND.

Time is short, life is brief, and our duty is clear. If I'm not pointing people to Jesus--if my characters aren't illustrating spiritual truths or reaching out to God (depending on the type of story I'm writing), then why am I calling it "Christian fiction?"

This, of course, is my conviction, my two cents. I know other writers have opinions about this, but as readers, what do you think?

~~Angie

P.S. Happy anniversary to my hubby of 27 years today! (Sunday).