Does Fiction Lie? Thoughts on Truth and Christian Storytelling

 

"Is it wrong for Christians to ... write, read or even watch fictitious material?" asked a commenter named Mukwemba on Zondervan's Facebook page today.

Mukwemba (who permitted the use of her name here) adds some important context: her Christian friends do not approve of fiction, arguing this:

Fiction is wrong because it's not true... As Christians we should hold fast to the truth and not saturate our minds with falsehoods regardless of what "good" they seem to bring about.

I'm sure Mukwemba's friends are well-meaning, but I believe they are mistaken. I will show you why writing fiction can be an excellent calling.

 

An Editor Speaks

I sent Mukwemba's question to my coworker Sue Brower, who is an Executive Editor here at Zondervan. Sue says:

When Jesus wanted to teach something to his disciples, he used story—Parables.  Fiction is truth in story form.  It makes concepts more accessible to the reader because the reader relates to the characters and sees themselves in the story.

I agree wholeheartedly with Sue. Let's look more closely at the biblical basis behind these points.

 

3 Biblical Observations about Fiction

1. Fiction can help us understand, love, and serve others.

A writer (whom I can't recall) said stories help us "extend our sympathies" toward others who are different from us. In other words, stories can open our eyes to suffering we didn't see before. With our new awareness, we can choose to better love and serve others.

I can think of two examples where fiction is even linked to changes in public policy. Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, portrayed the struggle of older workers so well that Miller's story was invoked during a 1968 Senate hearing (The Adequacy of Services for Older Workers) as a sketch of the obstacles that face older Americans. Also, a novel by Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, actually influenced the passing of new health legislation for the meatpacking industry in the city of Chicago!

 

2. Fiction can show you truth about yourself.

Sometimes a story is a mirror. Let's look at an example from the Bible: after King David hides his sin with Bathsheba, remember how Nathan gets through to David? Nathan goes to David and says,

'There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 'Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.' David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, 'As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.' Then Nathan said to David, 'You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: "I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul... Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites..."' Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." [-From 2 Samuel 12:1-18, NIV]

So if you're reading a story and think, "I can relate to this character," keep your eyes peeled. You may find some some fresh insight into your own motivations, and maybe even sins. I've been given a few such "eureka" moments through fiction, most memorably from reading Douglas Coupland's story collection, Life After God, and a short story by Flannery O'Connor called "Everything That Rises Must Converge." These stories revealed some of my attitudes that needed to change.

 

3. Good fiction packages reality into memorable truth.

As Sue writes above, "Fiction is truth in story form." Think about Jesus's Parable of the Prodigal Son. Can you imagine one of the disciples interrupting Jesus to say, "Before you go any further, Teacher, did this story actually happen?"

(Image: Rembrandt's interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.)

I could write about faith and fiction all day, but instead I'll recommend a few books on writing fiction by Christian writers.

 

5 Books on Fiction by Christian Writers

• A Stay Against Confusion: Essays on Faith and Fiction by Christian novelist Ron Hansen. (Published by HarperCollins.)
• Shouts and Whispers: Twenty-One Writers Speak about Their Writing and Their Faith. Includes essays from fiction writers such as Madeline L'Engle, Ann Lamott, Frederick Buechner, Walt Wangerin Jr., and a lot more. (Published by Eerdmans.)
• Creative Writing for People Who Can't Not Write by Kathryn Lindskoog. A book on writing, not just fiction, but Creative Writing includes a fine chapter on the wonder of creativity, and Lindskoog writes elegant and wise prose throughout.  Sample: "A good writer is a graceful guest in a reader's brain." (Published by Zondervan.) 
• Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor. This collection of essays by the short-story great includes O'Connor's four essays on the interplay of faith and fiction. Also included are two renowned essays on the craft of fiction, including "The Nature and Aim of Fiction." (Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.)
• Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church by Philip Yancey. Yancey shares how his faith has been nourished by the work of Christian fiction writers including G.K. Chesterton, Leo Tolstoy, and Fyodr Dostoyevsky. Yancey doesn't only write about authors though; for instance, he discusses Martin Luther King Jr. (Published by Doubleday.)

 

Lastly, An Open Note to Mukwemba

Your desire to honor the Father in your stories is excellent. I encourage you to remember that motivation during further discussions with your friends. It's good to listen to your friends, so keep listening with an open mind. Also share truth in love with them, and even if you and your friends don't end up in total agreement, then I pray you'll come to a greater understanding of one another. And today I pray for you to continue to honor the Father in all the best ways you know how.   

 

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan

 

(This post does not necessarily represent the views of Zondervan. The writer's opinions are their own, and are shared for information purposes only. To receive new blogposts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

Comments

[Rachel]

This was a beautiful reminder; thank you, Adam.

[Cecelia Dowdy]

When judgemental Christians say that fiction is akin to lying, I want to ask them, so, you don't watch ANY movies - most movies are stories - you never watch ANY tv shows except for the news and sports and talk shows? No comedy, drama, etc, since most of these on TV are not true either? I think you'd have to search far and wide to find someone who doesn't watch TV or movies at all, never, because of untruth. Also, what do these people do who have children? If a child is given a novel or fictitious book to read for a class, does the parent make the child fail the assignment and not read the "untrue" book? What about if said child is learning to read? Most children's books like Dr. Seuss books and the like are not true - they're silly and entertaining stories that help children with word association and they need this basis to learn how to read. I could go on and on, but, that's something I just wanted to throw out there for those who have negative views about fiction and Christian fiction. As an Christian fiction author myself, I feel I need to defend myself and other authors against such thinking...

[Rich Tatum]

I never had this problem with fiction, per se, but I did struggle with this when it comes to certain childhood mythologies. (Santa, toothy fairies, etc.)

I got over it. :)

See my blog post: Telling Lies for Fun and Profit: The Tooth Fairy (http://rat.li/x6XPqj )/

Rich

[Patrick Whalen]

As I began to read this article, I recognized a similar statement I have heard more than once regarding this topic. However, I was pleased with the conclusions of the author. Fiction is indeed a powerful medium to tell the stories of our faith. We can form and mold characters and scenes that relate to people from all walks of life. Those characters can than travel through a pseudo-reality that highlights the teachings of our savior. Parents and teachers throughout time have taught valuable lessons via storytelling. Fiction writers are nothing more than an extension of that method.

[Zondervan Blog]

@Rachel: Thank you for your kind words.

@Cecilia: You're right that stories are so ubiquitous in our lives, sometimes we forget all the ways we encounter them. Thank you for adding to the discussion.

@Rich: I enjoyed your post and comments. "I’m a fairy taler" -- love it. :-) I think it's great you use your gifts to tell your children stories that interest and delight them. They will remember those times fondly.

@Patrick: Thank you for your feedback. I agree with you that fiction is valuable for teaching. Stories can be delightful, too -- and I think the lessons that delight us "sink in" especially deep...

[J Douglass Vaughn-Harris]

I would like to order Today's Parallel Bible

[Kate McCord]

Fiction is a neutral wrapper, package or vehicle that can be used to reveal truth or lies. When we choose fiction to communicate truth we deliver our message in a way that honors the listener and allows him or her to explore and apply that truth for themselves. We also trust the Holy Spirit to confirm truth in the hearts of people.

[Jean S.]

Jesus Christ owns the truth and Jesus Christ IS the truth....ONLY He is qualified to make up parables. Notice that not even the apostles did so. End of story.

[Shawn Pleil]

Sorry Jean S. but your comment is complete nonsense.

Jesus Christ owns the truth and Jesus Christ IS the truth....ONLY He is qualified to make up parables. Notice that not even the apostles did so. End of story

That is like telling your kids not to smoke
then lighting up a smoke in front of them everyday.

Basically you're saying it's ok for Jesus to lie because he is Jesus. It just not ok for the rest of us.

Would it be ok for Jesus to murder someone just because he is Jesus.

That is not how it works. Jesus had to be sinless, he had to not sin so anything he did in his life was not a sin. Sins don't become holy because Jesus does them, he never did them.

So telling a fictitious story is not a sin.

Here is your comment with parables switched with lies, now read it.

Jesus Christ owns the truth and Jesus Christ IS the truth....ONLY He is qualified to make up lies. Notice that not even the apostles did so. End of story.

End of story.