Fantastical Truth

‘Tis the season for graduations. Right now some students are happy to leave their textbooks behind. But what sorts of books should faithful readers want to take with them, not just in their childhood and teenage years, but into their lives as Christ-following grown-ups? Today’s guest has given many a graduation speech, and he’s also the author of middle-grade fantasy: Houston Christian University president Dr. Robert Sloan. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Warsafe by Lauren Smyth Realm Makers Expo 2025 Omega Plan by Jonathon Karagiannis Earthburst by Dan Megill Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Echo Nova last week, Every Hour Until Then this week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: Dr. Robert Sloan Robert B. Sloan is the author of the young adult fantasy series Hamelin Stoop. Having grown up in West Texas, Robert says the setting of the Hamelin Stoop series is near to his heart. He is married to his college sweetheart, Sue. With seven married children and over twenty grandchildren, they enjoy large family gatherings with good food and lively conversation around the table. Favorite family activities include playing games, writing and reading stories, and, of course, storytelling. Robert is also a scholar and president of Houston Christian University. RobertBSloan.com Facebook: @DrRobertBSloan X: @DrRobertBSloan Instagram: @robertbsloan YouTube: @RobertBSloan-eg8xv In the Lorehaven Library: the Hamelin Stoop middle-grade fantasy series The Hamelin Stoop books are available from Amazon or from the 12 Gates Publishing website. In the Lorehaven Library: the Hamelin Stoop middle-grade fantasy series 1. Children need adults’ rules for great fantasy Stephen: backstory about learning to love biblical truth at a young age. At the same time, I was enjoying cartoons with time travelers and robots. Later I entered Narnia (at first in many wrong ways) and other worlds. Other kids, I’m sure, grew to love more better stories at a young age. Yet I was blessed simply because books=unlimited, computer=limited. At this age, I’d strongly recommend the same general approach for kids. Game/screen time is fine, but should be saved for “dessert.” Books first! Most essential: books that illustrate biblical truth, beauty, and goodness. 2. Teens/YA may like more challenging stories By this age some stories may “break” some preexisting assumptions. Teens by nature will test beliefs to find weak points, not always sinfully. This includes ideas in books that challenge evangelical worldview tenets. Great stories reflect this struggle and illustrate the student’s struggles. Of course, there is some risks. Some stories will provide false answers. Secular (and even “clean”) YA-marketed stories can be very shallow. But we sell these readers short by viewing teen/YA stories are cheap. They’ll be prepared for the good stuff if they already know great stories! 3. Adults grow enough to enjoy fantasy again “I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be your affectionate Godfather, C. S. Lewis.” from the Dedication to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe We must of course cite Lewis’s quote that emphasizes the circle-back. Stephen: I don’t think adults age out of reading books for younger ages In fact, for the really good “younger” books, they’ll now be unlocked! Great “children’s” fantasy and “teen/YA” fantasy will reveal their secrets. Adults can, however, enjoy more substantive novels and many classics. That’s the ideal; a greater challenge, now, is making adults keep reading! We face challenges of time, interest, and ever-present screen distraction. Yet we, perhaps as much as children, need illustrations of biblical gospel. Com station What books have you loved ever since childhood? Next on Fantastical Truth Kathryn needs no magical stone, slingshots around the sun, or fantastic phone box. She can time travel quite naturally, falling sleep in Victorian London only to wake up in World War II London. Now she’s caught up in a quest to save her sister from Jack the Ripper and choose only one timeline by her 25th birthday. Every Hour Until Then author Gabrielle Meyer joins us to explore: What is time travel romance, and why do readers love it?

“This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child. It is a very important story because it shows how all the comings and goings between our own world and the land of Narnia first began.” Seventy years after its publication on May 2, 1955, why do we still love Lewis’s sixth Chronicles of Narnia book, The Magician’s Nephew? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Warsafe by Lauren Smyth Realm Makers Expo 2025 Omega Plan by Jonathon Karagiannis Earthburst by Dan Megill Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Arrows and Gems last week, Echo Nova this week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes Notice how the Jadis casting was leaked and then confirmed within a few days, yet we have nothing but a rumor of being “in talks” and radio silence re: Aslan? If Greta locked in Streep, a Hollywood legend, wouldn’t they have celebrated it with a very clear confirmation ? I predict this rumor is an anchor—a way to prepare fans for the worst—while the actual casting change is much less drastic or controversial. . . . —@NarniaYouTube thread on X, April 28, 2025 Emma Mackey to Star as Jadis the White Witch in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, NarniaWeb.com, April 25, 2025 Prologue Stephen recently re-enjoyed the tale thanks to Sir Kenneth Branagh. Each Narnian tale is unique; this one is because it feels so modern-ish. Two child heroes meet a magician and end up travelling a multiverse. Unlike other Narnian stories, in this one, the children “control” magic. There are rules for its origin and use, feeling a bit more grown-up. We do argue this is book 6, but as a child, Stephen read this one early! 1. We love Digory’s fall and redemption Of all Lewis’s child heroes, Digory comes closest to being a self-insert. He’s lost and alone in a big city, finding comfort in his imagination. His mother is ailing and near death, further threatening his real world. But he’s also a stubborn boy, even a little of what we call “misogynist.” He and Polly Plummer squabble like siblings, but care for one another. Digory makes one fateful choice that brings an evil in other worlds. Only by going into a certain other world can he find truth and healing. 2. We love seeing the Genesis of Narnia Of all The Magician’s Nephew, this scene could make or break a movie. The great lion Aslan sings the world of Narnia into being as its creator. This is epic and mythical, musical, like a montage but also in real time. Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre adapts this scene so reverently. Even at their origin, the Narnian animals are so distinctive and comical. Sir Kenneth Branagh, by the way, gives each creature a fantastic voice. And of course, readers learn the origins of some ideas in later books. 3. We love more time with the great Aslan The great Lion is of course unquestionably the heart of this story. The children, Frank, Strawberry, and Helen, instinctively honor him. But the adults, Jadis and Uncle Andrew, hate him in their special ways. In fact, much of Aslan’s goodness is “seen” in simple contrast to evil. Jadis is a manipulative magician, and Uncle Andrew is a foolish cousin. Lewis expertly understood and showed the depth and banality of evils. That’s why it’s so important for any film version to get Aslan right. Com station What do you love about The Magician’s Nephew? Next on Fantastical Truth ‘Tis the season for graduations. Right now some students are happy to leave their textbooks behind . But what sorts of books should faithful readers want to take with them, not just in their childhood and teenage years, but into their lives as Christ-following grown-ups? Next week’s guest has given many graduation speeches, and created his own middle-grade fantasy: Houston Christian University president Dr. Robert Sloan.

This week, we’re still in Resurrection Sunday mood.[1. Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash.] So let’s consider a big biblical idea. It’s so important that all stories reflect this—the big idea that the Law of God should lead us to the grace of God. But how many stories get these concepts out of balance? When do they swerve too far toward “law,” and into legalism, or too far toward “grace,” and into cheap grace? Episode sponsors “1232” epic audio drama podcast Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Curse of Silence before, Arrows and Gems next Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Key Scripture text: Romans 3:21–31 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Romans 3:21–31 (ESV) 1. Great stories illustrate God’s Law God’s Law is His righteous standard for perfect love and obedience. His Law is good and justified, being defined by goodness Himself. Last week we talked about biblical fiction that illustrates, not instructs. Other types of fiction do this with the idea that God gives moral law. For instance, maybe you grew up hearing Sunday school moral fables. The story’s appeal wasn’t in plot or character, but in the moral virtue. Even now, parents want to know what moral idea a story is About. Other tales get more complex but still divide simple right from wrong: Fairy tales and modern versions show pretty heroes, ugly villains Hero stories show the goodness in manmade authority structure Many good Star Trek stories (TV only) show leaders at their best Detective stories or police procedurals generally uphold the law Westerns (or space westerns) have good sheriffs and bad outlaws But bad stories subvert God’s Law into ‘cheap law’ Legalism is the conviction that law-keeping is now, after the fall, the ground of our acceptance with God. I will say that again: legalism is the conviction that law-keeping is the ground of our acceptance with God, the ground of God being for us and not against us. So if you ask, “How can I get God to be for me and not against me?” the legalist answer is “Keep the law. Perform the law.” —John Piper, “What Is Legalism?” Sunday-school tales ignore plot and reality to teach abstract morals. Evangelical social-drama movies imply quick results for right belief. Conversion becomes an act of will: pray this prayer, get a happy life. These stories ignore real problems with churches, Christians, cultures. Cheap-law stories imply we can use morality “pieces” of the Bible. They imply these pieces can improve ourselves, families, or cultures. Such misuse of God’s Law exalts our own power, as if can be perfect. Alas, even conservative-leaning philosophers are enabling this view. And as people correct for lawlessness, we’re going to see more of this. God’s Law leads us to repentance, or to becoming “twice sons of Hell.” 2. Great stories illustrate God’s grace God’s grace is His unmerited favor on people who can’t keep His Law. His grace is offered through His own sacrifice on behalf of sinners. This month, we heard even more about His death and resurrection. Many works of fiction celebrate this by showing heroic self-sacrifice. Unlike our Savior, of course, these heroes are flawed yet die for others. Cassian Andor (of Rogue One) is destined to surrender his life. Most superheroes also do this death, like Superman and Iron Man. Yet heroes can also show unmerited favor in other non-lethal ways: Heroes show mercy to their enemies, refusing to be vengeful. A few may even say, “I forgive you” to a broken or contrite enemy Frodo does this to Gollum. Harry Potter does this to Draco Malfoy. Luke Skywalker mercies his Dark Side-fallen father, Darth Vader. But bad stories subvert God’s grace into ‘cheap grace’ Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism

Guess what’s big at the box office and the streaming-service menu, boys? It’s biblical fiction! From the giant-smash hit House of David on Amazon Prime, to The Chosen and its planned Bibleverse, to the new King of Kings animated Jesus movie and even more adaptations from Old and New Testaments, these creations are winning millions of fans but also some evangelical enemies. Few of these seem interested in asking: what is biblical fiction? Mission update Lorehaven action item: Captive last week, Curse of Silence this week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Fathoms by Lisa T. Bergren Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb Quotes and notes Stephen’s series of Lorehaven articles: Discerning Biblical Fiction Yes, Dallas Jenkins is Launching the Bible Cinematic Universe Christian-Made Stories Got Even Better in 2024 ‘Gabriel and the Guardians’ Echoes a Golden Era of Saturday Morning Cartoons Amazon’s ‘House of David’ Anoints an Intriguing Biblical Epic Fantastical Truth episode 148. Why Do Some Christians Revile ‘The Chosen’? | with Josiah DeGraaf and Jenneth Dyck Fantastical Truth episode 237. How Has ‘The Chosen’ Become The World’s Top Christian-Made Fandom? | with Ryan Swanson Two Christians Made a Show about Jews. It’s Phenomenal, Batya Ungar-Sargon at The Free Press, March 23, 2025 What do we mean by “biblical fiction”? To understand the label of biblical fiction, let’s define it briefly and carefully. Let’s start by accepting what biblical fiction is not meant to be. It’s not a replacement for Scripture. It’s not a sermon or textbook about Scripture. It’s not an exact, verse-by-verse re-enactment of Scripture. It’s not only focused on historical figures like Jesus, Mary, or Paul. Instead, let’s understand and accept what biblical fiction is meant to be. It is set in ancient times as described by the Bible. It often involves historical people that Scripture describes. It often explores plotlines and specific events we read in Scripture. It usually adds situations, people, or events we don’t read in Scripture Based on these points, let’s build a working description of biblical fiction: Biblical fiction is set in biblical times and often involves real-world people, plotlines, and events we read about in the Scripture, while sometimes adding people, plotlines, events, and settings that are not in Scripture. Let’s accept the story “rules” for biblical fiction. Viewers (and readers, etc.) should recognize this definition of what biblical fiction is. Then we must adjust our expectations. That’s just part of good interpretation practice, whether we read the Bible or engage with any person’s creative work.[1. Adapted from Stephen’s article Behold the Fantastic Purposes of ‘The Chosen’ and Other Great Biblical Fiction, Lorehaven, May 3, 2021.] 1. Biblical fiction does not instruct in the Bible. This confusion arises when Christians only have one category for “big popular thing that aims to say something about the Biblical account” That “big popular thing” category many have is simply this: preacher. Many have little interest in other ways that we share the Scripture. But most already know we have songs, kids’ books, even summaries. Every single person who complains about biblical fiction is already assuming (not preaching) certain ideas they think are from Scripture. That’s half the argument: preaching is great, but it’s not everything. Stephen compares preaching/teaching to instruction, as the Bible says: The book of Proverbs urges instruction not just by teaching Bible in church, but at home. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) “He [the church overseer] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:9) For instance, The Chosen presents many of Jesus’s miracles and full-length sermons (and the occasional parables), but not to teach us. Instead, these events are teaching the characters in the story itself. That’s why a show, literally about the most famous Preacher Who ever lived, is not itself preachy. Its writers are thinking about their audience, but the audience sees people, not sermons. Any sermons in the show are meant first for the characters themselves, who may resemble viewers. (By the way, authors: this is how you can handle sermons in fiction! They will not solve everything for our heroes, but only add more challenge.) Joseph Fiennes portrays Roman tribune Clavius, an extra-biblical but not unbiblical character, in the biblical fiction drama Risen (2016). 2. Biblical fiction does illustrate the Bible. However, biblical fiction i

“Fallen, fallen is Disney the great! The Mouse has become a dwelling place for cringe, a haunt for every unclean secularist agenda, a haunt for every flopbuster franchise, a haunt for every unclean and detestable remake.” Yes, we know the line. But after facing fairy-stale adaptations, flippant super-capers, and the adrift vessels of “Stalled” Wars, how could we restore Disney? Mission update Lorehaven review: Ice retro review last week, Captive this week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Fathoms by Lisa T. Bergren Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb 1. How to unmake unmagical Disney remakes Much of this chapter is about all of The Walt Disney Company proper. Disney likely can’t apologize or officially throw its people under the bus. That would be bad business as well as illegal (NDAs) and dishonorable. However, Disney can certainly signal it’s learned a lesson from fans. Stephen offers several big steps for the Mouse to re-earn its good graces. Halt all remakes and all Disney-branded movies after Lilo and Stitch. Re-release and celebrate Disney legacy films exclusively in theaters Not a cheap re-release either; presentation matters here! The point is not a cash grab. It’s to show fans healthy pride. Isn’t that the point of the cheesy “believe in yourself” canard? This can relieve the “Disney is embarrassed of its legacy” charge. Cut prices for Disney+, theme parks, anything else that they can Delete (not just modify) all the “content warnings” on Disney Plus Add new programming to honor expressions of traditional values For U.S. relations, it wouldn’t hurt to join in with “civil religion” events like next year’s Quadricentennial (Hall of Presidents?) Quietly cancel plans to bulldoze Rivers of America for Cars stuff Ad campaigns, then stories, specifically about traditional families Bonus: release all the Muppet Vision 3D legacy show on streaming. 2. How to repair the stalled Star Wars saga Finally and truly retire Kathleen Kennedy with her gold C3PO watch. Appoint Jon Favreau in charge or else Tony Gilroy, with creative freedom. Ignore (or quickly wrap up plots from) shows that were utter failures. Make more films like the epic Andor that treat Star Wars more sincerely. Perhaps most important: rehire Gina Carano with some kind of apology! Consider spinning off the brand for its own “studio” with independence. That way, if something goes south, Disney can simply disavow all that. Models: a studio like A24, with emphasis on directors, not directives. Appoint a brain trust to maintain continuity and voice, then back off. 3. How to bring back the Marvel Cinematic Universe Recently the MCU revealed big(?) cast members for Avengers: Doomsday A few are names Stephen doesn’t recognize, from Disney Plus and such The most notable are X-Men actors, all the better to honor their legacy This goes a long way toward repairing relations, same with the Russos Simple moving-on from the Mary Sue-per­hero will also help matters. Fantastic Four looks good, but we need more originality in the stories. Honor specific directors, artists, composers, not just actors/plotlines. That’s another step toward making all this feel much less corporate. Meanwhile, put an end to Disney Plus series, other than one-off specials. Make it special again to see a live-action superhero only on big screens. Com station Top question for listeners If you had an Infinity Gauntlet, how would you try to fix Disney? Next on Fantastical Truth While superheroes might go stale and franchises flounder, guess what’s big on the streaming-service menu, boys? Hard to believe, but it’s biblical fiction! From the giant-smash hit House of David on Amazon Prime, to The Chosen and its planned Bibleverse, to even more adaptations from Old and New Testaments, these creations are winning millions of fans but also some evangelical enemies. None of them seem apt to ask: what is biblical fiction?

Breaking news. A new casting or creative announcement has got fans in an uproar. Alack, it must be a new day ending with the suffix -day. But in this case, the reliably rumored cast announcement is so strange, and so ghastly, and so out-and-out weird beyond the worlds, that it warrants us bumping our planned episode and focusing a whole other episode on this most bizarre and terrible news instead. We’re talking about the notion that a female actor (no shade on her) is rumored to be the new voice of Aslan. Mission update Lorehaven review: Squire of Truth this week, Ice retro review next week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb Quotes and notes “8 Facts About the Cancelled Silver Chair Movie,” NarniaWeb.com, Jan. 8, 2020 “Update from Douglas Gresham Family,” NarniaWeb.com, August 2024 Greta Gerwig ‘intimidated’ to be an American adapting The Chronicles of Narnia, The Telegraph (UK), Jan. 10, 2024 “Make Your Voices Heard,” NarniaWeb.com, April 5, 2025 1. ‘Who is Aslan? Do you know him?’ Aslan is the King of Beasts, the great untamed Lion, creator of Narnia. He’s supernatural and the Son of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Some call him an “allegory” for Jesus. That’s not quite what he is. Lewis called him a “supposal” for Christ. Think of this as an alter-ego. So although slandering Aslan isn’t slandering Jesus, it’s pretty close. Very basic to this understanding is that Aslan is a male Lion. He’s a He. He’s the King (not queen) of Beasts. He has a mane. He roars and rules. It matters, for various theological and natural reasons, that God is a He. Aslan (left) gives a certain Netflix staff member a not-tame talking-to. (File photo, colorized) 2. ‘Aslan a man?’ What the recent rumor said Here’s the original March 31 story from “Nexus Point News” Deadline’s confirmation days later on April 3 NarniaWeb, April 3: Meryl Streep in Talks to Play Aslan Flashback: Douglas Gresham Previously Walked Away From “Girl Power Action Movie” Adaptation of The Silver Chair “I always try to be open-minded especially at an early stage in the process. But sitting here right now, I feel very deflated. The imagery is Aslan’s mane is so important. And the idea of a lion being the king of beasts. And this dropping so close to April 1 is unbearable.” —X post from GlumPuddle Fans are in grief, meltdown, but mostly uproar. Frankly, we’re sick of it. Stunt casting will accomplish nothing, irrespective of the actor’s talent. “Well, could a female voice a male?” No. This isn’t the Peter Pan play. Nor is this a 1990s anime, like Mayumi Tanaka voicing Monkey D. Luffy. Aslan is not a man. But he is a male Lion. He needs a deep lion-ish voice. That is how Lewis described him. Repeatedly. In all seven of the books. There is no cause to consider any woman at any stage for any reason. Alas, legacy media lines like this one are already corrupting discourse: In the novels, Aslan is a talking lion who serves as Narnia’s guardian and a guide for the human children. Generally portrayed as a male, Aslan was created as an allegory for Jesus by author C.S. Lewis. “Generally portrayed as a male”? What is this new verbal devilry? Aslan is male. He is a he. He has a deep voice. He shakes His mane. Let’s be gentle with a writer who may not know better about the basics. But also learn from it—these writers know very little about their subjects. So when they write on topics you don’t know about, apply discernment! 3. Rest ‘between the paws of the true Aslan’ No foolish or wicked adaptation can ever steal away the true Narnia We think you really can raise a loud hue and cry over this one. Contact anybody you can: Netflix, social media, stand on the rooftops. Have fun. Swashbuckle. Respect people and even movie companies. But let them know, clearly and firmly, that we’ll take no part in this. Open discussion Com station Top question for listeners What’s your reaction to this Narnia casting rumor? Next on Fantastical Truth Take two: “Fallen, fallen is Disney the great! The Mouse has become a dwelling place for cringe, a haunt for every unclean secularist agenda, a haunt for every flopbuster franchise, a haunt for every unclean and detestable remake.” Yes, we know the line. But after facing fairy-stale adaptations, flippant super-capers, and the adrift vessels of “Stalled” Wars, how could we restore Disney?

At least one Christian astronaut, Butch Wilmore, recently splashed down in the Dragon capsule of Crew 9 (thereby resolving our spaceships versus dragons debate!). How many Christians, however, have created newer stories above the circle of Earth on the planet Mars? We’ll journey back to recap a few Christian-made Martian stories you may have missed over the last years. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb Mission update Lorehaven Onscreen: ‘Snow White’ (2025) Isn’t the Fairest of Adaptations Lorehaven Onscreen: Don’t Miss the One Great Disney Remake: Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Magical ‘Cinderella’ Lorehaven reviews: Truth Cursed last week, Squire of Truth this week Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. The Mars Diaries series led to Robot Wars Stephen remembers this original 10-book series by Sigmund Brouwer Tyce Sanders, first boy born on Mars, learns the reason for his disability He’s able to “possess” a special robot to go outside and do great things Later the series takes off from Mars toward Earth, with more space travel Also, there’s a girrrl, and a lot of alien-less mysteries and morals to find Later the series was repackaged as five books in the Robot Wars series Maybe young lads didn’t like the “diaries” name? I thought these terrific. 2. Oxygen flew a breathless mission in space A year later, John B. Olson and Randall Ingermanson launched Oxygen Now the novel counts as a retro-history of a 2012 manned Mars mission We spoke with coauthor Randall Ingermanson way back for episode 15 Plot: Valkerie Jansen is recruited late to NASA’s Ares program for Mars It’s a fun mix of softened hard sci-fi, mystery, and relationship drama Plus side debates about whether life on Mars would ruin Christianity Stephen read it and its sequel after he began the story that became ACE! 3. Newer novels dig for classic sci-fi mystery A few Christian-made novels use Mars as a prop, yet don’t stay overlong Dream Thief (1983) deals with space travel, yet not Mars specifically Gilbert Morris’s middle-grade Daystar Voyages series stopped by Mars A few other Christian-made novels have focused on the Red Planet: The Mars Hills Classified series(2006–2007), Austin Boyd As Navy Commander John Wells and his crew watch hopelessly from their space station perch, terrorists cripple the nation’s capital and security systems. While the world looks to the Middle East for blame, sudden images off the plains of Mars offer a staggering alternative. With a sophisticated alien culture seemingly confirmed on the Red Planet, a disorganized U.S. government struggles to formulate their next steps. Caught in a web of politics, torn by his family commitments, and called to serve not only his country but his God, John Wells must take a giant step for mankind. The Evidence (2006) The Proof (2006) The Return (2007) Missionary to Mars (2023) by Lucas Kitchen Eustis Grimes, an idealistic cyber-nerd, has to go on the run when his best friends are murdered by the evil Admiral Strafe. Eustis is thrust into a solar system where just the mention of outlawed ideas can get you killed in a dozen creative ways. Since he has no ship, no money, and no connections, he is forced to sneak aboard a rattle-beaten freighter of smugglers as they set out into the wild black yonder. He embarks armed with stubbornness and an unstoppable drive to share an important message with the solar system before Admiral Strafe finds him. The Time Door (2024) by Shannon McDermott A reckless last mission on Mars, a crusade for justice on Earth . . . Reuben Jackson is the only one who still cares about Mars. In the shambles of the Great Collapse, Earth has abandoned the Mars explorers to their fate. But Reuben will make a stand for the Mars team—even against the powerfully united politicians and scientists. In too deep, he discovers hidden conspiracies and unexpected allies. As the conflict mounts on Earth, time runs down on Mars. Left to face Mars alone, Commander Donegan Moynihan and his team have no hope of surviving after their supplies are gone. Willing to accept a quicker death than starvation, the explorers strike out on a dangerous mission. They venture deep inside the ancient volcano of Arsia Mons, into perils and secrets long buried. What they discover would move mountains on Earth—but will it be enough to save themselves? sequel Singularity releases later this year Com station Top question for listeners What real fantastical worlds do you love to explore in sci-fi? Next on Fantastical Truth> “Fallen, fallen is Disney the great! The Mouse has become a dwelling place for cringe, a haunt for every unclean secularist agenda, a haunt for every flopbuster franchise, a haunt for every unclean and detestable remake.” Yes, we’ve heard the criticism. But from fairy-stale adaptations to flippant super-capers, to the adrift vessels of “Stalled” Wars,

What happened to the once-popular Western genre? As a prospector doll put it, “Once the astronauts went up, children only wanted to play with space toys!” And yet the Western legend lives beyond the Earth, often mixed with the sci-fi genre. What is a space Western? We invite raygun-slinger and After Moses sci-fi Western author Michael F. Kane to ride into the studio. Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” dramatic audio podcast Realm Makers Expo 2025 Sunrise Publishing: Lord of Winter by Jill Williamson and Andrew Swearingen Fragments by J. A. Webb Mission update Last week: new review of Amanda Wright’s Darkfell This week: Stephen’s article about the greatness of Cinderella (2015) Later this week: new review of Angie Dickinson’s debut Truth Cursed Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: author Michael F. Kane Michael F. Kane cut his teeth on science fiction and fantasy. In fact, his first memories of Star Wars are his mother covering his eyes during the rancor scene. Later, he fell in love with the classics, Tolkien, Asimov, Herbert, and more. Somehow, despite the odds being stacked against him, he grew up to be a somewhat respectable human being. By day he’s the music director at a mid-sized church, but at night he dreams of unseen lands and places man has never trod. Check out his website MichaelFKane.com to stay up to date on his publishing adventures. MichaelFKane.com @MichaelFKane on X Quotes and notes After Moses, Lorehaven review, 2024 The Last Frontier: How Louis L’Amour’s Son Is Fighting Publishing’s ‘Men Don’t Read’ Myth, Kristin McTiernan, Fictional Influence, March 21, 2025 Apple Maps gets drivers lost in Australian outback (from 2012) 1. From big skies and rough men of Westerns Our memories of watching old Western reruns on TV, often pulp. Examples include The Lone Ranger, The Rifleman, and a few others. Now most Christians may see this genre as fairly safe and traditional. But many prestige and pulp stories alike push the limits of this frontier. Even newer series, like Yellowstone, are keeping this legacy genre alive. 2. To infinite skies and rough men of sci-fi … As we recently explored, Westerns soon gave birth to 20th century sci-fi. John Carter leaped to Mars, finding exotic natives, “cavalry,” adventure. Frank Herbert’s antihero(?) Paul Atreides found his calling in the desert. Even high-tech, high-thought sci-fi (like Asimov) inherited Westerns. Star Wars itself reflects the classic, Western-inspired heroic journey. After Moses: Sanctum, book 5 of 6, released in May 2024 3. Their powers combined: the space Western Examples: Cowboy Bebop, Firefly, The Mandalorian, Solo: A Star Wars Story. And our current favorite: the After Moses series from Michael F. Kane. From our own Lorehaven review published last year of book 1: Michael F. Kane’s novel After Moses follows its likeable hero into a solar system that’s struggling to survive after AI collapses and humanity grows corrupt. … Kane fuses themes of grace and redemption into this sci-fi story with a classic Western feel. What’s the inspiration for this universe? Key themes? Reader response? Meanwhile, what’s next for you as you ride further into this frontier? Com station Top question for listeners What are your favorite classic Westerns or space Westerns? Ted Atchley provided vital spaceship specs for ep. 254: Okay @‌EStephenBurnett and @‌ztrussell, Star Wars nerd incoming. The Falcon is a heavily modified YT-1300. She’s equipped with 2 quad-bolt cannons (ventral and dorsal), and 8 concussion missile racks. In addition, she can deploy a “Ground Buzzer” blaster cannon to cover escapes. Next on Fantastical Truth At least one Christian astronaut, Butch Wilmore, recently splashed down in the Dragon capsule of Crew 9 (thereby resolving our spaceships versus dragons debate!). How many Christians, however, have created newer stories above the circle of Earth on the planet Mars? We’ll journey back to recap a few Christian-made Martian stories you may have missed over the last years.  

What if you woke up in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of your nightmares? Then discovered this kindly dragon speaks like a man and reads books? And, whether literary or not, how would such a dragon—the mascot of traditional fantasy—fare in a battle against spaceships? That’s the burning question behind this week’s book “battle” between E. Stephen Burnett as well as Rachelle Nelson, author of the new Enclave release Embergold. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Embergold by Rachelle Nelson Sunrise Publishing: Lord of Winter by Jill Williamson and Andrew Swearingen Fragments by J. A. Webb Mission update Lorehaven: Oxygen sci-fi retro-review, new Darkfell fantasy review Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: author Rachelle Nelson Rachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released in 2023 through Enclave Publishing, and was a recent Carol Award winner and Christy Award winner. Embergold, her newest standalone, released March 18, 2025. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person. RachelleNelsonAuthor.com Instagram: @‌rachelle.nelson.author X: @‌RachelleNelson_ 1. Player 1: a dragon who is kind to you Surveys of famous dragons that fantasy fans remember well Dragons, of course, feature in Job 41 and in the St. George legend In other countries, dragons have different entangled mythologies Smaug the Terrible and other dragons from Tolkien’s Middle-earth Godzilla and other creatures are arguably derivatives of dragons Dragons from classic fairy tales, Disney, Harry Potter series, Dreamworks Rachelle’s own literate dragon who speaks kindly, from Embergold 2. Player 2: a spaceship home for your family Surveys of famous spaceships that sci-fi fans remember well Jules Verne’s cannon-fired capsule in From the Earth to the Moon (1865) Zarkov’s rocket ship from Flash Gordon movie serials The Enterprise (and many later ships) from Star Trek The Millennium Falcon and others from Star Wars Reasons why fans love the ideal of fictional spaceships Stephen’s own ship, the Alpha Omega, from Above the Circle of Earth 3. Let them fight: dragons vs. spaceships! Rachelle: points for the home team of kindly, powerful dragons Stephen: points for the challenger of kindly, powerful spaceships Zack: must mediate or else declare that both get participation trophies Com station Top question for listeners Who won the battle: fantastical dragons vs. awesome spaceships? Caleb Cooke liked episode 253 re. classic Mars stories: You spoke about how we might find underground secrets on Mars that might teach us about our humanity. As a teen in the 80s, I read Dream Thief, published in 1983, in which the main character travels to Mars and there encounters the underground remains of an ancient Martian civilization. … Anyway, I thought that this novel deserved mention in Chapter 3 of this episode, especially since apart from Lewis there are not many Christian-made stories set on Mars from the past 50 years. BTW, I am finding the first 2 chapters of ACE intensely exciting! Thank you for your book, Lorehaven, and this fantastic podcast! Next on Fantastical Truth What happened to the once-popular Western genre? As a prospector doll put it, “Once the astronauts went up, children only wanted to play with space toys!” And yet the Western legend lives beyond the Earth, often mixed with the sci-fi genre. What is a sci-fi Western? We invite raygun-slinger and After Moses sci-fi Western author Michael F. Kane to ride into the studio.

The planet Mars. Named after the Roman/Greek god of war. Fourth from our sun. A frigid desert, with gravity 38 percent Earthen level, and many secrets lurking in its frozen rock. This world looms large in the public imagination, thanks in part to the many fantastical stories orbiting this alien land. From princesses and Tharks, to inspiration for Arrakis, and from high fantasy and hard sci-fi, how and why does this crimson circle shine bright in our skies? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Embergold by Rachelle Nelson Sunrise Publishing: Lord of Winter by Jill Williamson and Andrew Swearingen Fragments by J. A. Webb Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild The new Book Quest for Above the Circle of Earth started Monday, March 10 1. Early myths: glimpses of the Red Planet Mars got created, with other planets, likely on day 4 (Gen. 1:16). It’s famously a “throwaway line”: “He also made the stars” (NIV). Later, Mars was named after the Romans’ version of the Greek god Ares It’s one of those “wandering stars” that flummoxed early sky-watchers Telescopes finally opened the sky to better theories of the solar system Astronomers found features of Mars, making little “fiction” on the way Giovanni Schiaparelli in 1877 first observed Martian “canali” or channels Some mistranslated his Italian as “canals,” assuming they were manmade That led to a lot of fun speculation about the civilizations on Mars 2. Pulp adventure: Man’s first steps on Mars British author Percy Greg actually beat Burroughs there by 30 years His novel Across the Zodiac portrayed an 1830 hero’s journey to Mars He’s credited him for effectively creating the “swords and planets” genre Greg actually seems to have invented the very term “astronaut”! His book also features alternative energy, a spaceship, and alien beings Other tropes originated: likely the first alien language in all of fiction 1889: Camille Flammarion’s Urania got mystical about Mars 1898: H. G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds about evil Martians Then, in 1912, Burroughs began publishing his Barsoom stories They were originally serialized in The All-Story Magazine that year John Carter first “projects” himself to the planet in A Princess of Mars Burroughs wrote at least 10 Barsoom novels from 1912 to 1941 An eleventh book, John Carter of Mars, included work from his son 3. Deeper on Mars: literary, scientific, beyond From here, other authors decided to get deeper about Martian stories. 1938: C. S. Lewis explored Mars (“Malacandra”) in Out of the Silent Planet 1949: Robert A. Heinlein wrote the boys’ adventure novel Red Planet His take features a more “libertarian” take on Mars, emphasizing humans 1950: Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles stories also got more artful 1951: Arthur C. Clarke “terraformed” the planet in The Sands of Mars Alas, the 1960s space race overthrew some romantic notions about Mars 1965: Mariner 4’s photos exposed a lot of our happy Martian mythology Authors largely turned toward this view of Mars, without native Martians Others, like Frank Herbert with Dune (1965), created other desert planets 1992: Ben Bova’s Mars about a joint American/Soviet colony project 1992–1996: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars Martian fiction’s popularity faded during the late ’90s and 2000s Two movies, Mission to Mars and Red Planet (both in 2000) bombed Disney even dropped “of Mars” from John Carter of Mars (2012) 2011: Some interest in Mars returned thanks to Andy Weir’s The Martian Ridley Scott’s 2015 film adaptation broke the “curse” of Martian movies 2014–present: Pierce Brown’s far-future Red Rising series, involving Mars Com station What’s your favorite planet in science fiction, real or fictional? Zack Hindes has also felt the ‘vibe shift’ (episode 251) Been thinking in this for a couple years now and have certainly felt a shift in the churches and circles I run in saying much of the same thing. Definitely online as well. Next on Fantastical Truth What if you woke up in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of your nightmares? Then discovered this kindly dragon speaks like a man and reads books? And, whether literary or not, how would such a dragon—the mascot of traditional fantasy—fare in a battle against spaceships? That’s the burning question behind next week’s book “battle” between E. Stephen Burnett and author Rachelle Nelson, author of next week’s Enclave release: Embergold.

The fight for the Space Mission begins in his homeworld. Brock Rivers never wanted to be a repairman on Mars. Years ago, he failed to protect his family, and now he labors across a frontier planet to keep his children alive and escape CAUSE. Now he is summoned back to Earth for an impossible dream: to resist CAUSE, confront the secret adversaries among his own people, and to restore gospel missions in the 22nd century, Above the Circle of Earth. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Fragments by J. A. Webb Share this episode and enter to win Above the Circle of Earth Share on Facebook, Instagram, or X, tagging @‌Lorehaven and @estephenburnett We’ll enter you in our free drawing for the epic ACE Launch Day giveaway Includes a signed hardcover copy, spaceship to build, and behond Share by end of day this Friday, March 7 to be entered Then we announce a winner on Tuesday, March 11 Mission update Lorehaven Onscreen: House of David early review Lorehaven Onscreen: Gabriel and the Guardians series review Lorehaven Onscreen: ‘The Gorge’ Brings Human Connection to a Bleak and Cruel World Shannon McDermott reviewed Above the Circle of Earth New review coming this Friday Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild We start the Above the Circle of Earth book quest Monday, March 10 Backstory: E. Stephen Burnett E. Stephen Burnett explores fantastical stories for God’s glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and its weekly Fantastical Truth podcast. He coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and creates other resources for fans and families, serving with his wife, Lacy, in their central Texas church. Stephen’s first novel, the sci-fi adventure Above the Circle of Earth, launched in March 2025 from Enclave Publishing. 1. Command deck: heroes, plot, ideas 2. Living deck: people, dialogue, details 3. Labor deck: craft, science, world Com station Top question for listeners If you must choose, would you rather be astronaut or a missionary? Andrew Swearingen said he felt ‘ambushed’ by episode 250: This episode snuck up on me. I wasn’t expecting to be quite so affected by it. But it really hits a lot of my doubts that I’ve had as a creative person trying to find my place in the world and (if I’m honest) the church. Great episode and can’t wait to read the book. Jordan Taylor emailed with thoughts on his favorite translation: Howdy, I’ve been listening to this podcast since the 2020 pandemic and have been blessed ever since. In the past, my favorite Bible translation was the New Living Translation. It was the first translation that I ever read from and really opened my eyes to Scripture. From there, I’ve dabbled in the NIV (1984 & 2011), ESV, NKJV, NASB, and CSB. Currently, my favorite translation for daily reading is the NIV 2011 because it feels like I’m reading a novel. Fun Fact: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy inspired me to read the ESV Bible for a time because they both should similar (Thanks Tolkien!!). To the second question, my reading of the Bible has motivated me to start reading Historical Fiction that takes place in Biblical, Medieval, and/or Greco-Roman time periods. Joel Crumbley emails with some good fiction in the Bible: Love this week’s episode, just wanted to chime in and say that the ESV is the only way to go! Also, in terms of Christian fiction in the Bible, I wanted to note that when Jesus says “I am the Vine”, I believe that this is a great example of Christian fiction. It isn’t true (in one sense) that he is a literal vine, so does that mean Jesus lied? No, on a deeper level, a more real level you could say, he was telling the truth, and it gave us an image of who He is better than if he had just said “I am the source of your life and you must maintain a constant connection to me to truly do good works in this world because as I flow through you you’ll flow into life that looks more and more like mine.” When we write or read fiction, I believe it should follow this model. Speaking a direct and deep truth about life or God without needing to state it directly. True stories are always an image of God because He has a monopoly on truth. Next on Fantastical Truth The planet Mars. Named after the Roman/Greek god of war. Fourth from our sun. A frigid desert, with gravity 38 percent Earthen level, and many secrets lurking in its frozen rock. This world looms large in the public imagination, thanks in part to the many fantastical stories orbiting this alien land. From princesses and Tharks, to inspiration for Arrakis, and from high fantasy and hard sci-fi, how why does this crimson circle shine bright in our skies?

For all the years we’ve kept up with Christian-made fiction, many authors have hoped to “cross over.” They don’t want to reach only readers who are Christians. Instead, they also want to influence unbelievers. This is a great goal, to be sure. But when may our pictures of “unbelievers” not match with reality? And just within the last few years, has the “general audience” shifted so gradually that they might enjoy more overt Christian-made fiction? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Kickstarter for A Study in Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf Mission update Lorehaven Onscreen: Captain America: Brave New World Lorehaven Onscreen, coming this Thursday: House of David Reviews: The Springborn last week, Above the Circle of Earth this Friday Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This episode does mention politics, but on the way to weightier matters. Some ideas wrongly labeled “politics” are really about cultural changes. For instance, how we define human beings, marriage, families, religions. We loosely define the word “woke” as secular/leftist orthodoxy or tropes. 1. How do we imagine ‘the general audience’? By “we,” I mean Christian authors/leaders in the fantastical communities. Many authors have long wanted to break out of Christian “bubbles.” After all, some Christians don’t like/care about fantastical fiction. But we believe “the world” certainly does love these kinds of stories. So for marketing reasons, it makes sense to appeal to general readers. Christians may also have biblical motive: to be witnesses in the world. We may not want to evangelize people, but be pictures of Jesus to them. We’d like to step around other people’s prejudice against Christianity. And that’s where our attempts may fall flat, or else be subject to bias. Based on our own experience, and conversations, we can get myopic. We may assume all unbelievers share our negative views of “the church.” And when you mix in political tropes, well, we’re very quickly captured. Example: another recent mid but strange “He Gets Us” big game ad. This ad seemed to think “what is greatness?” plays big for unbelievers. Pictures showed more acts of humility (as seen by particular Christians). Similarly, last year’s ad took pains to challenge “those bad Christians.” Many Christians assume others are motivated by dislike of “the church.” Some well-intended Christians repeat this rather narrow understanding. It really does seem more based on the Christian’s own projected views. But actual unbelievers are a diverse lot. Some are wounded. Some hate. Depending on your area, unbelievers may have no church experience. Most, it seems, are often preoccupied by trivia or games on phones. Lewis’s Screwtape: Demons do best not by argument, but distraction. These narrow or outdated notions tend to affect Christian creative folks. We need to be aware of “positive world, neutral world, negative world.” 2. But what is the actual ‘general audience’? For most faithful Christian authors, today’s “general audience” is no longer a bunch of secular folks with bad church experiences who just need to see Christian love or creative excellence. That may have been true before, but it’s no longer true for this era. If you want stories with Sexualityism, identity politics, and/or overt sensual content, few faithful Christian authors may tempt you away. They won’t be assuaged by our pleas that we’re better/holier/politer. In fact, many “woke”-friendly folks quite enjoy their side of “culture war”! Maybe you’re called to that space. If so, then God help you go therefore! We are here, however, talking about general trends and not exceptions. Please note that we’ve had guests on this very podcast who have told us they got their creative experience in secular settings, but eventually needed to leave because of the clear hostility against their faith. These folks are loving, excellent, and have their own frustrations with some churches, but they’re still unable to “reach the lost” as creators. Today’s “general audience” for Christian-made stories look very different: They are not closed, but open to public expressions of Christianity. They tend to be culturally conservative, or at least “anti-woke.” That means they dislike movies, games, shows that seem “woke.” This includes “DEI” (particular views of social policy) and other ideas. They don’t watch much TV, but they really like listening to podcasts. Often they perceive more foes among secularists than Christians. Most of them voted with the majority in the recent U.S. elections. They’re feeling more optimistic about the cultural shift in the U.S. They’re the reason for what many call a “vibe shift,” also globally. See this article, “Vibe Shift,” from Santiago Pliego at Substack. Also reference this article by Niall Ferguson in The Free Press. Most important for us, these folks tend to be fans

We love Christ’s church. But sometimes really faithful Christians just don’t know how to story. Alas, that starts with the Book of books. Folks like to read God’s written word with axes and shovels to chop out blocks for building propositional doctrine. Other readers feel they need to read the Bible with magnifying glasses and tweezers so we can extract the shiny ore of valuable virtues to enrich our own lives. What might we miss if we treat the Bible like this? Why should we instead see Scripture revealing The God of Story? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Kickstarter for A Study in Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf Mission update Share this episode by Friday for your chance to win The God of Story! Lorehaven action item: new book quest for Sand and Storm. Onscreen: our source has seen the first episodes of that House of David series! Upcoming reviews will include The Springborn and Above the Circle of Earth. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Backstory: Daniel Schwabauer Daniel Schwabauer is an award-winning author, speaker, and teacher. He is the creator of The One Year Adventure Novel, Cover Story, Byline creative writing curricula, and the author of the young adult novels in The Legends of Tira-Nor series. His professional work also includes stage plays, radio scripts, short stories, newspaper columns, comic books and scripting for animated TV. DanSchwabauer.com @‌Schwabaeur on Facebook @‌Daniel.schwabauer on Instagram Daniel Schwabauer on Goodreads Last seen at Lorehaven in ep. 105. What If Planet Earth Was Invaded By Hostile Corporate Aliens? | Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney with Daniel Schwabauer 1. How might we mine the Bible for doctrine-blocks? If you (or your good pastor) sticks to New Testament letters, that’s a hint. Scripture is full of narrative and many other genres for a divine reason. Doctrine does matter, yet this is secondary support for the Hero’s Story. 2. When do we sift Scripture for shiny moral ores? Some readers instead turn the Bible into practical life-improvement XP. Ignoring the plot turns of Jesus’s quest, they look for moral enrichment. This misses the gospel “motherlode” and can distract us with fool’s gold! 3. Why should we instead read Scripture as story? First, because that’s clearly how our holy living Creator intended this. Second, because it’s all about Jesus, the Hero, not just truths or morals. Third, because this is more effective to reach others’ heads and hearts. Com station Top questions for listeners What are your favorite Bible translations, in the past or present? How has your own Bible-reading affected your love for fiction? Next on Fantastical Truth For all the years we’ve kept up with Christian-made fiction, many authors have hoped to “cross over.” They don’t want to reach only readers who are Christians. Instead, they also want to influence unbelievers. This is a great goal, to be sure. But when may our pictures of “unbelievers” not match with reality? And just within the last few years, has the “general audience” shifted so gradually that they might enjoy more overt Christian-made fiction?

Once there was a fairly popular genre called Fantasy. He was well-known, great with kids, friendly with young men and women. But he wasn’t nearly as popular as the top-selling genre ever—Romance. Romance was everywhere. She was especially popular with female readers, who were carrying Romance everywhere. Fantasy began to grow jealous. But then something happened. Fantasy and Romance fell in love. And so they got a ship name: romantasy. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Kickstarter for A Study of Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf Mission update As of Monday, Feb. 4, Lorehaven.com has revealed a new front page. We also reviewed Lindsay Franklin’s The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine. Share this episode and enter our drawing for a free copy of Parker’s own romantasy novel (plus space opera): The House of Haddaway: A Fairytale Retelling Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: Parker J. Cole Onscreen writer Parker J. Cole is an author, speaker, and radio show host with a fanatical obsession with the Lord, Star Trek, K-dramas, anime, romance books, old movies, speculative fiction, and knitting. An off-and-on Mountain Dew and marshmallows addict, she writes to fill the void the sugar left behind. To follow her on social media, visit her website at ParkerJCole.com. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Edit bio Quotes and notes All books labeled “romantic” in the Lorehaven Library Why Does Christian Romance Outsell Christian Fantasy? Episode 99: How Can Christians Discern Sensual Scenes on the Printed Page? | with Parker J. Cole Episode 149: Why Do Christian Fans Love So Much Romance? 1. To review, why is romantic fiction so popular? A reader’s ideal of Paradise influences his or her story preferences. If your ideal Paradise is love and family, you’ll likely prefer romance. If your ideal Paradise is a fantastical world, you’ll likely prefer fantasy. Share this podcast episode by end of Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 2025, to be entered in our drawing for this book. 2. What do we mean by this new term ‘romantasy’? Romantasy is when the romantic and fantasy aspects of the story are equally important Romantasy is just a romance book with a fantasy world as a backdrop Romantasy is when the plot would fall apart without the romance Romantasy is a fantasy plot with a central romance that follows romance book “beats” (see: Romancing the Beat, by Gwen Hayes) Romantasy is just fantasy with “spicy” scenes —M. K. Lobb at Writer’s Digest, Feb. 27, 2024 3. How does romantasy affect Christian fans? Just last week, we saw one great challenge: fans demanding story porn. But it would be unfair to blame romance/romantasy alone for this sin. Both fantasy and romance awaken us to the magic of God’s forever-love. Com station Top questions for listeners What is your favorite “romantasy” story? For you, who would win in a fight—fantasy or romance? Or would the two embattled genres become “enemies to lovers”?

After her fairy godmother’s magic act, Cinderella carefully slips her feet into—a set of fine glass seven-league boots.[1. Photo by Tim Rebkavets on Unsplash.] She clicks her heels three times and is whisked away to the land of Oz. Meanwhile, a beautiful princess flees from the prophecy of a deadly spindle. She discovers the house of seven dwarves, where she must hide from a wicked witch along with the witch’s evil sidekick, Rumplestiltskin. What are fairy tale retellings? How do they reenchant us? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay Franklin Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Kickstarter for A Study in Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf Mission update Our new front page is live, complete with upgraded Library Search! As always, subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Don’t miss the cover reveal for Marian Jacobs’ On Magic and Miracles Meanwhile, Stephen is planning his ACE Launch Party for Sat., March 1 Listen to this show’s end for our two recently announced giveaways Backstory: Kendra E. Ardnek Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She makes her home in the hills of central Texas with her fellow author husband, who she found at a writer’s conference. When not writing, you can usually find her crocheting her own cloaks, valiantly attempting to read every retelling ever written, and pretending that owning toy dragons makes her a dragon trainer. KendraEArdnek.Weebly.com FB: @KendraE.Ardnek IG: @fairytalearista X: @KendraEArdnek 1. Why do all kinds of readers love classic fairy tales? Kids re-read classic fairy tales because they’re simple, fun, memorable Older kids/teens/YA enjoy these too, especially the “retelling” versions Adults like to research them for their deeper and often biblical truth 2. And why do readers also love retelling fairy tales? Any adaptation (even Disney ones) helps bring out new/old meanings Retellings can freshen an old story with new plot twists, settings, finales. Sometimes a retelling can blend other stories, like in this show’s intro. 3. How long may this fairy-tale retelling trend last? One way or another, we shall always enjoy new versions of old stories. That’s because most fairy tales reflect the simple virtues of God’s law. And fairy tales offer not just “tropes” but reflections of eternal heroes. Com station Which are your favorite fairy tales to re-read, retell, or research?

Every week, at least a dozen new Christian-made fantastical novels arrive from aspiring authors. Now that fan demand might finally grow to meet this supply, it seems daunting to find the best of these stories. Today, learn how Lorehaven is curating the best Christian-made fantasy, sci-fi, and beyond—with this flagship podcast and our new upgraded Library book search! Share this episode to enter our next drawing Stephen is giving away one signed ARC (a paperback prototype), for Above the Circle of Earth (ACE). This package also includes print copies of the classic Lorehaven magazine and other swag. To enter the drawing, you must be a resident of the United States You’ll also need to share this episode on F.I.X., tag Lorehaven and @EStephenBurnett, and mention ACE Facebook · Instagram · X (Twitter) Share before Friday, Jan. 31! Then we’ll announce winners in our next episode. Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” dramatic audio podcast Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story by Laurie Christine Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Listen to the end of this episode to learn the winners for Squire of Truth Stephen is planning his March launch party and February giveaways We’re also sharing new books from Marian Jacobs and Josiah DeGraaf And we’re planning for our return to the Realm Makers Expo this July 1. Search the Lorehaven Library 2. Listen to Fantastical Truth, now five years old 3. Go deeper with resources from faithful creators Articles: behind the scenes, also the Speculative Faith archives Onscreen: behind the scenes, with a unique vantage for popular culture Book Quests: currently paused, but returning soon along with reviews Com station Top question for listeners How has Lorehaven helped you find a new fantastical favorite? Adam David Collings enjoyed ep. 246 about soft sci-fi: I tend to read more soft science fiction but don’t mind some hard (Project Hail Mary was awesome). I write soft science fiction (I use the term space opera.) Echo Nova sounds cool. I’m always a sucker for some time travel. Next on Fantastical Truth February might bring to mind many fantastical subgenres, especially thanks to Valentine’s Day. These include stories like fairy-tale retellings and the latest subgenre buzzword, romantasy. Zack and Stephen know little about these, personally, so we’ll bring in backup to explore Jesus in these genres!

Once there was a family of three geeky little bears who decided to read this strange new genre called science fiction. The first reader, the traditional and wise Papa Bear, opened his 600-page hardcover showing rivets on the cover, read two chapters, then rumbled approval. “This science fiction is hard!” said he. The second reader, the curious and considerate Mama Bear, opened her 220-page paperback that featured rocket ships in the background behind a swooning couple, then read only a few pages before sighing. “This science fiction is soft!” said she. What did they read? And what is the difference? Share this episode and win a copy! Clint Hall is giving away one signed physical hardcover of Echo Nova. Share this episode on F.I.X., tag Lorehaven, and mention Echo Nova! Facebook · Instagram · X (Twitter) Listeners, you have one week! Then we’ll announce winners one Tuesday later. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Echo Nova by Clint Hall Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story by Laurie Christine Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Mission update We’ve been increasing our Lorehaven Onscreen features: ‘War of the Rohirrim’ Falls Flat as an Adaptation, Parker J. Cole ‘Nosferatu’ Casts Dim Light of Supernatural Truth Against Vampirism and Materialism, Mike Duran The Moral Challenge of Cheering for The Penguin, Daniel Whyte IV Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Clint Hall: backstory Clint Hall is an author and podcaster who has been writing stories since middle school, where he spent most of his time in English class creating comic books. (Fortunately, his teacher not only allowed it; she bought every issue.) Known for stories of hope, wonder, and adventure, Clint has been published across multiple anthologies and magazines. He has also authored numerous pieces for IBM, The Weather Company, The Masters, Adweek, and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing. You can find him hosting panels at conventions, online at ClintHall.com, or at “The Experience: Conversations with Creatives” podcast, available on all major platforms. ClintHall.com @ClintHall on Instagram 1. What does the phrase ‘hard science fiction’ mean? Associated images: rivets, long explanations, “technobabble,” real places. Also tend to be set in future versions of our solar system or universe. Generally the heroes, plot, and world at least tip hats to physical laws. 2. How then do we define ‘soft science fiction’? Associated images: fantasy with spaceships, planets, some tech jargon. Sci-fi elements are easier to access, like Back to the Future time travel. Related genres include steampunk, superhero, alternate future realities. 3. When does Echo Nova feel like ‘softer’ sci-fi? The story feels more about our hero, Dash Keane, than about time travel. Time travel is a means to understanding his goals and personal growth. Echo Nova’s YA audience also focuses the story toward younger readers. Com station Top question for listeners Do you like ‘harder’ sci-fi, ‘softer’ sci-fi, or sci-fi that feels just right?    

What if the future king’s squire and a struggling songstress teamed up to solve a medieval murder? Jill Williamson debuted her first fantasy, By Darkness Hid, in April 2009. Since then she’s written many dozens of books across fantasy, sci-fi, and teen-spy genres. Now she is returning to the Blood of Kings world for Squire of Truth, released last week, and joins our podcast. Share this episode and win a copy! Sunrise Publishing is giving away two physical copies of Squire of Truth. Then you’ll also get a bookplate signed by Jill Williamson to stick inside. Share this episode on F.I.X., tag @Lorehaven, and mention Squire of Truth! Facebook · Instagram · X (Twitter) Listeners, you have one week! Then we’ll announce winners one Tuesday later. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Echo Nova by Clint Hall Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story by Laurie Christine Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Mission update Two new articles have focused on Brandon Sanderson’s latest book The Stormlight Archive Recites a Credal View of Morality, Josiah DeGraaf Brandon Sanderson’s New Fantasy ‘Wind and Truth’ Summons a Postmodern Cringestorm, A. D. Sheehan Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: Jill Williamson Jill Williamson is an award-winning fantasy and science fiction author of over two dozen books including the Blood of Kings trilogy, which won two Christy Awards, an Epic Award, and received two Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror listings in VOYA magazine. Jill writes fantastical adventure stories for all ages. A storyworld first novelist, she takes a tiny gem of an idea and turns it into a full world with maps, history, and complex cultures. She infuses purpose and hope into her stories and is known for writing realistic characters who embark upon epic adventures of survival and self-discovery. Jill has also penned several books on the craft of writing fiction. She teaches at writers’ conferences and blogs at Go Teen Writers , one of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers.” Jill lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. To learn more about her novels, visit her at JillWilliamson.com. JillWilliamson.com Facebook @jwilliamsonwrites Instagram @jill_williamson_author Did you know? All six of Jill’s classic Speculative Faith articles are now restored at Lorehaven! 1. How did Jill create a new medieval fantasy world? Reviewing the Blood of Kings origin starting with By Darkness Hid (2009). This also unearths the roots of the modern Christian fantasy movement. Blood of Kings and its sequels/spinoffs have grown into a larger universe. 2. What ideas make up the term ‘medieval fantasy’? Perhaps this is the oldest fantasy genre, going back to Arthurian legend. Common images: castles, kings, knights, horses, serfdoms, and wizards. Some stories are heavier on the medieval and lighter on magic elements. 3. Why do readers still love medieval fantasy tales? These stories feel rooted in the past, like lost records of real history. Readers love the human drama and intrigue of royalty, knights, orphans. We also love the idyllic Arthurian king-figure who reminds us of Christ. What’s next from Jill? Next up: Lord of Winter (with Andrew Swearingen) releases this April Then two more volumes, each with a debut coauthor, will release each 2025 quarter This may lead to more stories and series that are set in the Blood of Kings world Com station Would you want to live in a medieval fantasy world? Or just visit? Caden Gillon as been enjoying “scary ghost stories” this season: I’ve been listening to Lorehaven every episode since October, and I already have a few favorites. I really enjoyed episode 233, which talks about the difference between evil and the appearance of evil. Episode 235, about the scariest stories about aliens among us. Episode 236, about scary stories exposing human sin. Episode 238, about dystopias, I really enjoyed. And Episode 242, about whether we should read newer fantasy or not. I’m really enjoying the podcast! Next on Fantastical Truth Once there was a family of three geeky little bears who decided to read this strange new genre called science fiction. The first reader, the traditional and wise Papa Bear, opened his 600-page hardcover showing rivets on the cover, read two chapters, then rumbled approval. “This science fiction is hard!” said he. The second reader, the curious and considerate Mama Bear, opened her 220-page paperback that featured rocket ships in the background behind a swooning couple, then read only a few pages before sighing. “This science fiction is soft!” said she. What did they read? And what is the difference?

Happy New Year! As we launch this podcast’s 2025 season, we look back at a website with a legacy that predates Lorehaven. Way back in 2006, several Christian fantasy creators started a team “blog” called Speculative Faith. Let’s look back on that project that led to thousands of great articles from dozens of creators, and then later grew into the Lorehaven mission and this podcast. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Memoria by J. J. Fischer Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story by Laurie Christine Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson Mission update New at Lorehaven: the upgraded Lorehaven Book Search page! Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. We’re breaking from reviews and book quests, returning in early spring. This was the original Speculative Faith site header from 2006 to 2009. 1. 2006: the creation of Speculative Faith Speculative Faith started nearly 20 years ago with five Christian creators: Carol Collett Bryan Davis, later author of many dozens of fantastical novels Rebecca LuElla Miller, who stayed with the site the entire time! Mirtika Schultz, who wrote the very first post Stuart Stockton, who hosted the site and later wrote Starfire Stephen did not join until that October. Naturally, this was his first post: Nine Marks Of Widescreen Stories: Part 1 That’s right—a takeoff on the Reformed group’s “nine marks” concept Here’s the reborn Speculative Faith logo and motto from 2015. 2. 2010: the rebirth of Speculative Faith Stephen got married, then a year later, went to work salvaging the site The original blog was neglected and buried under spam comments Now the site got its own name, SpeculativeFaith.com, and a new life Open discussion Stephen and original founder Rebecca LuElla Miller anchored the site Many dozens of writers contributed hundreds of articles over the years Guest writers included names you may now, before they were cool: Jill Williamson, several articles at the original site, March-May 2009 Andrew Peterson, Please Stop Writing Fantasy Novels, July 2011 Chuck Black, The Power Of Christian Fiction, Nov. 2012 Rebecca P. Minor, later the founder of Realm Makers, July 2012 Morgan L. Busse, several articles starting in 2012 Nadine Brandes, Should We Be Reading Books To Escape Reality?, Dec. 2014 3. 2025: the legacy of Speculative Faith SpecFaith led Stephen to experiment with more reviews and the Library. The site also led to more-polished featured articles by guest writers. Inspired by SpecFaith, Stephen and (then) Ben Wolf launched Lorehaven. That began as a magazine, but shifted in 2020 to curated online content. This combined the strengths of volunteerism and more polished work. Today, all Speculative Faith content lives as a subsection of Lorehaven. As of New Year’s Eve, all those great articles show in Lorehaven searches! So do the many reviews, some of which may be adapted for Lorehaven. Com station Top question for listeners Do you remember reading Speculative Faith? If so, how far back? Next on Fantastical Truth What if the future king’s squire and a struggling songstress teamed up to solve a medieval murder? Jill Williamson debuted her first fantasy, By Darkness Hid, in April 2009. Since then she’s written many dozens of books across fantasy, sci-fi, and teen-spy genres. Now she’s returned to the Blood of Kings world for Squire of Truth, releasing next week, and joins our podcast.

Merry Twelve Days of Christmas Season! After last week’s break, we return with our first New Year’s Eve special. Which top ten Fantastical Truth episodes and Lorehaven.com articles did readers love most in the last year? We’ll survey all of these, and give fun updates, to close our 2024 season. Mission update Christian-Made Stories Got Even Better in 2024, Jenneth Dyck Later this week: new Onscreen articles from Parker J. Cole Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Memoria by J. J. Fischer E. Stephen Burnett: Above the Circle of Earth Lorehaven: share the Fantastical Truth podcast with a friend! 10. The Christian Roots of Fantasy, R. J. Anderson On one Saturday evening at the women’s Bible conference, I’d just sold my last book. I was heading to the auditorium for my keynote talk when a nervous-looking young woman plucked my sleeve. “Excuse me,” she stammered. “Could I ask you why you write books”—her voice dropped to a whisper—“like that?” “You mean fantasy?” I asked, smiling at her. She nodded, eyes wide with anxiety and fear. I didn’t have much time to spare, but my heart went out to her. It wasn’t hard to guess what she believed: that fantasy stories glorify witchcraft, paganism, and the occult, and no serious Christian should have anything to do with them. Especially not one of the main speakers at a Bible conference! Yet I didn’t feel defensive, because I didn’t need to. Instead, I was happy to tell the young woman why I love fantasy, because this genre offers an opportunity to illustrate biblical truths in a fresh way, and speak to people who might never have listened otherwise. 9. What Can First-Time Guests Expect at a Christian Writers’ Conference? | with J. J. Johnson, podcast We’re partners with Realm Makers, the leading fantastical conference for Christian creatives. Recently organizers shared that over 40 percent of registrations for this July’s event are first-time guests. This brings back memories! So we thought we’d share them with you. What’s it like at a writers’ conference? And what should first-time guests expect at Realm Makers and beyond? Listeners love behind-the-scenes episodes about how books are made. That’s how we do them, when we do them; we’re not a writers’ podcast. Still, many fantastical story fans also love to create their own stories. 8. Duke Leto of ‘Dune’ Shows How Christians Can Live with Nobility in a Hostile World, Josiah DeGraaf When we’re living in a hostile world, we’re often tempted to adopt our enemies’ methods and do whatever it takes to win. After all, if they’re using vicious tactics that bring victory, don’t we need to adopt similar strategies to survive? Leto shows the example of a better path. To some extent, I’m unable to explain with words how we should emulate Leto. Situations vary. Stories shouldn’t be reduced to specific theses. The best way we can enjoy Dune: Part One and grow as people is to reflect on Leto’s character, hold his example in our mind, and use this as inspiration to act likewise. This was a 2021 article, but still very timely because of Dune and culture. Josiah did a two-part series; the second part is: Duke Leto Also Shows How Christians Can Practice Shrewd Wisdom in a Hostile World. Next year, Josiah releases his fantasy novel A Study of Shattered Spells. 7. Should We Get Mad When Christians Scorn Fantastical Fiction?, podcast If you’re a Christian fantastical fan, you’re gonna have a bad time. That’s because some critics accuse you of special sin by liking that “entertainment” stuff. So when that popular religious leader, or that random comment, or even your own trusted family member or pastor, warns you against popular culture and fantastical stories, how should you respond in wisdom? No guest, not even a current topic at the time Just a theme that many listeners really resonated with 6. ‘The Chosen’ Creator Dallas Jenkins Responds to On-Set Pride Flag Criticism, E. Stephen Burnett The Chosen is not a church or ministry. Yes, the show has ministerial goals. Some are calling the production a “Christian production,” but what does this mean? They don’t have group prayers or a faith statement. They’re a business that makes Christian content. Believers can disagree about this approach. But they must remember The Chosen is a for-profit company. Just like Solomon built the Temple using help from “pagans” or nonbelievers. Even people who print Bibles may not be Christians. This news article was from back in June 2023. It may prove that people felt a shortage of current-year controversies Inarguably, The Chosen fetches headlines and Christians who love/hate it 5. How Should Christians Fight to Love a Declining Disney? | with Josh Shepherd, podcast ‘Tis the season for love and enchanted princesses and handsome princes and such-like. But lately, former fans of these ideas just aren’t feeling it, especially from the Disney side of our magical fandoms. When the Big Mouse kee

What’s the most annoying slogan from Christian critics of fantasy? That may be, “We’re not meant to enjoy stories; instead we must Preach the Gospel.” But what may be the second most annoying slogan about Christian fantasy? One surely is, “We don’t need newer stories if we have Lewis and Tolkien.” How then can we as fans respond with grace to Lewis-and-Tolkien-Onlyism? Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” podcast E. Stephen Burnett: Above the Circle of Earth Lorehaven: share the Fantastical Truth podcast with a friend! Mission update Article: I Tried to Read the Original Wicked Book But Did Not Finish Onscreen: Dear Santa Presents Satan as Another Misunderstood Villain Onscreen: ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Ran Aground Because of Constant Character Shipping Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. Why are Lewis and Tolkien absolutely fantastic? If anyone else has grounds for confidence in these fandoms, we have more. Here’s our podcast series with guest “Rilian”: Looking Back on ‘Lord of the Rings’ 189. What Are the Best Books by C. S. Lewis? 191. How Did Lewis and Tolkien Celebrate and Critique Christmas? | with David Bates 225. Why Do Modern Fans Love Middle-Earth Mixing? | with Evan Cooney 228. Why Don’t Christian-Made Arts Top Secular Charts? 2. Where do we see Lewis-and-Tolkien-Onlyism? Casual conversations, often with certain Christian/conservative dads. “Theobros” have told Stephen, “Why even bother with the new stuff?” “We have Lewis and Tolkien, so we don’t need any modern stories.” Many parents also consider these authors “safe” for all readers. 3. How do we rebut Lewis-and-Tolkien-Onlyism? Similar to translation debates, this “freezes” a particular era as the “best.” Ecclesiastes 7:10 cautions the wise against such impulsive nostalgia. Fans likely wouldn’t apply the same standards to translations or music. If they did, then they’re not doing their job as Christians or parents. Would they really restrict their sons or daughters from any other stories? What about stories loved by teenage girls, such as YA romantasy/cozy? What about stories loved by young boys, such as heroic graphic novels? Finally, Lewis and Tolkien themselves would reject such an “idealism.” Tolkien made new stories with modern flourishes, such as Bree spycraft. As we shared last year, Tolkien had fun making Father Christmas stories. For example, Lewis read widely on both old books and new books. It’s clear from obscure essays that Lewis was even fond of pulp sci-fi! Lewis would have counted his own books as “new books,” not classic: “It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.” —C. S. Lewis These men, however, are not even “church fathers.” God Himself says: Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! —Psalm 96:1 The best reason against this reading limit: God’s culture call is dynamic. Never does Scripture hint at “freezing” our creativity at a certain point. Readers of varying ages, peoples, and personalities love different stories. New Earth will have the honor and glory of all the nations (Rev. 21:26). Com station Top question for listeners Have you ever drifted into a Lewis-and-Tolkien-Onlyism view? Caleb Cooke emailed about episode 241 on Christmas stories: Loved your discussion on Christmas Movies. I would like to submit for your consideration, Little Women 1994 version. It came out at Christmas time, it features Christmas dinner and Christmas carols, and amazing music and Christmas themes. I like to watch it around Christmas time even though you could watch it anytime. Other comments: Santa Clause is Coming to Town is the best of the Classic animated Christmas TV specials. It wonderfully tells a story of bravery, love, and redemption. A Muppet Christmas Carol is probably my favorite version of that story, although special mention goes to the Doctor Who Christmas Special where the Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith plays the Ghost of Christmas Past and Present to a Sci-Fi Future Scrooge. This might deserve an entire Fantastical Truth episode as The Doctor essential uses story and adventures that create new childhood memories to reprogram the imagination of the cold-hearted miser in order to give him a heart of flesh thereby saving his soul and the lives of hundreds of people. Come to think of it, that is very similar to Dickens’ story at it’s heart; Maybe A Christmas Carol is the OG fantastical truth Christmas fiction! A faithful follower, Caleb Next on Fantastical Truth Next week, we’re taking a Christmas Eve break! Then one week later, we return with our first New Year’s Eve special. Which top ten Fantastical Truth episodes and Lorehaven.com articles did readers love most in the last year? We’ll survey all of these, and give fun updates, to close ou

‘Tis the season for Christmas stories and stories fans claim are Christmas stories. Which ones have aged for every season? And which ones could be safely left back in childhood when we thought they were fun? In this special episode, let’s open the spiced eggnog, celebrate the best, and boo the rest. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Memoria by J. J. Fischer Laurie Christine: Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update Lorehaven article: I Tried to Read the Original Wicked Book But Did Not Finish Lorehaven Onscreen: Dear Santa Presents Satan as Another Misunderstood Villain Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. Which are the best/worst Nativity adaptations? Netflix’s recent Mary film starts with a narration from their heroine: “You may think you know my story. Trust me, you don’t.” (Source.) Huh. Stephen prefers The Nativity Story and of course The Chosen specials. He grew up watching many Nativity adaptations from Christian creators. Zack is a fan of Sony Animation’s 2017 animated version The Star. 2. How do we like secular Christmas stories? Tales like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Arthur Christmas count. So do “secular” stories that engage with faith, like It’s a Wonderful Life. Classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer have some surprising edge. For other films, like The Santa Clause (series) and Elf, mileage may vary. 3. What about ‘honorary’ Christmas stories? Fans argue for Die Hard and such-like, but Stephen really does not care. Similarly, does it matter that Iron Man 3 and Shazam occur at Christmas? None of these films, after all, actually released for the Christmas season. Stephen might claim The Hobbit, LOTR, and TLWW are Christmas tales. Top question for listeners Which are your best and worst fantastical Christmas stories? Caden Gillon enjoyed last month’s episode 238 about dystopias: Dystopia is an amazing genre, with so many facets to explore. When I heard episode # 238, I got really excited. Not to get off topic, but when I was younger, I devoured my way through the books The Hunger Games and the Divergent. Also, the movie The Book of Eli is a great example, where one character wants a Bible desperately for not-so-good intentions. Dystopia engages our minds in a way that makes us think ”wow, I’m glad it’s not like that right now in our society.” Many of us can agree on one thing, it’s an interesting topic, and has a meaning that can hit home if said in the right way. When you read dystopia, as you guys said, it seems like everyone (except politicians) can relate to it. Man, early Christians dealt with dystopia in Rome, many countries do today (a good example, Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand). It’s a darkness that’s found in dictatorships and third world countries. I just wanted to say, and maybe you guys could mention this, we’re living in paradise here in North America. To respond to the question you guys placed in the episode name, I think dystopia is important for us in the way that it makes us realize where we are, and where we could be, and how we’re lucky it isn’t that way! Remember this: Not to be pessimistic, but society isn’t always going to be the same. never take for granted the times we live in now! Loving the podcast! Caden Gillon. The Adaptation Stationmaster doesn’t agree with Ransom Trilogy hype in episode 240: May I express a controversial opinion? I think the Ransom books are the weakest works of fiction C. S. Lewis wrote. Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra have some really good dialogue scenes (at the beginning of Silent Planet and in the middle of Perelandra) but a lot of them is just a bunch of description with hardly anything happening and, eh, I’ve read better descriptions by Lewis. That Hideous Strength has a great cast of villains. I wish I could love the book as a whole. I’ve tried to love it. But I just find a lot of it clunky, especially the stuff with the heroes. And that’s a problem when a book is trying hard to convey how much better it is to be one of the heroes than the villains. To an unusual extent for Lewis, this book keeps telling me what to feel without making me feel it. It’s almost like he wrote an outline for a book. I think something this podcast episode mentioned is very telling. That Hideous Strength is mostly popular with “theological dude bros” (Sorry, if I’m misremembering the phrase) e.g. people who already agree (broadly anyway) with C. S. Lewis’s perspective. The Chronicles of Narnia and Till We Have Faces can be enjoyed by readers even if they don’t totally agree with the worldview behind them. I can’t imagine, say, a feminist reading That Hideous Strength with anything other than disgust, never mind being converted by it. (If anyone knows or has heard of people who disagree with Lewis on the natural order of the world but still enjoy That Hideous Strength,

Nov. 29 was C. S. Lewis’s birthday. The famous author and scholar was born 126 years ago in 1898. And while fans eagerly await whatever director Greta Gerwig and Netflix might do with Narnia, we decided to ask: how would we take Lewis’s other fantasy tales, the Ransom Trilogy, to adapt for the screen? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Memoria by J. J. Fischer Laurie Christine: Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update Lorehaven Onscreen: Wicked Part 1 Honors the Weak, Not the Woke Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Yes, many know the series as the Space Trilogy. But some scholar-fans (Stephen included) believe that term contradicts a key theme of Lewis’s world. Quotes and notes BBC releasing a radio dramatization of the Space Trilogy The Devil Went Down to Venus: Lessons from the Un-Man, Bethel McGrew Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy 1. How on Mars to adapt Out of the Silent Planet? 2. How on Venus could we adapt Perelandra? 3. How on Earth to adapt That Hideous Strength? Com station How would you adapt C. S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy for the screen? Next on Fantastical Truth ‘Tis the season for Christmas stories and stories fans claim are Christmas stories. Which ones have aged for every season? And which ones could be safely left back in childhood when we thought they were fun? In our next episode, let’s open the spiced eggnog, celebrate the best, and boo the rest.

We love stories with fine writing.[1. Photo by Jonathan Francisca on Unsplash.] As the Scripture says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” But sometimes readers just want basic style, quick tools for the simple job of getting you in and out of a fantastical work of fiction. Which kind of stories do you prefer and why? Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” podcast Laurie Christine: Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update New review of Baptism by Fire by Alexandra Gilchrist Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. What I mean by ‘literary’ fiction vs. ‘genre’ fiction Literary fiction Tends to focus on poetical language, deeper themes, character journeys. Sentences and paragraphs can be much longer and more complex. Books often use words as ornate instruments, not as simple tools. Less emphasis on reaching more readers and more emphasis on the Art. Tends to have limited readership and become educational, not just fun. Genre fiction Tends to focus on basic plot, tropes, clear and simpler ideas/characters. Sentences are more basic—subject, verb, object—and much shorter. Books use words mainly as tools for the job, not ornate instruments. Less emphasis on the Art and more emphasis on reaching more readers. Tends to have broader readership and become fun, not just educational. 2. Why I get vexed by some ‘literary’ associations Notice I didn’t say “literary fiction” but associations—ideas around it. I feel vexed when literature teachers get preoccupied with Symbolism. This confuses the means of symbols for the ends of their meanings. See, for example, the false teachers who reduce the Bible to symbols. Some teachers really do seem to be imposing their views on the book. I recall several such examples from my old American Literature classes. Simple words, like “nightcap,” got misinterpreted with sexual meanings. Also, thanks to my upcoming novel, I’ve stumbled into a niche subgenre. Turns out that “missionaries in space” has a few very literary attempts. Of two top examples (I won’t name them), I’ve tried to read one so far. Frankly, the novel was dull. Very little sci-fi. Aliens way in the distance. The novel followed mostly very wealthy, remote, and unlikeable persons. And that’s another stigma with “literary” schools—the aloof elitism. Meanwhile, many literary sorts get preoccupied with politics and culture. They seem to think that real life also functions by “literary fiction” rules. And of course, the dullest teachers can turn great books into chores. One sci-fi writer, Bruce McAllister, tried a famous experiment in 1963. As a presumptuous student age 16, he wrote to 150 top literary figures. He asked: Did they really consciously put all these symbols in their work? The answers to the questionnaire were as varied as the writers themselves. Did Isaac Asimov plant symbolism in his work? “Consciously? Heavens, no! Unconsciously? How can one avoid it?” Iris Murdoch sagely advises that “there is much more symbolism in ordinary life than some critics seem to realize.” Ayn Rand wins the prize for concision; addressing McAllister’s example of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter, she wrote, “This is not a definition, it is not true—and, therefore, your questions do not make sense.” Kerouac is a close second; he writes, “Symbolism is alright in ‘Fiction’ but I tell true life stories simply about what happened to people I knew.” McAllister later became a literature teacher and a notable sci-fi writer. Though McAllister now claims, “It never occurred to me that [the writers] would answer,” once they did he was delighted—as was his English teacher: “a sweet, teacherly soul,” impressed by his industry but unable to absorb the import of its result. The search for symbols would continue, at least until the end of the 1964–65 school year. “The conclusion I came to was that nobody had asked them. New Criticism was about the scholars and the text; writers were cut out of the equation. Scholars would talk about symbolism in writing, but no one had asked the writers.” Ultimately, the answer is not “the literature teachers are making it all up.” Instead it’s more like, “Sometimes they make it up, but not always.” So there are intentional deeper, symbolic references in literary fiction. 3. Great genre fiction can also show literary flair But guess what. Sometimes genre fiction also includes deeper meaning. Genre fiction, too, can break out a startling sentence or sweet symbol. In so doing, the genre fiction may echo one key principle of the gospel. Scripture seems to endorse at least one “folly” that upends “wisdom”: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the d

Boom. Doom. Gloom. Criminals pillage. Cities burn. Mobs rampage. Tyrants rule with iron fists. We live in a society! People here often feel we’re overdue for dystopia. Even now, dystopian tales prove popular among many readers. Let’s explore why and ask whether Christian fans really need these stories. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lethal Kings by Victoria McCombs Laurie Christine: Garden of Mysteries: A Dragon Slayer Bible Story The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update New review of Lethal Kings by Victoria McCombs Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes How to Help Your Teens Engage Dystopian Tales, Ticia Messing 137. Which Dystopian Doom Sounds Worse, Orwell’s ‘1984’ or Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’? The Giver Quartet Compares Dystopian Control with Human Purpose, Elijah David 229. What If Christians Joined Civil War Against Immortal Elites? | The Wall by Brian Penn “The Will of the People,” by Tim Pool TV Show Intro Music by TheoJT The Siege V for Vendetta Concession stand This is part of our Fiction’s Chief End series, thus the word need. The dystopian genre has biblical roots. It’s echoed in the real-life encounters between David and King Saul, and in the parable Jesus told about the persistent widow. Dystopian stories usually have Man vs. Society conflict. Dystopia is one of the founding stories of the United States, along with the frontier. We’re recording this after a national election in the U.S. The timing is a feature, not a bug–purposeful, not accidental. In this transition period, everyone is forwarding their vision for the future, and warning of dark possibilities they’ve seen in stories. But we do our best to avoid conversations about particular politicians or policies. So we will also avoid the cliched discussions about dystopia tropes (such as teenage rebel love triangles). 1. Dystopian fiction helps us face real-life dystopia. Most of us don’t have access to the levers of power in our political system. This genre is not primarily for political leaders. These stories usually focus on people with very little political capital. This is the first reason why dystopian fiction is useful for the average citizen: it gives us a blueprint for extreme resilience. For decades now, every election has been billed as “the most important of our lifetime.” Beware the fabricated dystopia that partisan media is trying to convince you that you live in. Because the problem is that people already think they are living in a dystopian world. That’s where books in this genre are a helpful corrective: they show us a world that’s truly swallowed by tyranny. More than that, they (usually) show us how people survive, respond, and in some cases even conquer the tyrants. Again, you may think the tyrant is in the White House, or you may think the tyrants are in the Deep State. Or perhaps the World Economic Forum. Or just your HOA. Doesn’t matter. We usually don’t get the government we want, or if we do, it doesn’t last long. And we all have a primitive fear of someone’s boot stomping on our neck. That’s why entering the imagination of an author can be a helpful way of facing this fear. 2. Dystopian stories give us a reverse “how to” manual. Dystopian stories show photo-negatives of the lives we hope to enjoy. They show us what to avoid as a society, the logical end of unchecked corruption, immorality, abuse of power. They help us spot the very first steps of the road into hell, which is usually paved with good intentions. The problem is that small compromises have compound interest. You can look the other way once, and it’s no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that’s all you’re doing; compromising, because that’s the way you think things are done. You know those guys I busted? You think they were the bad guys? Because they weren’t, they weren’t bad guys, they were just like you and me. Except they compromised… Once. — Jack Bauer, 24 They also reveal what we should fight for. Reminds us not to take our freedoms for granted. 3. Dystopian novels force us to face the darkness within. One hidden danger of dystopian fiction is wish fulfillment. The best dystopian fiction goes beyond just smashing a bad system and challenges the protagonists to build a new system. Dystopian stories show us what to avoid in society–by pointing out what we need to beware of in ourselves. That question of “How far would you go?” is very relevant today, given conversations about political revenge. “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgeh

Hi! Wow. Middle of autumn. I know what you’re thinking about. Christmas! This weekend the new comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! releases in theaters. And five Thanksgiving seasons ago, in Nov. 2019, new fans began watching the second half of a new biblical fiction drama called The Chosen. This week, we’re thankful to host one of the three Chosen screenwriters who also cowrote The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!, Ryan Swanson. Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Nova: Rift by Steven James Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update New review of The Time Door by Shannon McDermott Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Even among our listeners, some may have negative views of this show We’ve dealt with many of those in episode 148: Why Do Some Christians Revile ‘The Chosen’? | with Josiah DeGraaf and Jenneth Dyck Also, must credit Jenneth Dyck (writer of this article) for this connection! We recorded this interview was recorded before big news at ChosenCon. Swanson is showrunner for “The Chosen Adventures” animated series. If we knew, we would have asked more about this expanded Bibleverse. But this chap is good and didn’t give a single indication of this big news. Introducing guest Ryan Swanson Head writer and executive producer Ryan Swanson happened to go to high school with Dallas’s wife Amanda (he was her Sadie Hawkins dance date, actually). Several years ago, they got back in touch, Amanda introduced Dallas and Ryan, and the rest is history. All three writers on The Chosen (Ryan, Tyler Thompson, and Dallas) contribute equally, but Dallas and Tyler would be the first to tell you Ryan is the “keeper of the story.” Nothing gets through unless Ryan deems it high enough quality. It must pass the smell test; it must be good storytelling and television. If we have something to include from Scripture or an important spiritual truth to convey, that’s awesome, but Ryan makes sure it “works.” Not by changing it, of course, but by making sure the show and the plot elevate it. Ryan Swanson at IMDB TheChosen.TV 1. From early faith to filmmaking experience How did you discover biblical faith and fantastic imagination? What gifts and interests led to you wanting to become a storyteller? What films did you help make? What did you love about that process? 2. From filmmaking experience to The Chosen How did a chance connection lead you to join The Chosen creator team? What might we have not heard about The Chosen’s original creation? After hitting the halfway point, what are the show’s greatest challenges? The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!, directed by Dallas Jenkins and co-written by Ryan Swanson, releases in theaters Friday, Nov. 8. 3. From The Chosen to Best Christmas Pageant Ever! How did Dallas (or whoever) ask you to help write this month’s remake? What do you like about this classic 1971 holiday story and original films? What’s next for you with The Chosen, other films/projects, and beyond? Com station Who would win in a fight between the Sons of Thunder and the Herdmans? @‌ChloeGotLB40 recalls meeting the makers of LB drama (ep. 219): I had the privilege to record the song Remember Me from Mark Schultz years ago, at Gap Digital during the time they were recording these. I’m grateful that Todd didn’t inform me who he played in the series until after I finished the song. Imagine my shock to know that “Mac” recorded my song! At that time, I only knew him as the guy who ran Gap Digital and did these audio dramas. I had asked him to sign a magazine for me. He asked me if I wanted it signed by Todd Busteed or Spencer Binford. It took me about 30 seconds to realize he was the voice of Mac! This series is what my name here is based on…Chloe got Left Behind. Jason Bergstrom enjoyed episode 235 about scary alien stories: I hadn’t really equated the types of alien stories with how they represent some of our basic fears. The kind that might freak me out the most is the fear of “invading your personal space” and feeling helpless in the face of such a creature. Alien and Aliens are two of my all-time favorite movies, despite the first one qualifying as more frightful. The xenomorph with its beastly design and never-ending goal to get you like a space zombie is one thing, but then how they’re born from your own body in a way that’s out of your control is very scary. It’s the fear of “invading your personal space” on two levels. Did anyone else read the My Teacher is an Alien books? I loved those as a kid. I reread them with my son a couple years ago and the first three are good, then the fourth goes super environmentalist. Pretty disappointed. Props, Zack, for mentioning Sphere. That was my favorite Crichton book–and yes, way better than the movie. Next on Fantastical Truth Boom. Doom. Gloom. Criminals pillage. Cities burn. Mobs rampage. Tyr

What’s the red-headed stepchild of Christian-made fiction? If you said science fiction, you’re partly right. But here’s a happy prediction: this other wandering genre is probably getting adopted! That might leave outside the other orphaned books—in the genre called horror. Is this one genre above others doomed to be rejected? Mike Duran, author of the nonfiction book Christian Horror, returns to challenge our preconceptions of spooky stories. Special note: Share this podcast episode before Nov. 5 for a chance to win your free autographed copy of Christian Horror. Use the hashtag #ChristianHorror when you tag Lorehaven on Facebook, on Instagram, or on TwitterX. Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Nova: Rift by Steven James DreadKing by David Liberto The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update Lorehaven Onscreen: ‘The Deliverance’ Shows Christ’s Power to Cast Out Evil and Reunite Families by Parker J. Cole Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild This previous podcast episode explores the purpose of healthier horror fiction. Quotes and notes on Christian-made scary stories Search all Lorehaven for episodes, articles, and books labeled horror 39. How Might Bram Stoker’s Novel ‘Dracula’ Cast Light Against Modern Vampires? | with Geoffrey Reiter Don’t Let Halloween Flippancy Distract You From Real Horrors and Promises Find Light in Darkness With These Six Christian Paranormal Thrillers 132. Do Christians Really Need Horror? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 5 133. How Are New Fans Discovering the Horror and Holiness of ‘Dracula’? 184. How Can Nobledark Horror Explore the Problem of Evil? | with Marc Schooley 185. What Are the Scariest Ghost Stories in Scripture? 186. Does the Devil Deceive People into Real Witchcraft? | with Marian Jacobs How The Crucifix Shows Christ’s Salvation in Dark Fantastical Stories Concession stand This may be your first time, yet we’ve often explored horror at Lorehaven. Some may view horror as a “stumbling block”; that’s a legit objection. Yet others find comfort in seeing a story that shows sin’s darkness. Scripture itself shows people rejoicing in God’s law that exposes evil. Today, many people need to believe Satan exists before they find Christ. That is just what the best horror tales, old and new, are designed to do. Introducing guest Mike Duran Mike Duran is a novelist, artist, and freelance writer. Mike writes fiction and non-fiction. His newest release is Keeper of the Woods (2024); he also wrote The Ghost Box (2014), which was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best 2015 indie novels—first in a paranoir series that continues with Saint Death (2016), and The Third Golem (2020). His nonfiction books Christians and Conspiracy Theories (2023) and Christian Horror (second edition, 2023) apply biblical truth to these fantastical topics. MikeDuran.com @‌MikeDuranAuthor on FB @‌MikeDuranAuthor on X 1. How do Christians avoid confronting real horror? Well-meaning Christians use “clean” or “family” fiction to cover over sins. When people are evil, we assume it’s because they were treated badly. We excuse supposed “acceptable” sins in our lives, churches, cultures. If our leaders sin, we claim it’s necessary for the greater good/the world. Or we may intentionally listen to deceptions of the world/Satan/flesh. Finally, we just ignore all of it; we get out our phones and play games. 2. Why might we wrongly obsess on horror images? Stephen saw an expensive lawn full of horror-for-its-own sake images. These weren’t warnings, or part of a story. There was no other context. It’s a sort of flippancy that tries to laugh at death, an unearned “victory.” This is the kind of purposeless horror that Christians rightly critique. Now a lot of people, overcorrecting for the “clean” stuff, may praise this. In some cases, they have likely gone from the frying pan into the fire. Share this podcast episode before Nov. 5 for a chance to win your free autographed copy of Christian Horror. Use the hashtag #ChristianHorror when you tag Lorehaven on Facebook, on Instagram, or on TwitterX. 3. What’s a more biblical view of ‘Christian horror’? Scripture itself never assumes someone else will teach the scary parts. From the very beginning, a creepy serpents tempts Adam and Eve. God passes judgments of mortality, murder, anarchy, and the Flood. Later we get hints about Satan’s dark activities behind the scenes. Evil spirits get even more active in the days of Jesus’s work on Earth. Today, demons and dark spiritual ideas are real; stories must show them. Com station What’s your favorite scary story that helps you see sin for what it is? Sean Truax in the RealmSphere shared thoughts about ep. 233: So, late with a comment as I listened to this a few days ago, sorry. This is another excellent episode and it had me questioning some of my own beliefs and how I was raised. I grew up in a Christian home, mom taught a weekly Good News Club, and both of my parents volunteered qui

Most fantasy fans don’t truly believe that dragons lurk in caves or the Fae are dancing in the woods by moonlight. But if you’re a sci-fi or horror fan, you might truly believe that real creatures from space have come to Earth for nefarious ends. Or that they might dwell among us today. Now that we might know the name of the U.S. Pentagon’s secret UFO or UAP program, let’s consider: what are the scariest alien stories? And why do so many fans want to be scared by these narratives about unearthly beings on Earth? Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Nova: Rift by Steven James DreadKing by David Liberto The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Mission update Regency and Regicide review Godzilla Minus One Pits a Human Hero Journey vs. Godzilla x Kong’s Smashing Spectacle Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This is the ninth part in our occasional series Armies of the Aliens. If we don’t mention your favorite alien theory, perhaps we did before. As of this recording, extraterrestrial species have not been officially confirmed. All of our stories about aliens, therefore, are based on imagination—not an actual species. So, we’re going to focus on what all these fictional species reflect about humanity’s view of itself, the world, and even God. Quotes and notes Zack on Parker J. Cole’s podcast The Write Stuff: “When Faith Meets UFOs: A Christian Perspective on The Immaculate Constellation” Pentagon holds briefing as Israel says they killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar Michael Shellenberger tweet on Oct. 8, 2024 1. Wicked aliens can invade your personal space. Many alien movies are very simple: a horror creature chases people in some kind of haunted house. These stories prey on our primal fears of the unknown, our disgust with the horrible, and the dread of the superior. H. P. Lovecraft is the inspiration of many of these stories of cosmic horror. This type of alien is seen in movies like Alien, Predator, The Thing, Virus, Event Horizon, Pitch Black, Doom, Monsters, Dreamcatcher, and A Quiet Place. What draws us to these stories is the desire to conquer the unknown. It’s a new frontier to brave, and for Americans, the frontier is a key part of our culture. We also value conquering our own internal demons, inspired by the famous quote, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” These stories alternately act as a crude metaphor for the Enlightenment and a rebuke of it. We’re either conquering our ignorance or being reminded that there’s a limit to what we can know. Often these stories have a theme of “they dug too deep.” 2. Powerful aliens can attack our cities and nations. In this second category, what’s at stake is not merely the lives of a few people, but the entire area in which they live. These stories are often a metaphor for the horrors of war, especially the overwhelming odds when facing a far superior military. Movies about this include War of the Worlds, Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2017), Independence Day, Cloverfield, Battleship, Skyline, and Oblivion. TV shows include Falling Skies, V, Colony, and The Three Body Problem (but please watch the Amazon Prime–distributed version, not the Netflix one) The fear we face in these stories is whether or not civilization itself has an expiration date. These stories echo back what must have been the traumatizing experience of The Tower of Babel. They remind us that, as powerful as our technology becomes, there is still Someone mightier. 3. Demonic aliens can destroy our very humanity. These types of aliens won’t simply hunt you down or blow up all the skyscrapers. Instead, they want to capture your soul and alter your very nature. There’s something terrifying about your body and even your mind being hijacked by an alien creature. We see this in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Host, Annihilation, The 5th Wave, Sphere, and Star Trek episodes with The Borg. The fear being explored here is the fear of going insane and/or becoming evil. Can someone become too far gone for rehabilitation? For salvation? Com station Top question for listeners What’s your favorite most frightening alien story? Next on Fantastical Truth What’s the red-headed stepchild of Christian-made fiction? If you said science fiction, you’re partly right. But here’s a happy prediction: this other wandering genre is probably getting adopted! That might leave outside the other orphaned books—in the genre called horror. Is this one genre above others doomed to be rejected? Mike Duran, author of the nonfiction book Christian Horror, returns to challenge our preconceptions of spooky stories.

We just upgraded Lorehaven.com, especially the Library with its many genres and subgenres.[1. Photo by Camille Orgel on Unsplash.] Nearly 1,400 titles cover a wealth of Christian-made fantastical fiction going all the way back to The Hobbit. Most of those published titles are fantasy. That’s the most popular genre today. But what might be the future of Christian-made fantastical storytelling? Kara Swanson and Brett Harris, directors and co-founders of The Author Conservatory, give us a glimpse into what themes and themes they see from upcoming authors. Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” audio drama podcast DreadKing by David Liberto The Jabin Kainos series by Vince Mancuso Voices of the Future vol. 3: Stories of Healing & Home is available. Author Conservatory plans to release vol. 4 later in 2024. Mission update Last week we published a retro review of A Star Curiously Singing Visit our Library to find the perfect fantastical novels this season Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand We’re not a writers’ podcast, but it’s fun to glimpse behind the scenes. Of course, every attempted prediction of the future is just speculation. Stay tuned next year, because this episode is a prequel to a whole series. This episode was inspired by the Voices of the Future anthology series. Reintroducing guest Kara Swanson Kara Swanson writes stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow. She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory, where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers. You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram. KaraSwanson.com AuthorConservatory.com Instagram @‌karaswansonauthor Introducing guest Brett Harris Brett Harris is the bestselling author of Do Hard Things and co-founder of the Young Writer’s Workshop and the Author Conservatory, which have trained thousands of writers since 2017. He is a personal mentor and coach for many of the world’s top young writers and authors and his mission is to raise up the next C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Do Hard Things at Amazon AuthorConservatory.com 1. What’s the Author Conservatory origin story? Who had the idea for this different sort of author training model? How many and what sorts of authors are enrolled in the training? Why do you want to “raise up the next C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien”? 2. What sorts of books are most popular today? A stop by nonfiction: politics, history, biography, philosophy, self-help? Christian fiction vs. nonfiction: historical, romantic, cozy, mystery, other? Christian fantastical fiction: fantasy? science fiction? any “horror” at all? 3. What novels may prove popular in the future? Which fantasy genres do Conservatory authors enjoy creating the most? What stories, authors, subgenres are influencing these new authors? Any guesses about future genre hybrids or dark horse genres like sci-fi? Com station Top question for listeners What’s your favorite fantastical genre? Which do you want more of? Andrea J. Graham remarked on a social post for episode 233: Sorry but abstain from the very appearance of evil does mean to abstain from the appearance of evil. We don’t get to cherry pick what we like and believe is safe out of God’s word. Gerrymander it to say anything but the plain and self evident meaning of the text at your own risk. But only the Holy Spirit gets to apply the text and define what specific evils are so evil we don’t want caught so much as looking guilty and such is almost certainly sins in the text such as fornication not drinking root beer and ball room dancing and playing Uno. Shaneen shared a comment at the Lorehaven.com episode page: The example of co-workers of opposite genders is not very sound for me. A better example: Christians are commanded not to have intercourse until after marriage. Suppose a Christian man and woman, both single, co-habit the same house alone. They are not sleeping together; nevertheless, they are in a position which makes it very hard to prove they are not. The Christian onlooker would (we hope) make inquires before passing judgment; the non-believer, so often looking for any reason to find fault with us, could yell “hypocrisy “, or perhaps, “oh, it’s not such a big deal then, if they can do it so can I.” Next on Fantastical Truth Most fantasy fans don’t truly believe that dragons lurk in caves or the Fae are dancing in the woods by moonlight. But if you’re a sci-fi or horror fan, you might truly believe that real creatures from space have come to Earth for nefarious ends. Or that they might dwell among us today. Now that we might know the name of the U.S. Pent

“Judge not” gets twisted to shut down God’s Law.[1. Photo by Peyman Shojaei on Unsplash.] The phrase “money is the root of all evil” gets twisted to shut down biblical ambition. And “no eye has see, no ear has heard” often gets twisted to shut down a longing for Heaven. But what twisted Scripture most often gets used to reject Christ-exalting fantastical imagination? This top text may be 1 Thessalonians 5:22: “Avoid the appearance of evil.” But does that text actually say to avoid not just actual evil, but anything that appears evil in the eyes of … someone? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Immortal Abyss Exile’s Hope by David Liberto The Lorehaven Guild: Amish Vampires in Space book quest Mission update Josh Shepherd exclusively interviewed Rings of Power showrunners. Jessica Boudreaux shared concerns about increasing YA sensuality. We’ve launched upgrades to Lorehaven.com, especially the Library. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Concession stand We are speaking here against a deep Bible misconception. For a moment, you may feel like we’re denying actual gospel. The myth is so common that even Google AI refers to the Scripture twist: Some commentaries on the meaning of this verse include: . . . Avoiding not only the identical evil thing itself, but all shows and resemblances of it Terminating contact with any place, action, language, or relationship that gives people the impression that you are doing something wrong Notice our frequent use of the word someone. That’s by design. And that’s because some unknown someone often haunts this topic. Who is the someone? Why are we following his/her notion about “evil”? 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says: Abstain from all appearance of evil. (KJV) Reject every kind of evil. (NIV) Abstain from every form of evil. (ESV) Stay away from every kind of evil. (CSB) 1. 1 Thess. 5:22 only refers to actual evil actions. Nothing in this verse, in English or Greek, means not evil but looks like it. The verse speaks only about avoiding actual evil wherever this appears. So many misread this that we address it fully in The Pop Culture Parent: Some Christians believe we must not only avoid committing actual sins but also avoid anything that could appear evil to someone else. However, a quick study of the full chapter in 1 Thessalonians shows that the term eidos (“appearance” in the King James Version) has nothing to do with someone’s opinion of how something looks. Paul tells Christians to respect teachers but also test them, no doubt by comparing their teachings with Scripture and the gospel. They must avoid false teaching—not what appears to be false but what is actually false. The King James Version’s “appearance” is better translated into current-day English as “form” or “kind” of evil. In fact, no modern Bible translation uses “appearance” here, and original readers of the KJV probably took appearance of evil to mean actual evil. The Pop Culture Parent, page 82 2. One does not simply avoid things that look evil. Recently we saw this standard applied to the so-called Billy Graham rule. But for most people (especially outside non-vocational) ministry, it’s impossible to never be technically “alone” with an opposite-sex person. If we tried to do this, we’d be subject to unbiblical notions of “evil.” Some people claim the Bible itself is evil. Should we avoid that too? Not even Jesus Christ himself followed this “rule” to the letter. Indeed, to misread [this verse] as meaning “anything that might look evil” leads to an absurd standard no one could keep, not even Jesus. He ate with sinners and talked with prostitutes, and the Pharisees thought his actions appeared to be evil. Jesus claimed to be the great I Am, and the Pharisees picked up stones because it appeared that Jesus had committed blasphemy. The Pop Culture Parent, page 83 3. If we try doing this, someone will be haunting us. We see many bad Christians manipulate others with this “standard.” They always assume (not prove) that they are the haunting “someone.” But why should their special view of “appearance” control everyone else? This toxic brew will only generate worsening cycles of fake “morality.” We also see many non-Christians impose fake “morality” in this way. Too many sincere Christians are fooled into pleasing humans, not God. And for Christian fans, we often select/avoid stories based on this “rule.” Our recommendation: reject the “rule” as antibiblical and fake “holiness.” Christians must not let a misreading of this verse restrict our freedom to enjoy certain things with thanksgiving to God. Moreover, if we misuse this verse, we may be fueling hypocrisy, teaching our children that we value outward appearances more than the truth. The Pop Culture Parent, page 83 Com station Top question for listeners Have you ever tried to avoid not just evil, but things that look evil? @‌a.r.grosjeanauthor replied on Instagram about Jessica’s article: I agree. Cuddles and kisses should be as good as

Many fantasy worlds have people groups that don’t like each other. And many people in fairy-tale lands warn you never to go in the forest. But in Ellie Castor’s community of Bishop’s Gap, the feud between her family and the Levy family is getting worse. And the root of it lies at the heart of the forest where she must never go—unless it’s to fight the curse. Today we’re tramping into the dead leaves in Helen Dent’s new fantasy The Burning Tree. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Immortal Abyss Exile’s Hope by David Liberto Above the Circle of Earth: prebuy this sci-fi Mission update Lorehaven action item: Amish Vampires in Space book quest Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Helen Dent Helen Dent’s career as a writer began at age nine, when her grandfather paid her a dollar a page for what turned into quite a lengthy story. She studied monster theory (among other things) in graduate school, taught English at a Chinese university, and toured the Scottish Hebrides in a car with a needy radiator. Now she lives in Texas with her husband, kids, a cat, and a hamster. She belongs to the DFW Writers Workshop, the Fort Worth Poetry Society, and Art House Dallas. HelenDentWrites.com Helen Dent on Facebook @‌helendentwrites on Instagram 1. How did you find biblical faith and fantastic imagination? 2. What ideas and images led to The Burning Tree? Genre differences: portal fantasy or high fantasy versus magical realism Yet this novel isn’t urban fantasy but a rare example of rural fantasy. There’s also a dash of mythology from another tradition entirely. 3. What’s next for your creative worlds? Com station Top question for listeners Which places in nature have filled you with wonder or dread? Jasmine commented on episode 221 with Jerry Jenkins: All really interesting. Now if I were writing the series today (and it could as well be, since no one knows the day or the hour anyways), there are some changes I could possibly make: 1. Carpathia gains control of android and apple and all the streaming sevices (Netflix, Hulu, Paraomount, Disney+) 2. The bugging system could be more advanced, with possibly a hidden camera and a microphone that’s more like a little chip 3. The Seal of God would not only have a cross but also calculation of 777 (as opposed to the 666) for each believer from different regions 4. Akbar could use a smart phone as he’s interrogating the workers at the palace in searching for the mole 5. The three demons (Baal, Ashtorath, and Cankerworm) could be artificial intelligence until Carpathia and Fortunato exhaled three frogs from their mouths and bring those three to life. 6. Tsion Ben-Judah could have a underground streaming service 7. There could be a underground online news (most people get their news online nowadays) Those are just some random ideas for what the series could be like if it was written today. Next on Fantastical Truth “Judge not” gets twisted to shut down God’s Law. The phrase “money is the root of all evil” gets twisted to shut down biblical ambition. And “no eye has see, no ear has heard” often gets twisted to shut down a longing for Heaven. But what twisted Scripture most often gets used to reject Christ-exalting fantastical imagination? This top text may be 1 Thessalonians 5:22: “Avoid the appearance of evil.” But does that text actually say to avoid not just actual evil, but anything that appears evil in the eyes of … someone?

Christian parents often ask whether stories for their kids have bad words and bad language. Today they’re also asking: “Does this story have Agenda?” Often they look for clean stories, that is, stories empty of objectionable elements. But do readers of all ages really need only clean fiction? Instead of stopping at minimalist stories that don’t contain obvious poisons, shouldn’t we also seek stories that are full of nutrients—stories that are wholesome? Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” audio drama podcast Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Above the Circle of Earth: prebuy this sci-fi Mission update Lorehaven recently reviewed Sea and Soul as well as The Skin Map Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand We love to approach this “clean” topic from many different directions. We’ve already asked whether this cleanliness is really next to godliness. But this isn’t that episode. Here we ask if we should stop at clean fiction. Or do we build on that foundation and seek fiction that’s even better? We start by offering an alternative word for what many Christians want. We’re talking mainly about casual conversation, not Official Book Policy. So if you seek out “clean fiction,” keep at it! But be challenged anyhow. Labels help shape our imaginations, giving sound/ideas to assumptions. It may seem odd to say “this word, not that,” but we’ll explain why here. Quotes and notes 81. Should Christians Use ‘Clean Fiction’ to Fight a Dirty World? 155. How Might Sentimentalism Threaten Christian Fiction? 169. Should Christian Stories Feel Free to Show Cussin’ and Fightin’? 1. What do we mean by ‘clean fiction’? The word “clean” brings a many images and cultural assumptions. For our last “clean” episode 81, we used an image of shiny soap bubbles. We may also think about spiritually “clean” foods or natural ingredients. 2. What do we mean by ‘wholesome’ fiction? Where clean implies absence of bad things, wholesome is opposite. Wholesome implies good, nutritious ingredients that help you grow. Clean means “isn’t bad.” Wholesome means better: “is actively good.” 3. Do we disregard clean and seek the wholesome? Stephen believes: yes, again, in how we casually talk about stories. Many readers believe that clean quickly denotes anything offensive. But many other readers see the exact opposite: clean means false. That’s because, clearly, real life isn’t clean, and stories are best realistic. But critics should note: real life does include clean elements, after all. This reality is best described by the word wholesome; it can be unifying. Wholesome also encourages us to consider different maturity levels. Most folks assume clean means “suitable for kids”; wholesome can vary. Scripture itself would not be considered clean, but it is wholesome. God, the Author, has given us His word not just to keep out bad stuff. He invites us into His true Story that is about growing to be like Jesus. Com station Top question for listeners What stories would you call wholesome as opposed to clean? John used the Lorehaven.com feedback form for episode 230: You mentioned your next episode will be about wholesome stories. We are Christians and have homeschooled our awesome daughter her whole life. She is 15 now and besides her other many interests, she still loves reading. We were lucky enough to discover a curriculum called The Good and the Beautiful. The reading curriculum focuses on stories that are good, beautiful, wholesome, and I would say edifying. Focusing on Christian character and values. (This is a Mormon organization. The great majority of the curriculum is Bible-based.) There is a whole library for readers from preschool to high school level. I highly recommend the reading library, if not the whole curriculum, to anyone looking for great books for their kids. So did Cody, who had thoughts about a mentioned movie: I read Joseph Holmes’s piece on The Front Room and then I read the Wikipedia synopsis and now I’m really confused. According to Holmes, part of the movie’s message is that Christianity disempowers women and Paganism empowers them. But the premise is that Christianity somehow gives the female villain superpowers and until the end, the Pagan heroine is at a loss as to how to deal with her. Say what?

Just this month we’ve seen three examples of a polarity shift. Up is down. Water is dry. And heroes are actually villains—while the villains get justified by tragic backstory. How does this happen? In reality and fiction, why do some modern storytellers keep reversing the polarity of heroes and villains? Special mention In Memory of Daniqua Grace White ♡ Support Siblings With Funeral Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” audio drama podcast Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Above the Circle of Earth: prebuy this sci-fi Mission update Lorehaven recently reviewed The Chaos Grid as well as Sea and Soul Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes [LOTR] How do orcs reproduce? Orc Origins and Breeding | Fandom Concession stand Most of what we’re describing is rampant cynicism. A lot of what’s driving this trend can be traced to major changes in tabletop games and video games. You’ve probably heard this trend play out like so: “Ha ha, heroes are actually villains.” Example: The Boys “Ha ha, good guys are secretly evil.” Example: The Last of Us “Ha ha, religion is an evil control system.” Example: The Front Room “You cannot go on ‘seeing through’ things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to ‘see through’ first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To ‘see through’ all things is the same as not to see.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man Many simply say, “It’s not fair” that some people win and others lose. Why shouldn’t everyone be equal? 1. Why critics may feel so cynical about heroes If no one can possibly be more virtuous than anyone else, then heroes by definition cannot exist. Likewise, if heroism is an easy thing, then heroes would be a dime a dozen, instead of rare. Humility is the opposite of the armchair quarterback who demonstrates 20/20 hindsight. Example: some recent revisionist history that portrays Winston Churchill as a villain 2. How we get heroes: courageously pursue virtue A hero doggedly pursues a goal no matter the obstacles or failures. Virtue is not always an easy or pleasant task, as it usually involves self-denial and long timescales. Examples: the SpaceX astronauts who recently undertook the Polaris Dawn spacewalk mission The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried. —G. K. Chesterton Although it’s scary for us to reject worldly conformity, we can practice courage. 3. Villains get real power from self-righteousness Trauma and oppression are not replacements for virtue. Misfortune does not give someone license to sin. Villains follow their overinflated sense of self-importance and righteousness Com station Top question for listeners Who are your favorite sincere heroes and villains? Terri Hamilton wrote in after our “chart-topping” episode 228: Great analysis! I agree with everything you’re saying. Also let’s remember that 80% of everything in past centuries was also in the lower end of the Pareto scale–we just aren’t aware of that stuff because it hasn’t passed the test of time. Here’s an example of a Christian-written novel that did extremely well, but many fantasy fans may not have read it or realized the author is a Christian: “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson is literary fiction and won the Pulitzer. She is a wonderful writer. I also have a book of her essays, some of which explore Christian themes. Count me among those who got behind on all that’s going on (Christian or otherwise) in the spec fic world because of real life. I just started listening to your podcast in the last few weeks, hoping to catch up a bit. Next on Fantastical Truth Christian parents used to ask whether stories for their kids had bad words and bad language. Today they’re also asking: “Does this story have Agenda?” Often they look for clean stories, that is, stories empty of objectionable elements. But is this really what readers of all ages need from our fiction? Instead of asking for minimalist stories that don’t contain obvious poisons, shouldn’t we also seek stories full of nutrients—stories that are wholesome?

In the year 2099, imagine having to cancel your family vacation plans to St. Louis or that Oklahoma ranch. How come? Because, unfortunately, it’s dystopian times and there’s a wall there. It’s even worse inside those middle districts for Asher, son of The Defiance, because his one true love is now trapped on the Lazurite side, and her father runs totalitarian government. This month we’re crossing The Wall in our September book quest, and today we invite Brian Penn to explore this debut and other dystopian dooms. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Ignite by Kara Swanson Above the Circle of Earth: prebuy this sci-fi Lorehaven Guild: The Wall book quest Mission update Lorehaven reviews: The Chaos Grid by Lyndsey Lewellen Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Brian Penn Brian Penn is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. He has a BS in psychology, which he finds useful while composing interesting and authentic characters. He currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and three children, who serve as his daily inspiration. When he isn’t writing you can find him spending time with his family, hitting the slopes, or shooting archery. Brian is a recipient of the Literary Titan’s Book Award as well as a Maxy Award Finalist for best science fiction. BrianAlanPenn.com @‌BrianPennAuthor on Facebook @‌brianpenn on Instagram @‌BrianAlenPenn on TwitterX 1. How did you first ‘plot’ to destroy future-America? Famous dystopian tales have messed up Europe (Brave New World) A few specifically target the U.S. of A., some vaguely (The Hunger Games) What would last in such a society? What would be barely remembered 2. What can Christians do in a dystopian country? Choose between the Defiance and the harder-core Sons of Levi Choose between peaceful withdrawal or shrewder engagement Choose between human morality and artificial tech “resurrection” 3. What’s next for Asher and/or Sarai as we rebuild? Reader response to The Wall since its December 2023 publication Titles for the two sequels are now revealed; when do they release? What else lies in your future—any Defiance, creativity, or some of each? Com station Top question for listeners Would you join a resistance to overthrow dystopian government? Vince Mancuso, Jabin Kainos sci-fi series author, liked ep. 228: I may not agree 100% with some of your thoughts—I see no reason Christians shouldn’t try to dominate the markets—I fully understand how you got there, as well understand we are in a different culture than Michelangelo, but I don’t want that to keep us from making attempts and succeeding where we can. Next on Fantastical Truth Just this month we’ve seen three examples of a polarity shift. Up is down. Water is dry. And heroes are actually villains—while the villains get justified by tragic backstory. How does this happen? In reality and fiction, why do some modern storytellers, keep reversing the polarity of heroes and villains?

“Back in the olden days, Christian art was king.[1. Photo by Jelly Dollar on Unsplash.] Top artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci pioneered in their creative fields, and later composers like Bach and Handel revolutionized their day’s music. Then later, of course, Lewis and Tolkien did this for fantasy! So why today do all the Christian artists copy The World instead of leading in culture?” How often have you heard these questions? And how often have you heard solid, logical answers to them? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Ignite by Kara Swanson Above the Circle of Earth cover reveal: Thursday, Sept. 5 Lorehaven Guild: The Wall book quest Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Maggie and the Mountain of Light Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand If you’re still asking these questions sincerely, we aren’t throwing shade. At the same time, we do believe these questions should help us grow. In this episode, we won’t just complain about our art not topping charts. Instead we explore exactly why Christian art isn’t as “big” as we’d like. After this, we’ll share some needed challenges to the question premise. Answer 1: Because pop culture is a demanding field. Some jobs are more traditional, and others high-risk, like story-making. Stephen can testify to this. Much of what he does entails a lot of risk. For every A-list creator, there are thousands who haven’t made it. Open discussion Answer 2: Because we’re called to other goals first. God commanded His people to start families and steward the Earth. That leads to and includes art-creation. But now we suffer pain and toil. This sin-cursed world does put a damper on our relationship with art. Open discussion Answer 3: Because secular elites manage the charts. We can’t afford to be too naive about the biases in entertainment media. Many movies, games, songs get secular attention but little actual profit. In the past, Christian-made books weren’t often sold in secular stores. Open discussion Answer 4: Because culture isn’t Christian-adjacent. In the old days, artists showed biblical imagery because this was trendy. Cultural Christianity was in. The churches held wealth and influence. If we want Christians to top charts, we’d first need cultural dominance. Open discussion Answer 5: Some old top artists were not Christian. Again, the classic-art greats did their work in a Christian-ish culture. Some were Christian, but others were just going along with their world. Christians can’t “claim” artists just because they showed Bible pictures. Open discussion Answer 6: Plenty of new Christian artists do great. It’s corny to repeat the “all Christian just follow the world” canard. These days, right now, many faithful Christians are making fantastic stuff. Often critics don’t notice because they’re the ones following the world. Open discussion Com station Where do you see faithful Christians making fantastical art? Zachary Edmonson remarked about last week’s ep. 227: Contrary to popular belief, I think a world of true Christians could achieve a Star Trek future. If ours was an atheistic, relativistic world, we’d be too busy fighting each other to accomplish anything. RuthAnn Schmitt added about that ‘Star Trek future’ episode: The Gutenberg Printing Press, for example, was made to print the Bible. Without that want for printing the Bible, we would not have the high tech printers we have today. Now, we have 3D printers. All because of a man who had a desire to get Bibles out to common people. In short, countless inventions were made because of Christians. Atheists have no right to complain. Next on Fantastical Truth In the year 2099, imagine having to cancel your family vacation plans to St. Louis or that Oklahoma ranch. How come? Because, unfortunately, it’s dystopian times and there’s a wall there. It’s even worse inside those middle districts for Asher, son of The Defiance, because his one true love is now trapped on the Lazurite side, and her father runs totalitarian government. This month we’re crossing The Wall in our September book quest, and next week we invite Brian Penn to explore this debut and other dystopian dooms.

Space. The next-to-final frontier. So what’s the final one? It’s the future. As sci-fi fans, Stephen and Zack enjoy debating space travel possibilities, Moon stations and Mars colonies (likelier now after the liquid water finding?), and of course those armies of the aliens. Now we’ll ask whether today’s scientists and speculators recognize Christianity’s crucial role in their disciplines, and whether they see a place for Christianity in their vision of the future. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L. Busse The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Join the Above the Circle of Earth cover reveal crew Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Winter’s Maiden and After Moses Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes We reference this meme about what is supposedly holding back the Star Trek future. “Top 10 believing scientists, part 1,” July 18, 2024, and “Top 10 believing scientists, part 2,” Sarah Salviander, Aug. 1, 2024: Part 1 and Part 2 “How the worst characters in sci-fi help me deal with the problem of evil,” Sarah Salviander, Feb. 6, 2024 “The chief aim of all investigations of the external world should be to discover the rational order and harmony which has been imposed on it by God and which He revealed to us in the language of mathematics.” —Johannes Kepler “To know the mighty works of God, to comprehend His wisdom and majesty and power; to appreciate, in degree, the wonderful workings of His laws, surely all this must be a pleasing and acceptable mode of worship to the Most High, to whom ignorance cannot be more grateful than knowledge.” —Nicolaus Copernicus Introducing guest Dr. Sarah Salviander Dr. Sarah Salviander is a Bible-believing, power-lifting, cancer-surviving, PhD astrophysicist. She was raised atheist in a secular country: no churches or temples, no scriptures or holy books, no discussions about God or gods. Her north star was science, which led her into a PhD astrophysics program. But pondering the mystery of existence caused her naturalistic beliefs to crumble. And studying the evidence for Christianity convinced her it was true. She’s now a research scientist, professor, and writer, and lives with her family in Texas. Sarah Salviander on Substack and X (Twitter) 1. How Christians influenced modern science Christians expected an orderly universe Christians expected an expanding universe How the study of the stars led to faith in the creator of the cosmos 2. What Star Trek imagines for human progress Star Trek imagines a utopia brought about by warp drive Star Trek doesn’t think religion has much of a place in the future But somehow most Star Trek characters agree on basic morality 3. How we will live in a fantastical future What we should expect about scientific and astronomical discoveries in the next decade or so Does God forbid or otherwise prevent space travel? (Genesis 11, Isaiah 45:18, Matthew 24:31) How naturalism and neo-pagan religions are becoming increasingly common within the scientific community How Christianity will continue advancing science Com station Top question for listeners What favorite star, exoplanet, or other part of the galaxy do you hope to visit someday? Jake enjoyed episode 225: Just finished the new episode y’all did about Lord of the Rings. I was 100% someone introduced to Middle-earth via the first Peter Jackson movie. I had a vague awareness of The Hobbit but no knowledge of LOtR. I remember leaving the theater from Fellowship, going directly downstairs from the theater in the mall into Barnes and Noble to buy the three-in-one trilogy book which I still own until this day. I had the trilogy read by the end of Christmas break and have read or listened to it all multiple times since then. I took Tolkien classes as an undergrad and graduate student and routinely reference Middle-earth in my classes as a teacher at a classical school. In fact, I have made it clear that if a book I teach is removed, I will campaign hard for The Hobbit to be its replacement. Thank you, Peter Jackson.

When was the last time you were reading a story or hearing music, and you felt those chills and sense of wonder that made you think, “Oh, wow, thank you, Lord”, or consider that the Holy Spirit was active in this artwork?[1. Photo by John Price on Unsplash.] We might say the story was “inspired,” similar to how we believe the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit. But as we celebrate stories #MadeByHumans, do we also believe God Himself does special work to help make these stories? Episode sponsors Audio-Epic.com: “1232” audio drama podcast The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Join the Above the Circle of Earth cover reveal crew Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Winter’s Maiden and After Moses Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes What does it mean that the Bible is inspired? | GotQuestions.org Is “Paradise Lost” by John Milton biblical? | GotQuestions.org ‘God Can’t Spell and Has Bad Grammar’?, Speculative Faith Has God Spoken? By Mike Winger Reach Teenagers Through Cru (spoken word video) 1. ‘Men spoke from God as they were carried along…’ 1. The Bible. Scripture is our only inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient word of God. Men wrote the Bible by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Each book reflects its human author’s personality, language, and genre choices, yet flows into a single narrative called the Gospel. The Bible consists of sixty-six books in Old and New Testaments. (Good translations give us confidence to know God’s intent.) from the Lorehaven Sacred Scrolls faith statement Open discussion For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:16–21 (ESV) For generations, Christians have referred to this as the Spirit’s inspiration. Other statements of faith refer to Scripture’s inerrancy or perfection. But this word, “inspiration,” also has some linguistic creep for creativity. And in Scripture before, God’s Spirit also did some unpredictable things. For example, 1 Samuel 19:18–24. This isn’t taught in Sunday school! Sight and Sound Theaters’ “David” dramatized this scene so wonderfully. It cleared space for loud expressive worship of God as Scripture shows. Yet this scene also warned that some people who do this aren’t of God. 2. ‘God can’t spell and has bad grammar’? The phrase comes from Christian fantastical author John B. Olson. Aspiring authors would excitedly present him their ideas or manuscripts. “God laid this on my heart. It’s so amazing. God told me to write this!” So that phrase was his response. And the heart of it does remain true. The Holy Spirit inspired (past tense) the inerrant written word of God. Our stories, however, contain some errors in substance, style, or both. Stephen can testify, now that he’s coming to the end(?) of novel edits! Many authors are highly skilled, yet can’t claim to be “inspired” this way. For that reason, to avoid confusion, Stephen avoids using that word. We mus not elevate other works as if they’re “inspired” like the Bible. And we’ve heard the stories of “God told me to date you” manipulations. Some indeed use the “God told me…” line sincerely yet with aspirations. But we need not say this in order to value the Spirit in us, or our work. 3. ‘Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit’ That phrase comes from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19. Even now we hear unbelievers fake-quote this “body is a temple” phrase. Christians do, however, believe the Holy Spirit is God Himself in us. He’s cleaning up the place, changing our thoughts, making us like Jesus. And that does mean He’s equipping us to do good works for His glory. These good works would surely include reading/making creative works. And because these works are worship, we’ll likely feel much the same. Sometimes it’s rest. Or simple satisfaction. Or conviction. Prayer. Bliss. And sometimes the feelings get heightened to a “worship experience.” Stephen felt this way watching that amazing/faithful “David” stage epic. Or even riding a roller coaster. Endorphins? Yes. Gift of God? Also yes. God works through physical means that we dare not discount either way. When we thank Him, and enjoy these gifts, let’s not skip a thin

A new power is arising. Saruman’s forces, often joined by some wild Men who don’t know better, are felling the good trees of Middle-earth to make weapons of war. In response, some would-be trolls come out of their hoards to stomp all over this land and forget the true meaning of Tolkien. How then do today’s fans still love The Lord of the Rings—books, films, and/or memes? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L. Busse The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Guild: monthly book quests Mission update Lorehaven article: ‘Furiosa’ Quenches Hope and Doubles Down on Darkness, Marian Jacobs Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Evan Cooney Evan Cooney hosts The Middle-earth Mixer podcast (with occasional forays into conical themed ratios on social media). He is a Christian, husband, and father to a little girl. He’s also a fan of history, good literature, and the Philadelphia Eagles, with aspirations to be a writer. MiddleEarthMixer.com Podcast: The Middle-earth Mixer Concession stand This episode was inspired by Daniel Whyte IV’s recent Lorehaven article. He has a fun, swashbuckling takes on some of these politicized critiques. We may have the same. But here we aim to celebrate LOTR in all forms. Quotes and notes Does it bother me that Tolkien’s name and work are getting rucked through the mire of the modern political hellscape? Yes. Does it bother me that people are suddenly considered weirdo extremists for liking Middle-earth, investing in companies named after Aragorn’s sword, and nicknaming their friends after hobbits? Also yes. But I’m more bothered by critics leveling their aim at the entire genre of fantasy, and casting those who enjoy life-giving, inspirational truths in fantastic stories—truths that apply to politics as much as anywhere else—as somehow outlandish. Daniel Whyte IV, “Political Criticism of Middle-earth Fans is Stranger Than Fantasy“ “I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” C. S. Lewis, dedication to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe “And instead of being grave and mysterious like most Calormenes, they walked with a swing and let their arms and shoulders go free, and chatted and laughed. One was whistling. You could see that they were ready to be friends with anyone who was friendly, and didn’t give a fig for anyone who wasn’t. Shasta thought he had never seen anything so lovely in his life.” C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy “If this picture of the young captain of Gondor absolutely ripping a heater gets more likes, then …” Evan Cooney reminds us that intentionally low-effort responses like this one can help gently roast certain assumed beliefs and bureaucrats. Notable social media ratios from @MiddleEarthMixr include: May 12, 2023 March 26, 2023 Aug. 8, 2024 1. Why classic fans love the original LOTR novels Just for review, let’s summarize J. R. R. Tolkien and why he wrote LOTR. This includes his love of languages and desire for a British mythology. Since the 1960s, fans of many beliefs have journeyed into Middle-earth. 2. Why new fans love the now-classic LOTR films Last year we celebrated the 20-year anniversary of Return of the King. Peter Jackson’s epic introduced many more fans to Middle-earth lands. One cannot engage Tolkien’s original novels without recognizing this. This other LOTR meme appeals to many Christians fans. 3. Why newest fans also love sharing LOTR memes Similarly, one can’t engage this fandom without recognizing the memes. Stephen says any would-be critic of the fandom must first answer this question: What happened when Viggo Mortenson kicked the helmet? Memes can be flippant, but they also quickly reflect much truth at once. Com station Top question for listeners How did you first discover LOTR: books, films, memes? Or perhaps “all of them at once, I suppose”? Next on Fantastical Truth Whether it’s Middle-earth or a new novel Christians love, we’re often so affected that we think the Holy Spirit must be working in this artwork. We might say the story was “inspired,” similar to how we believe the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit. But as we celebrate stories #MadeByHumans, do we also believe God Himself does special work to help make these stories?

You are being haunted.[1. Photo by grayom on Unsplash.] Specters from your past, or someone else’s past, lurk in your world. They twist meaning and distort symbols. They make you jump in the night, recoil from stories others find wonderful, and make the upright seem downright wicked. There is a cure that helps us imagine better, but first we must recognize the problem. What on earth is Church Back Home Syndrome? And why does this matter for Christian fantastical fans? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Guild: monthly book quests Mission update Lorehaven action: back to reviews, The Wall last week, Ignite this week New articles as well, including some related to next week’s episode Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes French culture and artists have been prone to clear anti-religious bias over the years. It’s a country whose faith has been waning despite the beauty and faithful tradition of the past. Do you want to do something about it? Makoto Fujimura, Aug. 1, 2024 Twitter post This defense—“you failed to interpret my art properly”—doesn’t absolve an artist. That kind of response is lazy and pretentious. It comes from an ego that assumes the artist’s perspective is the only proper reading of what has been communicated. By blaming the viewer’s faulty interpretation, the artist asserts that their intent supersedes what their work has communicated. It denies the objective reality of how their art sits in time and space, its context in history and culture. Jared Boggess, “The Lessons of the Paris Olympics Tableau,” Aug. 1, 2024 at ChristianityToday.com The organizers claimed they wanted to promote a French culture that welcomed all people to the table and celebrated feasting and peace over war and conflict. They claimed it was centered around Dionysus, the Olympian God of wine and festivity. They have since said it wasn’t meant to depict the Last Supper at all but rather The Feast of the Gods; however, many performers continue to claim it was a reference to The Last supper. Either way, the table stretched over the Seine Friday night was not designed to offend Christians; it was designed to offend the exclusivity of the Christian god. It was designed to honor the new god of the self. Chase Replogle, “The Last King Strangled with the Entrails of the Last Priest,” undated post, 2024 I was in France watching the opening ceremony live on TV with family and friends. The everyday French people I talked with (none of them believers) are by and large flabbergasted at the bad taste of it all. I also pray, therefore, that this might be a wake up call. We know what God does with what it meant for evil (Gen 50:20). Stephanie Rousselle, July 30, 2024 Facebook post Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one’s first feeling, ‘Thank God, even they aren’t quite so bad as that,’ or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything—God and our friends and ourselves included—as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity Concession stand If we tried to cover all these, we’d likely never get to the topic. But in short: church trauma is real, it’s harmful, and it’s caused by sin. We address this at length, along with the painful and slow healing from this, in our roundtable episode 152: How Can Christian Fantasy Fans Heal from Church Trauma? | with Marian Jacobs and L. G. McCary You may prefer that episode. This one is for folks who feel in a better place. CBHS stands for “Church Back Home Syndrome.” Stephen made this up. In that spirit, we may refer to CBHS “victims,” even if they use their real victim experience to become villains, effectively real and tragic villains. “Church” is shorthand. Could be a family, school, group, or employer. CBHS is challenging to explore, so let’s start by carefully defining this. 1. What exactly is ‘Church Back Home Syndrome’? Once you know the common symptoms, it’s a little hard to unsee. But the symptoms will also vary between people who suffer this. Imagine, if you will, how would Stephen’s own Syndrome manifest? He may have grown up hearing, “Don’t read the Wally McDoogle series!” If he was a big fan, this woul

“Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.’” Well, there you have it. God opposes artificial intelligence. But when many people see advantages to these generative tools, how can we celebrate the virtue of stories made by humans? Lorehaven has one way: a hashtag campaign (along with buttons and book stickers) just launched at Realm Makers called #MadeByHumans. We’ll talk about this important idea and cover each day of the conference for Realm Makers 2024. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Guild: monthly book quests Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Day 1: Keynote ideas, fan reunions, real imagination Day 2: Realm Awards, worldview lens, cosplay wins Song of the Selkies Wins Book of the Year at the 2024 Realm Awards, July 20, 2024 Day 3: Guild quests, resisting machines, future hope Next on Fantastical Truth On the road for Realm Makers, without notes or home studio, we like you await our next topic as we keep seeking and finding His fantastical truth.

Cain Cross once dreamed of helping make dream-worlds. Now their world is being attacked by another pandemic. This one strikes as you sleep, sending victims into dark tunnels of despair to fight for their waking lives. We seek a cure for The Nightmare Virus, the new YA sci-fi thriller from Nadine Brandes. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing at Realm Makers The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews: The Nightmare Virus Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes “I Process Big Questions Through Story,” interview with Nadine Brandes “Why Our Dreams May Tell Stories As We Sleep,” Zack Russell at Lorehaven Introducing guest Nadine Brandes Nadine Brandes has been known to do wild things (like ride a sleeper train across Russia) in the name of book research. She’s the four-time Carol Award–winning author of seven young adult books and has been a professional fiction editor for over a decade. She is passionate about Jesus, motherhood, and creating with the Creator. When she’s not busy inventing worlds and magic systems, she’s adventuring through Middle Earth with her Auror husband and their four Halfling children. NadineBrandes.com 1. Origin story: biblical truth, fantastic imagination How to process big questions through story: from death to magical life Crossing genres, from sci-fi dystopias to historical fantasies 2. Everyone has dreams, but no one programs them Creating this different strain of Virus: modern and genre inspirations Balancing light and darkness: story realism versus reader responsibility Why Our Dreams May Tell Stories As We Sleep 3. The futures of reality and fantastical worlds Predictions for Christian-made storytelling in genres and theme New stories from Nadine Brandes coming in 2025 and beyond Com station Have good or bad dreams helped remind you of fantastical truth? Next on Fantastical Truth “Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.’” Well, there you have it. God opposes artificial intelligence. But when many people see advantages to these generative tools, how can we celebrate the virtue of stories made by humans? Lorehaven has one way: a hashtag campaign (along with buttons and book stickers) just launched at Realm Makers called #MadeByHumans!

Twenty years ago, two authors, one publisher, twelve action thriller novels, and forty teen spinoff books came to a grand finale with the fictionalized return of Jesus Christ to Earth. One of those top authors, marriage and prophecy teacher Tim LaHaye, has since passed to his eternal rest. The other author who’s written hundreds of novels, Jerry Jenkins, is still working! And today, Jenkins joins our studio to explore the Left Behind legacy. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Jerry Jenkins Jerry Jenkins has authored more than 195 books with sales of over 70 million copies, including the best-selling Left Behind series. He is also former vice president for publishing and former chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Jerry’s writing has appeared in Time, Reader’s Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Twenty-one of his books have reached The New York Times best-seller list (seven debuting number one). JerryJenkins.com 1. Pre-LB: from sports stars to an end-times thriller Young Jerry started wanting to play baseball and covering sports events. He eventually moved to specific ministry writing and editorial work. He went big writing books with of athletes and famous Christians. For decades he was plugging away before the Left Behind series pitch. He wrote in many genres: fiction, nonfiction, biography, “journeyman.” In fact, Left Behind was the 125th book Jenkins ever wrote. Jenkins shares more about the origin in his book Writing For The Soul. Stephen has read it and recommends it, and not just for writers. 2. Mid-LB: from end-time thrillers to rapturous sales The Left Behind series went from a trilogy to four books to … how many? Stephen caught up to the series in September 1997 with Nicolae. So he was looking for Soul Harvest in summer 1998—what a year! Then wasn’t it Apollyon (1999) that first hit the NYT bestseller list? From there, Jenkins and LaHaye were releasing two books each year. We had a Left Behind full-cast audio drama, VHS movies, and everything. The initial series ended with book 12, Glorious Appearing (2004). But then came prequels! With a surprising amount of Merlin callbacks? Just-for-fun questions: If you were writing the series today, what elements would you change? Examples: social media > message board; politics are way worse Tsion Ben-Judah would certainly have an underground podcast The Mark of the Beast could easily be run by a big-tech company There would be more sexual revolution in the Global Community Do you have a favorite of the 12+ books, heroes, or even plagues? What was the strangest and/or most fun negative or positive feedback? 3. Post-LB: from a record run to a blockbuster legacy Christian fiction had a big moment, at least for end-times thrillers. Now many novels labeled “Christian sci-fi” are more of the same. Left Behind was followed by many other secular dystopian novels. We even saw some secular, Christless retellings of the rapture concept. Jenkins went on to buy the Writers Guild to train Christian creators. He wrote many other books, including biblical fiction with The Chosen. Our own L.G. McCary recently found Riven (2009) and absolutely loved it. Jenkins could have retired long ago, yet didn’t. Why not? Will he ever? What is he looking forward to doing most after the end times/Heaven? Com station How do you prepare for the return of Jesus at any moment? One hero of the Guild heard episode 219 with Todd Busteed: Really enjoyed this episode! The audio drama was how I first encountered the Left Behind series as a wee lass. I was obsessed with it! And then I picked up the books…. But I have always considered the audio production to be superior. Listening to all these behind-the-scenes details was amazing! Thanks for both the nostalgia and the new insights. Next on Fantastical Truth Cain Cross once dreamed of helping make dream-worlds. Now their world is being attacked by another pandemic. This one strikes as you sleep, sending victims into dark tunnels of despair to fight for their waking lives. We seek a cure for The Nightmare Virus, the new YA sci-fi thriller from Nadine Brandes.

Some Christians think that in an end-times Rapture event, young children automatically go to Heaven.[1. Background photo by David Moum on Unsplash.] But what about older kids? Such as teen rebels who disobey parents, won’t go to church, and reject Jesus? Left Behind: The Kids explored the exploits of the Young Tribulation Force, and was adapted for its own fantastic dramatic audio series by today’s guest: Darby Kern. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews: The Nightmare Virus Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Darby Kern Darby Kern, the creator of The Jake Muller Adventures, has been a restaurant manager, a medical writer, an occupational health coordinator, a pharmacist, and a soda-jerk. Now he is an award-winning filmmaker and the writer of hundreds of radio dramas including Left Behind: The Kids, Left Behind: The Rising, Kid’s Corner (Back To God), Lamplighter Theatre, and Heirloom Audio’s The Extraordinary Adventures of G. A. Henty. He is the writer of several stories and dramas for the Abide App. He lives in Titletown, USA where he works as a freelance writer. DarbyKern.com JakeMullerAdventures.com 1. What led you to faith, imagination, and LB? Origin story: from church to comics, from eschatology to aliens First steps into the worlds of audio drama, then writing for drama How to connect with a fledgling studio and play in the sandbox 2. Turning forty books into 72 audio episodes The auditions of casting for older kids and teens left behind The challenges of adaptation for dialogue, subplots, conversions, action The trials of speed-running the Tribulation (especially books 13–40) Darby Kern adapted the 48-volume YA books for the 72-episode Left Behind: The Kids audio drama series from GapDigital studios. 3. Post: From Glorious Appearing to alien intrusions Everything sad comes untrue when Jesus returns to renew all things. How did you, Todd, and the crew adapt this version of blessed hope? From there, how did it go with the spooktacular, underrated The Rising? Where then has your work taken you, most lately with Jake Muller? Since we spoke, what’s new with Jake and his paranormal investigations? Which creatures will Jake next encounter in sterling cinematic audio? Com station How do you prepare for a wicked world, tribulation or otherwise? Next on Fantastical Truth Twenty years ago, two authors, one publisher, twelve action thriller novels, and forty teen spinoff books came to a grand finale with the fictionalized return of Jesus Christ to Earth. One of those top authors, marriage and prophecy teacher Tim LaHaye, has since passed to his eternal rest. The other author who’s written hundreds of novels, Jerry B. Jenkins, is still working! And next week, Jenkins joins our studio to explore the Left Behind legacy.

It’s not an audiobook. It’s also not a movie series. Directly between these lies the medium of audio drama, such as 144 episodes about the end of days. Based on the best-selling novels, how did GAP Digital, working with Tyndale House Publishers, proudly present the dramatic audio edition of Left Behind? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing at Realm Makers The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Steal the Morrow Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand If you prefer an end-times debate, you can go to episode 216. The Left Behind audio drama is often badly confused with audiobooks. This is a high-production, cinematic streaming series with one quirk. You bring the pictures because radio drama is a theater of the mind. And indeed the drama can be very intense, often more than the books. Finally, we’ve spoken with Chris Fabry, who adapted the series for audio. Introducing guest Todd Busteed Todd Busteed founded GAP Digital, a Chicago-based audio drama studio. From 1999 to 2004, Busteed directed and produced Left Behind: The Dramatic Audio Series, created by a team of writers, actors, musicians, foley artists, and sound engineers. GAP Digital has provided production engineering for many productions, including Adventures in Odyssey, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, and VeggieTales. Meanwhile, Todd lent his voice to the entire Bible (NLT) and many other audiobooks. He is a regular announcer for nationwide events and races. GAPDigital.com ToddBusteed.com Left Behind: The Dramatic Audio Series on Apple Podcasts (only episodes 1–48) Left Behind: The Dramatic Audio Series on Spotify (only episodes 1–48) Life before Left Behind: biblical truth and fantastic imagination? GAP Digital origin, Wheaton studio, work with Adventures in Odyssey 1. How to assemble a Left Behind Adaptation Force Todd shares his experience with audio engineering and the LB series The initial pitch for a Left Behind audio drama to Tyndale House Original expectations and recruitment of actors, music, engineers Twenty years ago, GAP Digital released the final twelve episodes of Left Behind: The Dramatic Audio Series. 2. Heralding the end-times from the eyes to the ears Left Behind production challenges, especially when the books went big. “Faster, faster, you fool!” Going from one drama a year to two of them. Conversion scenes, turning sermons into “podcasts,” sensitive subjects. Disaster theater! Providential plagues call for special audio effects to “show” world wars, earthquakes, hailstorms, comets, demon locusts. (Stephen himself, as an early fanboy, “consulted” on sound effect ideas.) This started a spinoff series, The Kids: Left Behind; we’ll explore that next time. Next: fan reception, killing Antichrist, planes, guillotines, Armageddon Finally the return of Jesus in Glorious Appearing (adapted by Darby Kern) Adding a narrator, casting Jesus, voicing Satan, and intro to Millennium 3. Legacy of Left Behind: The Dramatic Audio Series GAP Digital created 144 episodes, 12 episodes per original novel. The studio also produced a drama of Left Behind prequel The Rising End of an end-times era, on to other pre-pre-Tribulation missions Com station Which do you prefer, audiobooks or cinematic audio dramatization? Next on Fantastical Truth Some Christians think that in an end-times Rapture event, young children automatically go to Heaven. But what about older kids? Such as teen rebels who disobey parents, won’t go to church, and reject Jesus? Left Behind: The Kids explored the exploits of the Young Tribulation Force, and was adapted for its own fantastic dramatic audio series by our next guest: Darby Kern.

When the Tribulation arrives, you will need a Tribulation Force. So it was with the Left Behind series, when blockbuster success for grown-up readers led Tyndale House in want of a spinoff series. Thus was born again Left Behind: The Kids, all forty of them, overseen by series main author Jerry Jenkins but most written by today’s special guest: author and speaker Chris Fabry. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing at Realm Makers Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Water’s Break, Steal the Morrow (June 28) Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Want to debate the end-times? Go to episode 216 and do that there. Even many Christians with other views can celebrate this series’ success. This is episode 3 of our Left Behind Legacy summer celebration series. Introducing guest Chris Fabry Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality. He’s the award-winning novelist of Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, The Promise of Jesse Woods, A Piece of the Moon, and most recently Saving Grayson; he also wrote the novelizations for the popular Christian social drama films War Room, Overcomer, and Lifemark. Fabry also wrote more than 50 novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. He is host of the daily radio program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio and is also heard on Love Worth Finding as well as Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman. A native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children. ChrisFabry.com Chris Fabry Live 1. Pre: Finding faith, imagination, and teen heroes How did you first discover biblical faith and fantastical imagination? Can you recall the first time you learned about the rapture concept? Or learned about the Left Behind series and its blockbuster success? 2. Mid: Young Trib Force vs. Global Community Chris Fabry, a trusted colleague, wrote Left Behind: The Kids from book six through forty. I lobbied for years to get his name on the cover where it is now. Writing for the Soul, Jerry B. Jenkins (page 54) How on pre-tribulational Earth did you write so many LB Kids novels? What were the challenges of working with, say, “age of accountability”? Any special methods? Favorite characters? Books? Or even plagues? I have collaborated on children’s fiction, working with my friend Chris Fabry. My own kids are all well past their teens now, but Chris and his wife have nine children, so he was up on the jargon and what’s happening to kids the ages of our readers. We plotted together, he did the writing, and I did the final edit and/or rewrite. Again, it worked because there was one primary writer—Chris. Writing for the Soul, Jerry B. Jenkins (page 146) LBK often answered unresolved plots, characters, ideas from the main. Some ideas crossed into the dramatic audio series, like more comets! We also finally met militia members and non-Christian prepper types. Also, as I recall, the kids actually tried casting out the demon locusts. What was the response to this popular series that scared/thrilled fans? Were there criticisms? Conversions? How many Judd/Vicki ‘shippers? 3. Post: Life after Left Behind in the literary sections Since then, you’ve moved into the podcast space and different books. Stephen loved your audiobook read of Heaven and your contemporary memoir (with a tough of fantastical intrigue) The Promise of Jesse Woods. How Christian fans can enjoy pop-level thrillers as well as literary stories. Com station For Left Behind: The Kids readers: favorite heroes or moments? Next on Fantastical Truth It’s not an audiobook. It’s not a movie series. Directly between these lies the medium of audio drama, such as 144 episodes about the end of days. Based on the best-selling novels, how did GapDigital, working with Tyndale House Publishers, proudly present the dramatic audio edition of Left Behind?

The year is 1995. A new creative power has arisen, partnering a Christian marriage/prophecy teacher with a “journeyman” author of fiction and sports biographies. Together they forged a Christian thriller juggernaut that later hit The New York Times bestseller list and started global conversations about the world’s ending. How did the Left Behind series become such a blockbuster? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Breath of Bones by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Open World at Realm Makers Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Blood of the Stars, Water’s Break (June 21) Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This is part 2 of our Left Behind Legacy series, celebrating this franchise For those hoping to debate end times, Zack and Stephen beat you to it. We like Christian fiction. We think it’s great stuff. So was the LB series. Our other podcast episodes can defend the idea, the label, the genre. Introducing guest Dan Balow Dan Balow started in the Christian publishing business in 1983—marketing, sales, audiobooks, digital publishing, acquisitions, and beyond. He worked at Tyndale House Publishers from the early ’90s to the mid-2000s with hundreds of authors and thousands of books. He’s been an agent and publisher, board member of the Evangelical Christian Publisher’s Association and chair of the Global Publishers Alliance, and original member of the advisory board of the Christy Awards. He and his wife Carol live in Wheaton Illinois; they have four grown children and seven grandchildren. Dan Balow at The Steve Laube Literary Agency WriteToPublish.com 1. Pre: From book fan to head of Tyndale marketing Dan shares his personal origin story with biblical faith and book-making. We learn more about Tyndale House Publishers, its origins and legacy. Finally we hear about this intriguing late-1995 novel by LaHaye/Jenkins. 2. Mid: From bestselling book to blockbuster series Left Behind grew to a series that quickly outgrew even bestseller status. Soul Harvest (1998) preorders went insane on a new site called Amazon. Apollyon (1999) reached New York Times bestseller list (secular retailers). From there, LB gained an audio drama series and a direct-to-VHS movie. A spinoff teen/YA series was authored by Chris Fabry (with Jenkins). Stephen recalls hearing AM talk radio ads for The Indwelling (2000). And to this fan, things didn’t slow down until Glorious Appearing (2004). After that, we still got three prequels plus Kingdom Come (2007). 3. Post: From the end times to new book beginnings The Left Behind series went on to keep selling titles well into the present. Dan Balow became a secret agent for The Steve Laube Literary Agency. He took charge of the Write to Publish conference for Christian creators. Com station What was your first Christian fandom, Left Behind or otherwise? Luke listened to the Left Behind Legacy series debut, ep. 216: I believe the great tribulation and the millennium are both expressions of God’s mercy. In the first case, He uses suffering as a megaphone to call humanity to repent. Then, Her graciously gives us a thousand years of peace, that nonetheless ends in rebellion. From a ‘story’ perspective, the point is to prove His Long-suffering and Justice in punishing sin. Next on Fantastical Truth When the Tribulation arrives, you will need a Tribulation Force. So it was with the Left Behind series, when blockbuster success for grown-up readers led Tyndale House in want of a spinoff series. Thus was born Left Behind: The Kids, all forty of them, overseen by series main author Jerry Jenkins but most written by our next special guest: author and speaker Chris Fabry.

It’s the end! It’s the end! Or rather, this could only be… the beginning. Sure, it’s cliché to doomsay, but Christians have enjoyed doing this for centuries. So, next week, Stephen and Zack want in on this end-times debating action. This will be a knock-down, drag-out, facts-and-feelings fight that will divide denominations and result in a lot of colorful, complex charts—or maybe it’ll just be some slightly heated fun to start our new series: Left Behind Legacy. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Breath of Bones by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Guild: The Visitation Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Breath of Bones, Blood of the Stars Stephen’s new article: Should I Let My Son Read Harry Potter Stories? Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Some prophecy views are older than others; they may be right or wrong. For whatever His reasons, God has let the Church debate about this. “It’s a prestigious line of work, with a long and glorious tradition.” Perhaps the Lord felt we needed less-clear doctrines to keep us busy. To some extent, we’ve “lived in the end times” since the New Testament. So when people say “We in Revelations,” yes, correct. Always have been. (By the way: it’s Revelation, not Revelations. Violators of this are heretics.) Yes, we’re aware that some end-times views are used to support evil ideas. End-times topics are great for discussion-starters with non-Christians. Quotes and notes Different Christian Views of Revelation Explained, Mike Winger on YouTube My WARNING about the rapture, Mike Winger on YouTube Questions about the End Times (All), GotQuestions.org Four Views on the Book of Revelation by Stanley N. Gundry, C. Marvin Pate Revelation: Four Views, A Parallel Commentary by Steve Gregg 1. What do Christians think about the end times? Off the top of our heads, and with re-research, here are the basic ones. Premillennial, Jesus returns before a literal 1,000-year reign in Earth. Classic pre-millennial, which skips a literal period of Tribulation Dispensational pre-millennial, which includes a literal Tribulation Pre-tribulation: a “Rapture” event before the Tribulation Mid-tribulation: a “Rapture” event in the middle of Tribulation Post-tribulation: a single (“Rapture”?) event when Jesus returns Amillennial: less clear about Tribulation, but millennial reign is figurative Some also believe many prophecies are fulfilled across history Postmillennial: Jesus returns after a literal 1,000-year peacetime on Earth Can include some beliefs of “preterism” about AD 70 fulfillment Orthodox version still anticipates Jesus’s real physical return in future 2. Zack vs. Stephen—a battle to the end (times) Zack’s position: Dispensational-ish premillennial with a post-trib variant Stephen’s position: Uncertain, maybe amillennial, but keeping Tribulation Left Behind’s position: Dispensational pre-millennial with pretrib variant 3. Where all great Christians can agree and hope Jesus is returning, in the future, at a time that no one can predict. We should look forward to, not dread, His return, and take comfort. Generally life conditions will get worse right before He finally arrives. God may allow this uncertainty to help keep us from bigger issues. Christians of good will and gospel hearts have accepted all these views. Instead of risking idolizing our position, we can have fun debating them. Whenever He finally does return, there will be surprises enough for all! No matter your view, the Left Behind series is actually kind of awesome. Com station What’s your position on the end times, in the past or present? Peter Van Kauwenbergh commented on Episode 37 on YouTube: Basically it boils down to there is practicing the occult in real life and fictional magic in a story. In a story it is just that, a story. Next on Fantastical Truth The year is 1995. A new creative power has arisen, partnering a Christian marriage/prophecy teacher with a “journeyman” author of fiction and sports biographies. They forged a Christian thriller juggernaut that later hit The New York Times bestseller list and started conversations about the world’s ending. Dan Balow, former marketing director of Tyndale House Publishers, helps us explore how the Left Behind series became such a blockbuster?

In the days of the second World War, the Nazi party is taking over Europe and persecuting the Jewish people. But this time, one respected journalist and the descendent of a famous rabbi join forces to create a new mystical being to guard the innocent: the golem. How does that go? Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer know, and they’ll join us in the studio to explore alternate-historical fantasy in their upcoming novel Breath of Bones. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lady of Basilikas by Ronie Kendig Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Guild: The Visitation Mission update Lorehaven reviews: This Present Darkness, Breath of Bones Starting next week: the Left Behind Legacy series Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer (2024) Introducing guest Tricia Goyer Tricia Goyer is a celebrated writer, speaker, and co-host of the Daily Bible Podcast. As an author of 90 books, Tricia has won four Golden Scrolls, two Carols, and a Christian Book Award. In addition to Christy and Gold Medallion nominations, her book sales exceed 4 million copies. Tricia is a highly sought-after conference speaker, sharing on writing, parenting, and purposeful living. Tricia’s most recent work, Breath of Bones, is a historical steampunk fantasy co-authored with her son Nathan Goyer. TriciaGoyer.com Facebook: @AuthorGriciaGoyer Instagram: @TriciaGoyer DailyBiblePodCoffeeClub.Substack.com Introducing guest Nathan Goyer Nathan Goyer is an upstart designer and science fiction author, who has been writing since he was young. He has written the novel Bask: City of Shadows and solo-developed the mobile RPG game Heedless, which has surpassed 30,000 downloads. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas Little Rock, he is now pushing forward with new endeavors, starting with his newest novel, Breath of Bones, which he wrote alongside his fellow author and mother, Tricia Goyer. 1. How a homeschool family learned to love fantasy Early origins: Tricia’s career and work in many different fiction genres Nathan’s role in this journey, as the whole family travels to events Recap of recent conferences in Pigeon Forge, Branson, and beyond 2. Behold golems and alt-history in Breath of Bones Kateřina Dubová has always aspired to walk in her father’s footsteps as a respected journalist, and the Second World War presents a unique opportunity for her to prove her worth to the world. A tip about an assassination attempt on a high-ranking Nazi official, Reinhard Heydrich, the “Butcher of Prague” leads Kateřina into the shadows of the Nazi occupation. Soon she discovers things are not as they seem. As intrigue unfurls, Kateřina joins forces with Josef Loew, a descendant of the famous Rabbi Loew, renowned for creating a mystical guardian in the form of a golem to protect the souls of 16th-century Jews in Prague. In the chaos of war, some believe a new golem can once again bring help to those in need. Like flickering candles in the abyss, Kateřina and Josef work to protect the innocent and end the evil that plagues their world. Yet, in their quest to save the Jewish people, have they inadvertently created a new danger? Could the very entity they had forged to protect become their greatest enemy? 3. What’s next for both Goyers and their new worlds Tricia and Nathan Goyer will appear at July’s Realm Makers event We hear any planned release date(s) for Clockwork Chronicles sequel(s) Many likely meetings as we all prepare for the 2025 conference season Com station What’s your favorite World War 2 story and/or robot story? Next on Fantastical Truth It’s the end! It’s the end! Or rather, this could only be… the beginning. Sure, it’s cliché to doomsay, but Christians have enjoyed doing this for centuries. So, next week, Stephen and Zack want in on this end-times debating action. This will be a knock-down, drag-out, facts-and-feelings fight that will divide denominations and result in a lot of colorful, complex charts—or maybe it’ll just be some slightly heated fun to start our new series: Left Behind Legacy.

What if the spirit of antichrist came to your town? Burned-out pastor Travis Jordan is on break from ministry after the death of his wife. But then his small city of Antioch faces great signs and wonders from a new prophet who claims to be a better christ than the true Jesus Christ. Just in time for our next summer book quest, challenge your faith and seek the true Savior for the 25-year anniversary of Frank Peretti’s supernatural thriller The Visitation! Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lady of Basilikas by Ronie Kendig Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Guild: The Visitation Mission update Lorehaven reviews: The Visitation Coming this summer: the Left Behind Legacy series Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes This Present (and Future) Peretti, Gene Edward Veith for WORLD Magazine, Oct. 25, 1997 All novels by Frank Peretti we’ve listed in the Lorehaven Library Episode 9. What If the Armies of Hell Tried to Invade Your Hometown? | This Present Darkness Frank E. Peretti to Give Keynote Address at Realm Makers Writers Conference This July, E. Stephen Burnett, Feb. 2021 In Appreciation of Christian Supernatural Fiction Trailblazer Frank Peretti, Rebecca P. Minor, July 2021 1. Frank Peretti vs. demons, untruth, and fun fans Peretti began with kids’ thriller The Door in the Dragon’s Throat (1985) Then his first grown-up novel This Present Darkness arrived in 1986 After a slow start, more fans (including Christian celebrities) loved it A direct sequel, Piercing the Darkness, followed in 1989 Peretti also wrote a pro-life novella called Tilly (1988) Fans also remember Prophet (1992) and The Oath (1995) That’s eight novels for grown-ups, not all angels-versus-demons thrillers Yet to this day, fans still remember Peretti only for those two books Yet one 1997 WORLD Magazine article explains why Peretti changed. It also predicts the novel he would have published just two years later. 2. The Visitation: a new take on supernatural thriller We summarize the story’s premise, but avoid plot/character spoilers. This time, all demons (there are some) usually stick to the shadows. They don’t operate in the world so much as within many churches. Peretti, however, critiques with affection, not deconstructing. Like the gospel itself, he focuses the message on people. Travis and many others get tragic or redemptive arcs. 3. Today’s fans may need healing from ‘church stuff’ Before the book quest, Stephen re-read the novel, audiobook this time. Peretti’s take on “deconstruction” and real church trauma ages well. He sympathizes with the deceived, yet warns of spiritual threats. With compassion and honesty, he explores real church trauma. But the solution remains Jesus, with or without “church stuff.” Right or wrong, “church stuff” is a means to His great end. Com station Top question for listeners Has God used stories to help you reject false christs and seek Jesus? Jason Brown had thoughts about ep. 212 about sensual heroines: Stephen, you were almost correct about the body scan, but it was based on a Korean model. The director’s wife was the art director. The existence of the game has showcased the hypocrisy of gaming journalism because those who slander SB for being too “sensual” praise games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Last of Us Part 2 for their explicit sensual content and mock gamers who like Eve. While there are gamers who enjoy Eve for the WRONG reasons, there are those like me enjoying the environment and trying not to die every five minutes (or seconds) from tough battles. No one in the game comments on Eve’s physique, but call her “Angel” (for lore-based reasons, yes, the game is full of religious imagery everywhere). There’s plenty of women gamers who also like the game and praise Adam’s masculine appearance. Next on Fantastical Truth In the days of the second World War, the Nazi party is taking over Europe and persecuting the Jewish people. But this time, one respected journalist and the descendent of a famous rabbi join forces to create a new mystical being to guard the innocent: the golem. How does that go? Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer know, and they’ll join us in the studio to explore alternate-historical fantasy in their upcoming novel Breath of Bones.

Why do we see, or rather not go to see, so many weirdly cringe movies with plots and dialogue that seem designed to be “so bad it’s good”? How come goofy sidekicks, obvious political agendas, and other strange stories get their own corporate attention, while newer and more earnest stories get passed by the wayside? There’s one big possible reason hiding in plain sight, and it’s the mind-blowing answer that They don’t want you to know. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lady of Basilikas by Ronie Kendig Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Lorehaven Guild: The Visitation Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Lumen and The Visitation Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand We don’t hate memes. We like memes. We quote memes way too much. Like Disaster Girl. “Meme” was coined by Richard Dawkins to mean “contagious ideas.” That meaning continues to be part of how we understand the term. Yet “meme” now also means funny pictures, tropes, quotes, references. People might use the term overlapping with the definition of “tropes.” Actor Max McLean portrays Screwtape in a stage version of The Screwtape Letters. 1. Memes can make us feel more casual and flippant. Stephen would compare memes like seasoning for culture and life. A little salt, a little pepper, maybe some hot sauce (for political memes). But if we tried to life on “meme culture” as a main course, we’d starve. We would also be poisoned, our tastes literally coarsened, by all this. That’s why we try to discipline ourselves not to get too much into these. Related to this, Scripture cautions against mockers and scoffers. Stephen cites Lewis’s view of the word flippancy in The Screwtape Letters. In letter 11, Undersecretary Screwtape expounds on human humor. He classifies humor as (a) joy, (b) fun, (c) The Joke Proper, (d) flippancy. But flippancy is the best [devilish use of humor] of all. In the first place it is very economical. Only a clever human can make a real Joke about virtue, or indeed about anything else; any of them can be trained to talk as if virtue were funny. Among flippant people the joke is always assumed to have been made. No one actually makes it; but every serious subject is discussed in a manner which implies that they have already found a ridiculous side to it. If prolonged, the habit of Flippancy builds up around a man the finest armour-plating against the Enemy that I know, and it is quite free from the dangers inherent in the other sources of laughter. It is a thousand miles away from joy: it deadens, instead of sharpening, the intellect; and it excites no affection between those who practise it. People and celebrities and stories get reduced to fleeting images/hijinks. Some memes are flippant. Others are proper jokes about human quirks. Stephen has made some funny pictures and even gone (mildly) viral. In theory, this podcast or other Lorehaven content could start memes. One wonders: could we help make the word fantastical more popular? 2. Memes can infect our hearts with toxic notions. In storytelling and culture debates, people are basing beliefs on memes. This is not new, but memes can spread lies even faster over digital apps. That doesn’t just mean, say, “fake news,” bad quotes, or false theories. It also means worldview assumptions that aren’t proven, just assumed. “The joke is always assumed to have been made,” especially vs. enemies. That’s related to dumb tropes, like “Southern accent = stupid or evil.” Other meme “arguments”? “Love is love.” “-phobe.” Misquoted verses. Open discussion Memes may “explain” but only reduce complexities like mental health. Some folks who think differently seem to really fixate on meme humor. Stephen can’t imagine devoting hours to analyzing/making new memes. This can badly replace better stories with heroes, villains, plots, worlds. 3. Memes make corporations envious for ‘virality’ Now we see the (possible) real reasons behind strange franchise choices. Some films/shows aren’t trying to be good but end up so-bad-it’s-good. Instead, they’re aiming to be so-bad-it’s-good, or at least memorable. Memorable = memeable, which also saves a lot on marketing costs. Stephen thinks this motive is behind weird choices like Madame Webb. They’re not really trying to make a great story; they want to start memes. Stephen wonders if this is behind odd corporate emphases on Gollum. That’s a side character. Why the cringe video game? Why new movies? Answer: because Gollum is a meme. His movie version charts really well. Admittedly, Jackson, Serkis, et. al. could do great things with new films. See also, admittedly, weird dialogue in that new Rings of Power teaser. It’s an attempt to manufacture an originally good thing that is organic. No one knows who wrote, “Jingle bells / Batman smells.” It’s just there. And few people know who first attempted the first “rickroll.” It happened. However, many people can intuit if a corporation is trying to “go viral.” That becomes cringe