Michael T. Hare

A Belated Link

Hello again, traveler. Have you ever wondered about writing fantasy that honors God? Well, I guest-posted about it a little while ago on The Faithful Wanderer but forgot to link it. I am here to correct that mistake and provide you with a belated link to my post, Writing Fantasy That Glorifies.

P.S. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the comments. One of my friends, Adam Wilson, provided some insightful feedback on my post, and I liked it so much that I put his response in the comments. He thought of another way we honor God through storytelling, and I couldn’t agree more.

Responses

  1. Christopher Francis Avatar
    Christopher Francis

    Hi Michael. (I also posted this on Willow’s blog but wasn’t sure which one you would read.) I agree with your friend’s assessment as well as a lot of what you said in your post. I think your point goes beyond just fantasy writing (which admittedly is not one of my favorite genres but that’s ok since others enjoy it.) Just because a Christian creates or writes something doesn’t necessarily make it Christian (the true meaning of “”Christ-like”.) Someone who calls themselves a Christian can write or create something that doesn’t honor Christ if they have the wrong motivation. For example, if they use the talent God gave them to glorify themselves or a singer sings to impress people or receive praise from people instead of glorifying God. “But don’t beat yourself up over the presence of ‘Christianity’ in your manuscript.” This statement is very true and something I don’t beat myself up about in regards to my writing. I promised or as I put it, “made a covenant with God” many years ago regarding my writing: I will never use it to dishonor Him. That doesn’t mean everything I write (such as the seemingly hundreds of papers I had to write in college) would be written with the exclusive goal of being blatantly Christian. Yet you and your friend are right- use the talent He has given us to the best of our ability, always be willing to grow and develop it, and keep our heart’s motivations pure- to honor Christ whether He is explicitly mentioned or not. Anyone visiting my site will see that I rarely mention Jesus by name and this is not because I am ashamed or unwilling to- sometimes it is just an artistic decision, such as in my short story “Underweight.” God is not mentioned directly at all but if a reader can figure out the story’s symbolism, including for the title, they will see God is a big part of the story. And if people read about me or my Blog Manifesto, I definitely say that I am a Christian. I will not shy away from that identity but I am trying to reach all kinds of broken and doubting people- Christian or otherwise. And no, I am not trying to be “seeker-friendly” just sensitive and respectful without compromising my beliefs. All of this to say, The Word Of God influences and informs all I write on my blog whether Jesus is directly mentioned or not. He gave me the gift and I willingly give it back without hesitation or reservation. I apologize to you and Willow for the book-length comment but this is a subject I have long thought about and obviously have strong feelings about. God bless you.

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    1. Michael T. Hare Avatar
      Michael T. Hare

      This was great! This kind of subject is very prevalent in the trade of writing–all genres–and it’s honestly one of the most tough things to figure out.
      There is so much wisdom in your words, and I agree with them all, especially about reaching those who are Christian and not at the same time.

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      1. Christopher Francis Avatar
        Christopher Francis

        Thank you. 2 things I forgot to mention: 1) I incorporate a lot of the Bible, even direct quotes sometimes, into my writing, like in the short story, The Demotivation of Charlie Fitts and also in my poetry. Therefore, the Word is being exposed to my readers and sowing a seed into their minds and hearts, even if they don’t realize it. 2) It is important that when someone asks a creator what they believe or mean in their writing to not hide behind the “ambiguous You” that a lot of those who call themselves Christians do. I remember one time a band called Jars of Clay that sold in the so-called Christian market were talking about an album and boasting of how it can be a good thing to be vague and ambiguous. Maybe, at times. But if you go too far, it comes across to me as if you are too afraid to speak about Jesus for whatever reason they justify to themselves. If someone was to ask me, who I am speaking about when I use the pronoun “He” or the word “You”, I will tell them without hesitating it is God or Jesus. If you should like further insight into my perspective on writing, you can go to my site and look at my Blog Manifesto or my post, “Comments On My Writing” under the Personal Essay archive. I admire your efforts to use your talent for Christ and pray He will use you greatly. Cheers.

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