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by Karen Hancock The Lord of
the Rings, The Song of Albion, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the
Unbeliever, The Wheel of Time, The Farseer Trilogy, Watership Down, The Prydain Chronicles, The
Sword of Shannara, The Belgariad, The Chronicles of Narnia…
All are well-known, well-loved fantasy series, many of them my personal
favorites. Why do I love to read Fantasy? Because, of all the genres, I think
fantasy, by its very nature, most leans toward illustrating important
spiritual truths. Even secular fantasies do so—in rather great
numbers—despite the fact it is sometimes obvious their writers had little
intention of doing so The typical fantasy is epic,
involving great battles for freedom, even for the survival of the
world--concerns that overreach the mundane and petty details of day to day
life. These battles almost always involve the supernatural forces of evil at
war with the supernatural forces of good, usually in a visibly manifest
conflict which parallels the invisible supernatural war believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ are involved in on earth. Knowing about this battle and our
place in it gives our lives meaning and purpose. Even if we must engage in
mundane activities, we can know that they have great significance in the
unseen war. Of all the genres,
fantasy is the only one that acknowledges the existence of this battle, and
for that reason I would claim it is in some ways more representative of
reality than more “realistic” stories which, if anything, tend to convey the
message that it doesn’t exist. As there are always certain
characters who possess the ability to discern the presence/approach of evil
forces in a fantasy story--and defend against them--so Christians, through
the filling of the Holy Spirit and the serious, daily study of the Word of
God, acquire the ability to discern and defend against the supernatural
forces of evil in our own world. Evil which is far more pervasive and subtle
than people generally think. The devil, after all, "has deceived the
whole world," is the Prince of the powers of the air, and walks about
like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. He is a master counterfeiter,
appearing as an angel of light, sending out counterfeit ministers who teach
people how to be righteous (!) and in so doing keeps most people completely
ignorant of his schemes. And he delights in using the most mundane details of
a believer's life to bring him down.
And just as in many fantasy stories, he will succeed if the believer
doesn’t recognize what’s going on and work to fight against it. The common presence of kings and
other royalty in fantasy stories is another aspect of fantasy that I enjoy.
This set-up provides an obvious metaphor for our relationship with the Lord,
and illustrates not only the humility and devotion required of those who
serve the king, but also the responsibilities and self-sacrifice required of
the king himself. Contrasting characters show the pitfalls of refusing to
submit to the rightful authority, and the destructive power of having
authority and abusing it. The use of characters who have royal blood also
reminds us of our own status as kings and lords in the royal family of God. Fantasy themes typically include loyalty, courage,
self-sacrifice, and the need to be ever vigilant in fighting against the
forces of evil. Because fantasy worlds tend to be modeled on our own
historical past and their storylines focused on issues higher than any one
person’s self-absorbed goals, the characters and societies, at least the good
ones, tend to have more respect for virtue and honor, and so cultivate a
higher standard of morality. Best of all, fantasy novels are
almost always about great heroes which I see as illustrative of our Lord, the
greatest hero of all. Courage,
confidence, humility, self-sacrifice, virtue, perseverance, love—the
qualities of a hero reflect our Lord’s character. They are also the qualities
to which we ourselves should all aspire since we have been designed by God to
be heroes just like Him in the unseen battle in which we fight. Especially
significant to me is the fact that being a hero always exacts a price. Frequently the hero is presented in
the context of a journey which echoes that of our Savior’s. He typically
begins the story as a menial of unknown parentage (often turning out to be a
king’s son) who suddenly comes to realize not only that there is a great
battle raging—or about to break out—in his world, but that he has a calling
upon his life to fight in it. He also discovers in himself unusual abilities
that will be required to win it. After enduring many trials and difficulties
(the cross before the crown) the hero and his followers succeed in defeating the evil and
delivering the realm. Justice prevails and the rule of good triumphs, as will
eventually occur in our own world. All of those principles I see as
having important bearing on my own life, and I love to see them play out in
the different ways authors choose to develop them. I love heroes, love
following them through their journeys. They always make me think of my Lord,
and often give me new ways to relate to Him. Finally, I love using the
imagination God has given me to create in my own mind the fabulous and
fascinating realms that others have devised for their stories. Not only is it just plain fun, it also
provides ways of looking at spiritual truths from angles I might not have
considered before. With echoes of the Savior’s life and
character, stories that remind me of who I am and why I am here, and themes
that provoke thoughts of God’s sovereignty, justice and love—why would I not
love to read Fantasy? Add in the elements of suspense, mystery, action and
romance that characterize many fantasies, and how could I not recommend the
genre to one and all? Copyright
2005 Karen Hancock |
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For further
reading on this subject: Strangers on the Border between Two Lands by Donna Farley “Christian fans of SF and fantasy are a peculiar minority group, frequently hit with a double whammy of prejudice and misunderstanding. In fandom, they are often looked upon as uncool, narrow-minded, anti-science devotees of an outmoded belief that a truly enlightened civilization… In their own faith communities, Christians who like that sci-fi stuff are likely to be regarded with puzzlement or even downright suspicion…” (click on the link for more) "Why Are Americans Afraid of Dragons?" by Ursula LeGuin (From The Language of the Night, available from Amazon.com) An essay in which she addresses the issue that as adults we shy away from fantasy. The tendency is to regard it as juvenile, escapist fluff, not serious literature from which great insights can be gained. Especially great spiritual insights. Good
Fantasy & Bad Fantasy by Gene Edward Veith (Christian research
institute) (click on link for article) Reading
Between the Lines (A
Christian Guide to Literature) by
Gene Edward Veith, Jr. (also available through Amazon) |
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