by Jason Joyner | Mar 18, 2008 | Blog, fiction, theology, writing craft
I’m not going to be too prolific tonight. I found out today I cracked a wrist bone at the base of my right thumb, and it makes typing a little…challenging.
So how does an author reconcile God’s sovereignty and a good heroic character in fiction? I must say that I see a lot of Christian fiction books that deal with this issue in a variety of ways. There may be a non-Christian hero who acts without turning to God until a conversion toward the end of the book (though if a unsaved person is just not acknowledging the leading God is giving them, what is the difference?). The action may happen so fast and furious that the characters can only react, and don’t have time to really “give it to God”. I am reading a book currently where some of the characters are in mortal danger and mainly dealing with the trouble with occasional “help us God” prayers, but there are other saints interceding for them.
The books The Shadow and Light and The Legend of the Firefish are pretty distinctive in how they clearly address the issue. Oh, and in thinking about this subject, the series Legend of the Guardian King also shows the characters wrestle with sovereignty throughout the action.
Okay, this typing thing is getting tricky for today. I’ll pick it up tomorrow most likely.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 18, 2008 | Blog, fiction, theology, writing craft
I’m not going to be too prolific tonight. I found out today I cracked a wrist bone at the base of my right thumb, and it makes typing a little…challenging.
So how does an author reconcile God’s sovereignty and a good heroic character in fiction? I must say that I see a lot of Christian fiction books that deal with this issue in a variety of ways. There may be a non-Christian hero who acts without turning to God until a conversion toward the end of the book (though if a unsaved person is just not acknowledging the leading God is giving them, what is the difference?). The action may happen so fast and furious that the characters can only react, and don’t have time to really “give it to God”. I am reading a book currently where some of the characters are in mortal danger and mainly dealing with the trouble with occasional “help us God” prayers, but there are other saints interceding for them.
The books The Shadow and Light and The Legend of the Firefish are pretty distinctive in how they clearly address the issue. Oh, and in thinking about this subject, the series Legend of the Guardian King also shows the characters wrestle with sovereignty throughout the action.
Okay, this typing thing is getting tricky for today. I’ll pick it up tomorrow most likely.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 14, 2008 | Blog, fiction, theology, writing craft
Continuing on from my March 8th post, how can writers show the sovereignty of God along with a strong hero or protagonist? I used two examples from The Shadow and Night and The Legend of the Firefish, where two heroes believed very strongly that God was in control. These books had some very good, rich spiritual themes that they were communicating. I want to state up front that what I’m drawing out of these books to discuss are most likely not points the authors were trying to make. Please don’t read too much into my analysis, because I’m using the stories to try and explore a different question.
Having said that, is there any problem with my question? If we go to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, sovereignty can be defined as “3. supreme and independent power or authority in a state.” The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology states the sovereignty of God is “the Biblical teaching that God is king, supreme ruler, and lawgiver of the entire universe.” To sum up, God is in control.
In fiction, generally a hallmark of a good story is a protagonist who acts. Stories and plots can carry a hero along, even one who is rather weak and not actively doing something. Usually though, readers prefer a strong leading man or lady – someone who may be thrown at times by what is happening within the framework of the story, but then finds a way to face the conflict and triumph over it. Many writing books talk about the need to have the main character ACT – to do something and not just be pushed around like a rag doll.
I think the potential conflict between God’s sovereignty and a strong hero becomes more evident with these definitions. I’ll look more at this conflict next.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 14, 2008 | Blog, fiction, theology, writing craft
Continuing on from my March 8th post, how can writers show the sovereignty of God along with a strong hero or protagonist? I used two examples from The Shadow and Night and The Legend of the Firefish, where two heroes believed very strongly that God was in control. These books had some very good, rich spiritual themes that they were communicating. I want to state up front that what I’m drawing out of these books to discuss are most likely not points the authors were trying to make. Please don’t read too much into my analysis, because I’m using the stories to try and explore a different question.
Having said that, is there any problem with my question? If we go to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, sovereignty can be defined as “3. supreme and independent power or authority in a state.” The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology states the sovereignty of God is “the Biblical teaching that God is king, supreme ruler, and lawgiver of the entire universe.” To sum up, God is in control.
In fiction, generally a hallmark of a good story is a protagonist who acts. Stories and plots can carry a hero along, even one who is rather weak and not actively doing something. Usually though, readers prefer a strong leading man or lady – someone who may be thrown at times by what is happening within the framework of the story, but then finds a way to face the conflict and triumph over it. Many writing books talk about the need to have the main character ACT – to do something and not just be pushed around like a rag doll.
I think the potential conflict between God’s sovereignty and a strong hero becomes more evident with these definitions. I’ll look more at this conflict next.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2008 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reviews
The CFBA blog tour for Monday – Wednesday this week is the latest book from Robin Lee Hatcher, A Perfect Life. Robin is a highly prolific and talented author. When I asked my wife if she would like to read one of her books for the tour, I got the most enthusiastic response from any time I’ve asked her.
So without further ado, a special review from my wife, Beccy:
Robin Lee Hatcher is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to get to read this book (in one day!) For a start, I loved this book because it was set in Idaho – a place I’m familiar with. It talked about a good Christian woman who had ministered to so many ladies with broken marriages and lives, and she was now thrust into the same type of situation.
This book is about heart issues. When faced with the same things she had said to others, she didn’t believe what her own advice had been. She had to come to the bottom of despair to realize that God was there for her, as well as the other women she had counseled. It made her a stronger, wiser woman.
The characterization was great. The reader knows the characters from the inside out. The realism in these people kept me interested enough to finish in one day. I don’t know what more to say, because it was a well written, enjoyable story.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2008 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reviews
The CFBA blog tour for Monday – Wednesday this week is the latest book from Robin Lee Hatcher, A Perfect Life. Robin is a highly prolific and talented author. When I asked my wife if she would like to read one of her books for the tour, I got the most enthusiastic response from any time I’ve asked her.
So without further ado, a special review from my wife, Beccy:
Robin Lee Hatcher is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to get to read this book (in one day!) For a start, I loved this book because it was set in Idaho – a place I’m familiar with. It talked about a good Christian woman who had ministered to so many ladies with broken marriages and lives, and she was now thrust into the same type of situation.
This book is about heart issues. When faced with the same things she had said to others, she didn’t believe what her own advice had been. She had to come to the bottom of despair to realize that God was there for her, as well as the other women she had counseled. It made her a stronger, wiser woman.
The characterization was great. The reader knows the characters from the inside out. The realism in these people kept me interested enough to finish in one day. I don’t know what more to say, because it was a well written, enjoyable story.
