Christian fiction
Dec. 19th, 2008 04:31 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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christianreaderHi, community.
Someone just joined this community which made me feel that I should contribute to making it a bit more active.
So here's something....I often hear Christians (me included) complaining about Christian fiction. I know what my own complaints are - often it's cheesy, portraying Christianity in a shallow way, and it seems there is a required ministry message that is almost always poorly written. Still, I read it. I like knowing the character is probably going to approach things from a Christian perspective.
I guess what I'm wondering is what would be the "right" way to write Christian fiction for those of you who don't like it? I often wonder how I would incorporate faith if I wrote a book. Sure, I can write a character who isn't Christian at all, but as a Christian it would be tempting to write from a perspective that I know and live. But how do I do that in a way that doesn't just seem silly? How does one write that in a way that can be appreciated by Christians and nonChristians alike? Does it always have to be allegory?
I suppose I'm also wondering if you have read any Christian fiction that you think was well done. If so, why do you say that?
Someone just joined this community which made me feel that I should contribute to making it a bit more active.
So here's something....I often hear Christians (me included) complaining about Christian fiction. I know what my own complaints are - often it's cheesy, portraying Christianity in a shallow way, and it seems there is a required ministry message that is almost always poorly written. Still, I read it. I like knowing the character is probably going to approach things from a Christian perspective.
I guess what I'm wondering is what would be the "right" way to write Christian fiction for those of you who don't like it? I often wonder how I would incorporate faith if I wrote a book. Sure, I can write a character who isn't Christian at all, but as a Christian it would be tempting to write from a perspective that I know and live. But how do I do that in a way that doesn't just seem silly? How does one write that in a way that can be appreciated by Christians and nonChristians alike? Does it always have to be allegory?
I suppose I'm also wondering if you have read any Christian fiction that you think was well done. If so, why do you say that?
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Date: 2008-12-24 11:46 pm (UTC)But I do NOT recommend Gilbert Morris who appears to think that writing a 30+ long series of books beginning with the Mayflower Pilgrims up until fairly recent time periods, but with the same consistant plotline - Guy likes Girl, Girl not worthy of him, some sort of love triange, Guy gets Worthy Girl in the End and it turns out that they were each other's match as made in heaven...
Honestly. The seven books by Gilbert Morris that I've read were ALL like that. Consistently the same story-line, just with different characters. Blech.
If you want Christian children's fic, I highly recommend Robert Elmer's Young Underground series and Promise of Zion series. I love those books, even now that I'm grown up. :-) Young Underground takes place during and slightly post-WWII. Promise of Zion takes place in Israel as it became a state. I personally found them fairly well-written and not overly preachy. The characters felt real to me. Robert Elmer also wrote a series that takes place in Australia, "Adventures Down Under," but it felt less believable to me than YU & PoZ. His most recent trilogy that takes place in Communist Germany wasn't as well-written in my opinon, but I think they were intended for a slightly younger reader than the Young Underground.