In Part 1, I laid out the need for a definition of Christian Fiction. During my research I noted that several contributions to the discussion exist, and among the most thorough and notable is Iola Goulton. We’ll walk through her work in this post, assessing the need for a definition to be qualitative, looking at what does not make a good definition, and finally approaching Goulton’s definition.
Initial Notes on the Bounds of a Definition
By the nature of the question “What is Christian Fiction?” the answer will be qualitative, especially since the more quantitive or binary methods of categorizations are obviously insufficient.
For example, a quantitative approach may say “Christian Fiction must reference and revere God the Father at least once per 5,000 words” or “all acts of vice must have their consequences put forth in the text by the end of the work” or even “there must be one salvation among the important characters.” If you want to use standards like this for your own writing, I won’t stop you, but quantative measures are not going to work for a definition. They are simply too restrictive.
Editor Iola Goulton has two strong blog posts on this topic. In the first, she gives a list of definitions which do not work for Christian Fiction. While I’ll reproduce her list here, please read her blog post for the reasoning behind the first five points; we will take some time with her last point in our post here.
Christian Fiction is not:
- Defined by the author (we must judge the work on its own merit)
- Defined by the publisher (the work could be published indepentently or with a non-Christian publisher)
- Defined by a third-party organization (e.g. they provide specific parameters for the industry)
- Defined by the bookseller (i.e. Barnes and Noble decides)
- Defined by the things included or not in the content (i.e. no drinking, cursing, no Halloween, etc.)
- Defined by the worldview presented in the book
All but the the last are self-explanatory to the Christian creative. If you disagree, let me know, and am I happy to defend.
Worldview Is Insufficient As A Tool For Definition
A worldview is a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint.1
Everyone operates with a “worldview.” Many people have not articulated theirs. Some have, but don’t use jargon like “worldview.” Every writer writes with a worldview, too.
It is a worthy pursuit to develop, in wisdom, one’s own worldview. You may then make decisions and take action according to an examined set of principles which guide your life with more intention, and it is my hope that a Christian on this journey would know God better, and that a non-Christian on this journey would continue to follow the threads of truth laying about until they arrive at the Throne of God and know Him.
That being said, I agree with Goulton that a the worldview presented in a work of fiction isn’t a good basis for a definition of Christian Fiction. In her words:
Some say Christian fiction is those novels written from a Christian world view. That sounds reasonable . . . if we could agree on “writing from a Christian worldview” means.
This is correct. Even if one limits the “worldview” in our definition to the immutable basics of God the Father, Jesus the Christ, the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins through Christ, and others, we immediately run into trouble when we ask an author to proclaim their allegiance to these things in a work of fiction. Must Pippin carry a stack of New Testaments into Gondor and hurriedly go door-to-door as the armies of Mordor approach? Should Gandalf and Aragorn spend a few chapters debating the nuances of the doctrine of the Trinity?
A worldview is excellent tool for the Christian, and a worldview is not the Bible. It is pulled from the truths displayed in the Bible; we use wisdom as best we can to transmute the lessons taught through the Bible into orthopraxy and solid, loving apologetics.
But a worldview is by definition not the Bible. So, a definition of Christian Fiction which points to the Bible itself is much more helpful. In the graphic below, our defintion should draw from the rectangle, not the half-circle.
The articulation and study of worldview is a worthy pursuit for the individual, but it is a poor cornerstone for the definition of Christian Fiction.
Where We Will Leave A Definition And Be Sanctified
A defintion of Christian Fiction will inevitably reference spiritual realities as revealed in the Bible, such as God is faithful, even in the midst of great evil and salvation may not be attained through works.
Writing good Christian Fiction will require not only strong artistry, but also a deep and deepening knowledge of spiritual realities; on one level, the identical twins orthodoxy and orthopraxy; on another, the sanctification of the writer as a person, shedding over time the lies and false beliefs hidden in the heart and flushed out only by that hound the Holy Spirit.
The definition is simply the gate in the wall to the land beyond. There is much on the other side, and we may enter together but end up in quite different places.
Iola Goulton’s Definition of Christian Fiction
Editor Iola Goulton provides her four-part definition in her blog post What Is Christian Fiction?, at the very end. While she doesn’t expound upon her defintion in the post, I encourage you to read it over there. I’ve reproduced and enumerated it here for the sake of response:
- Feature characters who are Christians, or who come to Christ in the course of the story.
- Romance should be about more than the romantic tension between the hero and heroine.
- Show the spiritual growth of either the hero or heroine, with the level of spiritual growth depending on their individual starting points. Just as in real life, we don’t get saved and suddenly become super-Christians who know everything (if only!). Christian life is about obedience to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). There would be no point if we were perfect.
- Reflect a life that’s full of imperfect Christians trying to be real and live for God in a fallen world, working out our faith in fear and trembling and allowing God to work in us.
For each point, I have a few responses:
Feature characters who are Christians, or who come to Christ in the course of the story.
This is certainly a noble inclusion for a given work of Christian Fiction, doubly so if the writer is skilled enough for it to be a thrilling journey and not preaching-by-plot. However, if we take this literally (as we must with definitions), it immediately disqualifies anything set in a fictional world, such as The Chronicles Of Narnia. It is obvious that Aslan is a “suppositional” Christ figure (dive into that definition in this wonderful Tim Challies piece), but is not Christ of this world (though Aslan references his other form in Voyage of the Dawn Treader).
By this definition, characters must have a conversion to Christ, or be Christians. This is difficult for a Science Fiction or Fantasy (SFF) story, since trying to put Christ one-for-one into your story means you then must transfer the ancient nation of Israel as well, and thus Egypt, and… you can see how this gets messy for the SFF writer quickly.
Christian Fiction will show particular spiritual truths, but should not strive to show each and every spiritual truth. The Bible contains the full set of spiritual truths necessary for us; by definition, to attempt to include all spiritual truths would cause an author to attempt to re-write the Bible with new words but the same message. This ridiculous example should highlight that the Bible is sufficient in its completeness, and we should not seek to replace the work it does with our Fiction. As the author includes spiritual realities in their work, these will point towards the Bible – the True Story.
We have wandered somewhat from Goulton’s definition above, for the reason of showing what it would take to satisfy it by the letter.
I desire a definition of Christian Fiction that is not quite as restrictive as this, for the sake of alternate world settings, and one that keeps the intent Goulton has here. However, to align with her intent, I would question the quality of any SFF Christian Fiction where redemption comes from works or willpower of people.
Romance should be about more than the romantic tension between the hero and heroine.
Christian Fiction seems to have many romance novels. I have no opinion to present on this trend, since I have not read them. This defintion seems to assume romance is included; or, perhaps, Goulton knows that there will be so much romance that comes across her desk that she must address trends within it to assist the writers.
Whether or not a book of Christian Fiction includes romance is up to the writer, and I don’t think it’s necessary (and I don’t think Goulton is saying it’s necessary here). I wonder what this rule is a response to that she has seen in her professional journey – either way, it’s a specific, niche (to me) rule that I don’t see a need to integrate into my more sweeping definition.
Either way, let us know disregard the far-reaching power of the romance novel either; Paul himself became ‘all things to all people’ so that he might save a few. A God-honoring romance novelist could do – and has done, I am sure – good and mighty work.
Show the spiritual growth of either the hero or heroine, with the level of spiritual growth depending on their individual starting points.
This is an interesting point to include in a definition: requiring that the hero or heroine show growth. While spiritual growth is certainly a good and fine thing to include in a plo – and character change of some kind is all but a requirement for a strong fiction story – this strikes me as too specific.
If the main character(s) of a book slowly fall to more and more evil (something to be handled carefully, of course, if we want to show the truth of it and honor God with how it’s presented), it’s possible for that journey to express truths about human nature. So, I disagree that spiritual growth is required for something to be Christian Fiction, but would of course recommend it as a plot inclusion.
Reflect a life that’s full of imperfect Christians trying to be real and live for God in a fallen world, working out our faith in fear and trembling and allowing God to work in us.
These are natural things to include in a work where a Christian author desires to use the inspiration of God’s story to create fiction. However, I believe this point is still too specific for the same reasons presented regarding her first point.
As written, for instance, this rule disqualifies The Chronicles of Narnia from Christian Fiction.
In Summary Regarding Goulton’s Definition of Christian Fiction
Goulton’s four points are excellent bounds for a Christian author writing contemporary fiction with Christian characters. However, I do not think the four points serve well as a definition that all Christian Fiction writers should aspire to, and does not help as the critical lens through which to evaluate work.
In short, I think the four parts of her defintion are all wonderful recommendations for plot, generally – but they are not a strong defintion.
In my next post we’ll put forth a definition of Christian Fiction built on the work of Barham and Madueme, professors at Covenant College.
I would be glad to hear your thoughts on this piece. Please comment, email me, or blog your response.
- The defintion from Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worldview
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