Fantastical Truth

The gamer community is in uproar.[1. Photo by Jose Gil on Unsplash.] About what? About all the things. Even occasional gamers have heard about triple-A title flops, “Sweet Baby Inc.” consultants, live-service criticism, and the dual controversies over the sexy heroine of Stellar Blade versus the normal heroine of Star Wars: Outlaws. Apart from all the cultural jargon, how can Christians discern these debates? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Chromatic by Ashley Bustamante Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Chromatic and Lumen (May 17) Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Paeter Frandsen A fan of gaming, comic books, sci-fi and fantasy since childhood, Paeter Frandsen is the owner and chief content creator of Christian Geek Central as well as Spirit Blade Productions, which has produced multiple feature-length audio dramas. He lives in Mesa, Arizona with his wife and two sons and continues to serve as a volunteer in various ways at Red Mountain Community Church, joining their Elder Board in 2024. Paeter has a love for responsibly studying God’s Word, discerningly exploring life’s deep issues, and encouraging others to join him in that journey. YouTube: Christian Geek Central Paeter Frandsen’s articles at Lorehaven Spirit Blade Productions Reintroducing guest Cap Stewart Cap Stewart is a contributing writer to the nonfiction book Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues and author of the curriculum Personal Purity Isn’t Enough as well as several print and online publications. Cap instructs online audiences on the Christian’s forgotten duty when confronting a pornified culture. He has also written several articles for Lorehaven. Follow him on Substack at Unpop Culture. CapStewart.Substack.com Cap Stewart’s articles at Lorehaven Episode 41: Should Christians Boycott Popular Culture Like Halloween or Netflix? | with Cap Stewart Concession stand (extra super mega buffet edition) When we say “normal,” we mean characters who appear just… normal. They’re not human supermodels, much less impossible anime heroines. And when we say “sensual,” we think of biblical warnings like this one: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality … I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19, 21, ESV) Even among Christian conservatives, these warnings provoke objection. Many women (and men) remember bad/objectifying rules against lust. Those aren’t good rules either, yet they’re beyond this episode’s focus. Others say they’re not being fleshly; they’re just “appreciating beauty”! Here it’s enough to say that in our age, many don’t have this “privilege.” Unlike other episodes, this one will be a more experimental roundtable. There are four chaps in the studio, and this will be an intro to this topic. Each man has his emphasis; for example, Stephen plays devil’s advocate. Everyone is here because of studied interest in their take on the topic. And speaking of studied interest, Christian bros need to be careful here. In fact, finding relevant but PG episode art should be very interesting. Stephen personally applies “anime rules” to exploitative heroines. That is, no one was actually exploited; often a man drew that image. But such images are indeed meant to attract viewers into sinful lust. We assume that truth here; we also assume this affects men and women. A more female-centered perspective, however, will need to wait for now. You, our female listeners, can help share this in replied to this episode! 1. What controversies are game fans fighting about? Last week, one gamer-critic Discord server was hacked and barely recovered. Meanwhile, Helldivers is barely recovering from its recent controversy. Sony wanted to retcon “must have PSN account” rules for PC players. That brought a whole boycott until finally the Sony execs backed down. That’s just one example of a whole host of recent gaming controversies. Stephen recalls some recent controversies over Peter Parker redesigns. Fans got annoyed when Aloy’s face changed between Horizon games. But now fans are annoyed, and imputing motives, to original designs. Many critics “ratioed” a trailer for Star Wars: Outlaws for various reasons. Such as: Han Solo “ripoff,” actor/heroine difference, “masculine” woman. Others called the studio greedy for having such high game retail rates. Meanwhile, fans despise developers for craving after live-service models. That doesn’t mean heroine; it means mandatory internet, payments, etc. 2. When do video games honor or exploit heroines? Older examples include most notably the infamous heroine Lara Croft. Improved technology have led to more human and more exploitation. For instance, Stephen’s a fan of the two Horizon games featuring Aloy. She’s an attractive redhead, maybe a “girlboss,”

King David was a man after God’s own heart. But he failed. King Arthur was the legendary ruler of Britain. But he also failed. And in newer fiction, Paul Atreides was the prophesied Lisan al Gaib. And, once again, he failed. Why is it so frustrating to watch all these real and fictional heroes keep failing? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Chromatic by Ashley Bustamante Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update Lorehaven reviews: The Book of the Dun Cow and Chromatic (May 10) Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Let’s skip to the end: human heroes fail, but Jesus never will. Roll theme. Ah, but seriously, that’s the clear conclusion. But until then, we groan. This episode is more about that frustration about failed human heroes. We’ve selected three: historical, mythical, and fictional. You’ll have more. Finally, there will be spoilers about King David, King Arthur, and Dune. 1. King David’s historic sins tarnished a Golden Age Stephen recently re-read the David narratives in 1/2 Samuel/Chronicles. This reading plan is chronological, with Psalms, which brings out a lot. For instance, there’s a lot of “journalism” being done to defend David. But also in-house accountability journalism to hold him to account. “Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder” for both David and his son Solomon’s kingship (2 Sam. 8:16; cf. 2 Sam. 20:24 and 1 Kings 4:3). If you use written records to exonerate kings, they must tell everything. That includes David’s sins against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam 11:3). Later, David apparently mistrusts his God and instead trusts in his army, so he sinfully orders a national census (2 Sam. 24, cf. 1 Chron. 21). Reading this at once, it’s almost painful how much things fall apart. David’s power-abuse gets magnified by his Amnon’s assault (2 Sam. 13). David’s other son, Absalom, is enraged, abuses power, turns rebel. And ultimately David dies fairly faithful, yet unable to build God’s house. His son Solomon also gets a golden age, plus wisdom, but also a harem. After that, the kingdom falls apart, and nothing in Israel is ever the same. 2. King Arthur’s mythical reign ultimately ended Stephen is still catching up to the various King Arthur legends. Several versions exist, such as original(?) 1400s Sir Thomas Malory tales. Newer versions include Terence Hanbury White’s The Sword in the Stone Stephen R. Lawhead moved back the time period in his Pendragon Cycle. Alas, our Stephen had to get spoilers to answer Arthur’s mythical fate. There’s the whole infamous tale of Lancelot and Guinevere vs. Arthur. And also Arthur’s son, Mordred, apparently fighting him in battle. Arthur dies—or else he heals up in Avalon and will return to England. Either way, Arthur’s reign did not work out. No descendants. No throne. Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle echoes longing for a “kingdom of summer.” Yet even in book 1 you get the idea this image is really about New Earth. 3. Paul Atreides falls into fictional ‘messiah’ complex Dune: Part 2 has now famously made the first novel’s ending more tragic. We enjoyed the film, but felt great frustration at Paul’s moral decay. Before, Paul feared the notion of becoming a revolutionary messiah. To save the Fremen, Paul must drink condensed spice and see the future. That’s when he embraces this destiny and gives himself to vengeance. We see less of his father’s nobility (though this ultimately got him killed). And we see less of the honorable House Atreides, the total good guys. Instead the story turns political. This is the only way to win, isn’t it? So the film makes this even more clear, per Herbert’s original direction. The book ends with Lady Jessica assuring Chani that Paul does love her, but for political reasons, he must ceremonially marry Princess Irulan. The film ends with Paul doing this, and driving off Chani in anger. It’s a big difference that makes Part 2’s finale feel a major bummer. That would stay true even if Paul does stay faithful in a Part 3 film. Either way, the story’s “rules” give us no honorable victory for Paul. His life is mixed up in bloodshed, politics, and running a religious cult. Com station Top question for listeners How do obviously flawed heroes or heroines make you feel? Victor DiGiovanni also recalls the Christ Clone trilogy (ep. 209): Hey! A Christ Clone Trilogy shout-out! When I’m recommending Endtimes sci-fi books, that’s the one I go with, not that anyone can find the version of the books I read. I’m someone who snarkily reviewed Left Behind, at least when it stretched out the series from 4-7 books to the (estimated) 36 books it ended up at. But I’m glad I had Christ Clone Trilogy as my go-to suggestion. Side note: the author, James BeauSeigneur is the one author of the 21st century who has next to zero online presence. I’ve found a total of one interview with him since I first read the book in 2004. I just did a search and

We’re partners with Realm Makers is 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? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lion Warrior by James R. Hannibal Realm Makers 2024 writers’ conference Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update Lorehaven reviews: Hybrid and The Book of the Dun Cow Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest J. J. Johnson J. J. Johnson is the author of the Iggy and Oz comedic fantasy series for middle grade readers, and the new marketing director for Realm Makers. J. J. grew up in Pryor Creek Oklahoma and attending Oklahoma Baptist University, majoring in student ministry. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma with his wife Ashley and their two children. J. J. Johnson on Facebook Instagram: @jjjohnson_author Twitter: @JJJohnsonWrites JJJohnsonwrites.com Concession stand We’re still not a writers’ podcast. Yet many of our listeners are writers. Yet now Realm Makers is poised to grow beyond its creator audience. Listen to the end for a special preview for Realm Makers summer 2025! 1. What do we recall about first writing conferences? Stephen and J.J. share their early forays into ACFW and Realm Makers conferences Zack recounts how he found his fantastical family at Realm Makers 2. How can newcomers enjoy writing conferences? “You’ve taken your first step into a larger world” (Obi-Wan Kenobi). Remember that this is a journey, not a make-or-break single chance. If you’re working on a novel, pitch that story happily—when asked! Always, always ask everyone else about their stories, maybe more often. It is humbling, then joy-giving, to meet others who are just as creative. Don’t ever retreat to your room to write/edit. “Not a great plan.” You’ve spent the money. Use it wisely. Steward your time. Meet others! Still, it’s okay to pace yourself, skip a class, catch a siesta in your room. Bring lots of drinking water. Avoid coffee-binging. Regulate your sleep. Don’t celebrity-chase. Sit with someone new. Engage whole-heartedly. Stephen has found that many “nobodys” quickly become “somebodies”! And then you were there with those people to be part of their journeys. That way is better for building shared trust. Even better, you honor Jesus. 3. What’s the future of the Realm Makers event? July 18–20, 2024: Realm Makers returns to St. Louis as before. Yet the conference is quickly outgrowing that otherwise great space. Organizers have dreamed of adding partners for a Christian fan event. So, starting in July 2025, the conference will add to its writing emphasis. Creators can still attend the event with top-tier faculty and awards gala. But the Exhibitor Hall portion of Realm Makers will be transformed. Starting in 2025, behold the revised, expanded Realm Makers Expo! This new Realm Makers feature will co-locate with other events like: Christian Game Developers Conference Nerd Culture Ministry Summit This will include partners with other Christian organizations, including: Love Thy Nerd Geeks Under Grace Christian Board Gamers Realm Makers Expo will offer distinct panels, exhibitors, programming. Authors can enjoy training while fans enjoy the fan-focused expo event. Com station Top question for listeners What are your memories attending a fan event or writers’ conference? Next on Fantastical Truth King David was a man after God’s own heart. But he failed. King Arthur was the legendary ruler of Britain. But he also failed. And in newer fiction, Paul Atreides was the prophesied Lisan al Gaib. And, once again, he failed. Why is it so frustrating to watch all these real and fictional heroes keep failing?

What comes to your mind with the label “Christian fiction”? If you grew up evangelical or heard the stereotypes, you likely think negative assumptions. For example, we assume “Christian fiction” has predictable plots, shallow characters, and cheap evangelism. Even when some stories do, how can we avoid our own cliched notions about all those “bad” Christian-made novels? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lion Warrior by James R. Hannibal Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update Stephen announces his first novel, coming 2025 from Enclave Publishing Don’t miss Jenneth Dyck’s article about Prince Caspian onstage Last week’s review, Lion Warrior; this week’s review, Hybrid Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand We’ve already covered cringe evangelical stuff and mention bad stories. Stephen even recently referenced a very bad evangelical novel by name. Other books, like The Shack, may be cringe but carry harmful ideas. And we know you may have only heard Christian fiction cheerleaders. But we’re not talking about that! We’re talking about cringe criticisms. Based on Stephen’s older article: How to Be A Silly Christian Fiction Critic. Per our emphasis here, Zack rightly suggested a more positive spin. Instead of an original “Seven ways to be a silly Christian fiction critic …” We’ll base this on seven ways to be a good Christian fiction critic. 1. Clear outdated nonsense and read today’s books. Even today I hear people assume Christian fiction is all Amish romance. And/or coloring books, Left Behind books, spiritual warfare, or angels. Apart from one exception, these are all previous evangelical trends. (And even those were better than today’s top evangelical trend: politics!) So know what you want to criticize before you venture to criticize it. That means more than a casual glance into your distant memory files. It means being aware of today’s novels beyond any briefly trendy titles. And it means seeking out the best acknowledged “small” or indie novels. Someone’s already being selected about the best ones, as we try to be. 2. Don’t compare fiction titles’ apples with oranges. Good critics know the purpose of a story beyond their own expectations. Stephen recalls Roger Ebert’s original bad take on Fellowship of the Ring. Ebert acknowledged he expected more walking, singing, and less action. Once he adjusted expectations, he liked the films for what they were. Similarly, don’t compare intentionally popular titles with Classical Works. E.g., whine that people aren’t reading enough Flannery O’Conner stories. That’s just silly at best, sinfully arrogant at worst. Folks have preferences. Christians may assume elitist notions that words are better than images. Or we assume one music genre is simply better than that music genre. That’s the assumption behind some of these false fiction comparisons. Practicing love for different people helps you appreciate their interests. 3. Recall how God used ‘bad’ stories to help you. Fans look back on cheap animation or B-movies with great fondness. They recognize their flaws, but appreciate these stories’ great attributes. So it is with “bad” Christian-made fiction (which may have its own goals). For instance, Left Behind author Jerry Jenkins wanted great accessibility. God used that series to get many, many fans interested in epic stories. Stephen is one. This podcast would not exist apart from Left Behind. Turns out the Holy Spirit can use “bad art” to help His people grow. Keep that truth in mind even if you see the real flaws in some stories. 4. Self-critique by challenging your expectations A lot of “Christian culture bad” random critiques offer no alternative. Meanwhile, even the “secular culture bad” critics are making new stuff. In other words, “don’t just curse the darkness, but light a candle.” What’s a critic’s alternative? What would change his/her mind about it? For example, what’s a ratio to switch “Christian fiction bad” to “… good?” E.g., twenty parts bad to one part good = all bad? What about a reverse? If there are but ten righteous in the city, shall we spare it from criticism? That goes double if we seem to be giving bad secular stories a pass. Meanwhile, do we accept the impulse to “punch church, coddle culture”? 5. Authors, don’t promote your stuff as The Solution Stephen doesn’t see this tendency as much as he used to see it. But occasionally you’ll find Christian creatives go back to this dry well. They’ll step on other “Christian fiction bad” and promote their own stuff. Some of that stuff may be okay, in which case the marketing is cringe. But other stuff overcorrects with bad words, grimdark, and immaturity. As we’ve said, there are no (and shouldn’t be) Chosen One authors. Far better to ignore the bad and train hard for Christ’s glory, not ours. 6. Finally, reject corny ‘the world is

Sixteen years ago next month, there was a Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie. But guess what version Narnia steward Douglas Gresham praised as a better adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s book? It is The Academy of Arts Logos Theatre’s Prince Caspian, now performing through April 2024 at The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.! We invite one Logos artisan into our studio to explore puppetry and performance for Christ’s glory. Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media: “1232” dramatic podcast Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update Jenneth Dyck’s article about the Prince Caspian play Lorehaven reviews: last week, Saints and Monsters; next week, Lion Warrior Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Noah Stratton As executive director of The Academy of Arts Logos Theatre, Noah Stratton takes on many roles both offstage and on. Through the years, Noah has been privileged to portray Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: A New Musical, King Miraz in Prince Caspian, Judah in God Meant it for Good, Professor Bhaer in Little Women, Mr. Tumnus/Professor Kirke in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and much more. About the Logos Theatre The Logos Theatre was founded by The Academy of Arts in 2006 with the express purpose of impacting our culture for Christ through the powerful medium of storytelling on stage. Its 300-seat auditorium, proscenium arch, and revolving stage is housed in The Academy of Arts headquarters in Taylors, SC, and has been attended by audiences from all over the world. With the understanding that all truth comes from God, The Logos Theatre carries out the Academy’s mission of “making the Bible come alive in minds and hearts” in a unique and powerful way, by choosing to only tell stories of truth and purpose. The Logos Theatre has further grown its impact in the culture by adding many original productions to its repertoire such as C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, God Meant it For Good (the true story of Joseph and his brothers in Egypt), Esther, The Venture of 1620, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, and much more. Each one of these professional productions and musicals is written and crafted by the artistic team of The Logos Theatre to make a lasting impact on our culture by reaching the minds and hearts of the case members who perform them and the audiences who attend them. TheLogosTheatre.com 1. Why make biblical, fantastical, historical plays? Biblical stories: Joseph, Esther, familiar territory for Christians But also “secular” historical tales: from “1620” to “The Scarlet Pimpernel” Then comes the Narnia universe—isn’t this a drastic genre departure? 2. What are the challenges of ‘Prince Caspian’? Logos performed an existing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. That led to a wholly original production of The Horse and His Boy. And this year Logos is performing their own version of Prince Caspian. C. S. Lewis’s stepson Douglas Gresham is a big fan of these adaptations. If you hear this in April, act fast—Museum of the Bible shows end April 27! So far, the only way to see the Narnia shows is to go see them live. At least in trailers, the acting, aesthetics, and puppetry all look amazing. You can listen to this epic song “Look for the Morning” from Caspian. 3. Which stories are next for Logos Theatre stages? Academy of Arts late founder Dr. Nicky Chavers has recorded Aslan’s voice … For all seven Chronicles of Narnia, before his passing in 2021 So it sounds like The Logos Theatre is in Narnia for the long haul! Coming in 2024: plays about creation/evolution, Robin Hood, Christmas. Coming in 2025: The Cross and the Switchblade, The Secret Garden. Com station Top question for listeners When will you go see The Chronicles of Narnia live on stage? Cody replied to ep. 207. Should We Get Mad When Christians Scorn Fantastical Fiction? Here’s a quote from Shakespeare that kind of relates to this topic: For naught so vile that on the Earth doth live But to the Earth some special good doth give; Nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use, Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse. Next on Fantastical Truth What comes to your mind with the label “Christian fiction”? If you grew up evangelical or heard the stereotypes, you likely think negative assumptions. For example, we assume “Christian fiction” has predictable plots, shallow characters, and cheap evangelism. Even when some stories do, how can we avoid our own cliched notions about all those “bad” Christian-made novels?

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? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Chaos Grid Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update NEWS: The Time Door by Shannon McDermott Opens For Pre-Orders Lorehaven reviews: last week, Mortal Queens; this week, Saints and Monsters Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand We’ve spent previous episodes biblically defending fantastical fiction. And we explore the purpose of freedom for Christ’s and others’ sake. Now for some practical solutions: what do we do with Christian critics? Here’s a bigger disclaimer. Some of these criticisms can really hurt. For those who found refuge and Christ reflected in stories, it gets worse. The critic seems to be actively threatening a life raft Jesus threw to us. But if you feel a God-given surplus of ability to engage, do so joyously! We’ll refresh some of our rationale and offer tips on challenging them. But we’ll also share experiences of sorting good-faith from bad actors. Sometimes you must walk away from folks with different sorts of minds. The best you can hope for is that they’ll not persist in false accusations. 1. Ask why the critic is bothered about your choices. For example, pastors may be concerned about imagination’s real abuse. Or someone you know might see real negative side effects to fandom. All good things, even basic water and bread, can hurt us in some ways. So, if you know the person, it’s worth asking if there’s any merit there. Use your imagination. “If this person were right, what would it look like?” Otherwise, if your defense isn’t falsifiable, you may be over-defensive. In some cases, you may need simply to ignore the critic entirely. That’s likely of internet randos, many of whom get “perverse incentives.” They’re play-acting fantasies in their head of being imaginary “pastor.” In that case, they’re the ones abusing fantasy/imagination; avoid them. You won’t be able to crack the delusion that they’re Big Spiritual Boss. Instead, take heed of their twisted use of imagination, and be warned! 2. Ask if the critic knows fiction is part of real life. You’re on firm ground, especially if critics emphasize “the real world.” Easy response: “Indeed, and in the real world, people love fiction.” Everyone enjoys fiction of some kind, even passing hypotheticals. You needn’t even refer to Jesus’s parables; just point to basic living. And yes, even fantastical fiction is part of real life. Everyone knows this. Recent example: apologist Justin Peters in a fairly viral social reply. He insisted, “No work of fiction should ever change our worldview.” We’d ask what he means by that. What about illustrate our worldview? If the fiction points to Scripture, yes, it should! If not, no, it shouldn’t. But it’s silly to blame fiction in ways we wouldn’t blame pastors/teachers. This is a borderline “solo Scriptura” notion that Scripture doesn’t teach. For this, you need only point to the parables to defend good fiction. And it’s acceptable to point to your own testimony grounded in gospel. Yes, God has often used fantastic fiction (much by Christians) for good! Even many secular stories have common grace to reflect law/standards. 3. Ask if critics understand the purpose of fiction. Here’s where you get to be a Vulcan while deconstructing that a little bit. Stephen likes to start with the question: What do you think fiction is for? Don’t assume the critic has done that work. He very likely has not. Of course, before you ask this, be sure you know good answers! Ask this: “Should I criticize only bad churches and ignore their purpose?” “If I did, you’d get the idea I only hate/ignore any church, good or bad.” “So why then is it acceptable only to criticize popular culture and art?” (For more about this hypothetical, see Stephen’s older article here.) Be aware that many critics can’t help think very mechanically about this. They have “a mind of metal and wheels” (Treebeard), practical to a fault. Stephen believes it’s best to stick with Scripture, especially in person. Many folks reflexively shut down with the Lewis and Tolkien quotes. So use these sparingly, and avoid rabbit-trails into fictional magic, etc. You also need to be able to say, with wide eyes and clear conscience: “Fantastical stories do not tempt me to sin any more than usual. In fact, God has used many of these stories to make me love Jesus more.” Say it that boldly, especially in person, and folks have trouble accusing. Recognize that some Christians legit cannot fathom fiction’s purpose. It’s like they’re color-blind, able to see, but only in black-and-white.

Happy post-Resurrection Sunday! How did that go at your church? Did you see any Easter pageants? Pictures on the bulletin showing nail-scarred hands, or a shadowy figure exiting a tomb surrounded by light? And what about the Jesus-like hero in your favorite fantastical story? Could these images fool some people into sins like worshiping an imposter Jesus? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Chaos Grid Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Story Embers summit, May 23–25, 2024 Mission update We reviewed Tattoo of Crimson and it’s also our Book Quest! Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Introducing guest Jenneth Dyck Graphic designer Jenneth Dyck is a dyslexic writer and illustrator who creates professional book covers for indie authors and small press publishers. She also thinks way too deeply about superhero movies, quantum physics, angels, and the fourth dimension. She holds degrees in professional writing and digital media with an M.A. in graphic design. Jenneth’s articles at Lorehaven Jenneth’s homepage on WordPress @‌JennethLeed_Author on Instagram 1. What kinds of pictures of Jesus do we make? Going back to antiquity: earliest image was by haters in the first century. By the third century people were making images meant to honor Him. Source: Aleteia (a Catholic website), The six oldest images of Jesus, 2018 In modern times, we see mocking images, for sure. e.g. “Buddy Christ.” But we see respectful treatments, like film dramatizations of the gospels. Stephen’s favorites include The Gospel of John (2003) and Risen (2016). And of course there’s the blockbuster multi-season drama The Chosen. In these films and shows, actors portray Jesus, so we see mainly humans. But at holidays like Christmas and Easter, Jesus pictures really come out. Christmas: we see Him mainly in His weakness, as a newborn infant. Easter: we see Him in weakness, a suffering servant, then as risen Man. We don’t have yet a holiday for Christ triumphant, returned to reign! A key point: each image captures Jesus at particular times in history. They are indeed limited, just as people saw Him “limited” at the time. 2. Why do some Christians claim these are ‘2CV’? “2CV” means “Second Commandment violation,” seen oft in interwebs. People use this, sincerely or sarcastically, to critique pictures of Jesus. They’ll jokingly or honestly apply a “2CV shield” over such images. Stephen once saw writer Tim Challies “censor” The Shack’s movie poster. Their key text is of course the Second Commandment in Exodus 20:4–6 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” This seems an open-and-shut case. But the argument proves too much. Do we truly believe we can’t make “any likeness of anything” in creation? God groups these commandments together; we can’t separate them. The clear context is the phrase “bow down to them or serve them.” No one should worship any graven image, of God or anything else. So if anyone is actually tempted to worship a Jesus-picture, that’s wrong. Many critics, however, insist on many other arguments against these. Jenneth has heard similar critiques that Christians need to take seriously. “Do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil” (Rom. 14:16). Sometimes we need to address the real root cause of these critiques. Folks may have some out of bad denominations, real idol-worship, cults. To them, Jesus-pictures really are idolatry and they can’t see otherwise. Others, however, act like they’ve come out of these places but have not. They seem to think that rules for local church = rules for all places. So: If we don’t have Jesus-pictures in church, why have them anywhere? This too is fallacious. It betrays a niche vision of the Christian’s purpose. These notions also stretch the “Reformed” concept of “total depravity.” That is, acting like people “drift” into idolatry, and not choosing this sin. Critics need to listen: for many Christians, Jesus-pictures do not tempt us. 3. How can we make and be biblical Jesus-pictures? Look to the pictures of Jesus in the Bible—yes, He is often described! In fact, you can’t faithfully read Scripture without picturing these events. See of course Isaiah 53, with its broad-strokes picturing of His weakness. Every narrative of His suffering also gives us images of His appearance. Don’t miss Revelation 19:11–16, with its vivid imagery of Christ the King! Don’t be casual about pictures of Jesus. They really can fool people. Decades after the real Jesus came, folks made up fake versions of Him. Knowing this would happen later, He still came anywa

Sin doesn’t ruin human lives and all the creation by itself.[1. Photo by Ismael Paramo on Unsplash.] Sin brings the consequence of suffering. Hebrews 2:18 promises, “For because [Jesus] himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Today we’re joined by a special guest who explores real suffering, memory, and healing in the worlds of fiction: novelist J. J. Fischer. Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media: “1232” dramatic podcast Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update Don’t miss How Stories Physically Reshape Our Brains For Good or Ill That’s by today’s guest, Jasmine Fischer, a former clinical psychologist Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This is part 3 of our He Saves Us series, with a specific topical focus. In part 1, we explored how Jesus has defeated the Devil (past tense). In part 2, we explored how Jesus saves us from our villain (present tense). Now we focus on other consequences of sin: disease, suffering, death. Human sin may be the “final boss” at the cross, as we said last week. Yet in the end, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). Introducing guest J. J. (Jasmine) Fischer Jasmine Fischer lives with her husband on the beautiful central coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she enjoys reading, going for long walks, and forgetting to water her plants. Originally a psychologist with a master’s degree in clinical psychology, Jasmine works as a Christian fantasy author and freelance editor. Her novel Calor won the 2023 Realm Award Book of the Year. Follow her literary adventures at JJFischer.com where you can subscribe to her newsletter or send her a message, or you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook. (Due to the rising cost of birdseed, she no longer accepts carrier pigeons.) 1. Human sin brought consequences to creation Genesis 1–2: God created humans to steward all creation for His glory. Originally we would have lived forever, without disease, death, suffering. Imagine perfect mental health, too; no tragedies, only satisfaction. Genesis 3: humans chose to rebel against God’s good created order. As a result, thorns and thistles oppose humans’ attempt to steward. “Thorns and thistles” also image the disorder and tragedy of creation. Some examples of these consequences in recent fiction by J. J. Fischer. Open discussion Stephen likes to call creation the “third party” between God and man. God is not His creation. Man is not God’s creation. Creation is distinct. Creation strikes back not just with weeds but with storms and entropy. Alas, some Christians want to avoid pantheism, so they ignore creation. Romans 8 says, “The creation itself” groans in “bondage to decay.” And “we ourselves groan inwardly,” suffering from sin’s consequences. This doesn’t just mean our own sin, but sin’s corruption in the world. It leads to mental disorders, struggles to focus, anxiety, and real trauma. 2. Human doctors can relieve or even cure some ills Physicians had some limited success before scientific processes. After that, successes (and many failures) exploded in growth. Doctors and others could relieve or even prevent or cure many diseases. Lately we’ve seen more growth in fields of mental health and wellness. From professional to populist platforms, we’re hearing a lot about this. And so more therapeutic–related ideas are helping inform more stories. For example, in Calor, our heroes struggle with terrible past tragedies. Memory becomes a commodity that can be shared or suppressed. But human healing can only go so far, with in an advanced medical age. Doctors and therapists still understand very little about the human brain. Or many of them apply false religions or materialism to their work. Meanwhile, false teachers promise miraculous “healing” for today. As a result, people think that only one method can relieve/cure these ills. Any examples of extremes or unhelpful ideas in therapy, past or present? 3. Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, will heal all hurts It helps to know that Jesus Christ has suffered much like humans do. He was truly Man, so He experienced pain, wounds, and surely stresses. Finally, He underwent acute physical abuse/trauma/torture on the Cross. But lest we get lost in those past details, let us focus on the future hope. Rev. 21: He will “wipe away every tear,” better than any therapist could. This is part of what Tolkien called the eucastrophe, the good “cataclysm.” So if you struggle with disease or have seen death, imagine that relief! (Stephen had a very small-scale version of this last week at church.) If you face mental health or other struggles, imagine the healing! Until then, our stories often hint or even re-enact these happy endings. Heroes receive healing or the hint of healing from their sufferings. We can see characters who struggle with trauma pursue resolution. Examples of this in

When our hero Jesus died to atone for sin and resurrected Himself, He did not defeat only the Devil.[1. Photo by Michael Förtsch on Unsplash.] He did this to “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery,” says the author of Hebrews. Jesus our hero is “a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” He saves us from our own villainy! Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Hybrid by Candace Kade Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update This week we debut a new article from author Jasmine Fischer. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Concession stand This is part of our series He Saves Us, about the foes Jesus defeats. These include not just human villainy (today) but Satan and suffering. At different times of your life, you may resonate with one or the other. Maybe you feel spiritual attack, or the thorns and thistles of suffering. Yet at all times we feel our fight against sin from which He saves us. Finally, many Christians re. salvation put on their “evangelism” filter. But this episode isn’t mainly for the nonbelievers. It’s a family review. That’s why we use initials like “PSA,” for penal substitutionary atonement. Quotes and notes The penal substitutionary view of the atonement holds that the most fundamental event of the atonement is that Jesus Christ took the full punishment that we deserved for our sins as a substitute in our place, and that all other benefits or results of the atonement find their anchor in this truth.[1. “Substutionary Atonement,” Thomas Schreiner, undated essay at The Gospel Coalition.] [Jesus speaking] “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17–18 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans 2:1–5 For surely it is not angels that [Jesus] helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:16–17 1. Many people like to say: we are basically good. You ever been at that party or event that’s mainly about other people? In other words, most of what people have in common is their mutuals. Did you hear about him? Did you see what she shared on her platform? The in-group becomes “people in this room,” with others being “out.” The “good guys” become you and your friends, who aren’t bad. But what happens at another event, with a new mix of people? The pretend “good guys” and “bad guys” swap roles based on nothing. So it is when people act like “we are” or “I am” basically good inside. If we sin, there’s an excuse. Other people. The system. Or even trauma. Before we speak of corrections to this, why do we share this false “story”? 2. But people also like to say: everyone else is evil! Everyone outside the party is full of drama, foolishness, clout-chasing. They are corrupt; their deeds are vile. Because they’re not with us now. And when others further out sin, there’s even less of an excuse. Further outside our “party,” those people are oppressors. Careless. Evil. Why do we like to carry on with this kind of constant self-delusion? It doesn’t make sense. It’s not thoughtful. At best it’s mindless small talk. Small talk isn’t enough for big ideas about human will and responsibility. Fiction flushes this out. Any good-vs.-evil story must be taken seriously. Unless, of course, you make some stories into “small talk.” Then they fail. 3. Jesus says: Everyone is evil, but I save my people. Now we come to some very hard, even “grimdark” biblical proofs. Humans are, by nature, evil. Some even say “dead in” or enslaved to sin. That’s the language of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2. No escape clause. Before we talk about Satan, or suffering, we need to emphasize sin. This is a terminal heart-level condition. All the older preachers are right. We’re not at all perfect spiritual creatures like the angels of heaven. We’re not the heroes of the story, tea

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…”[1. Hebrews 2:14 (ESV).] Today we begin a new series, He Saves Us, starting with our Hero’s victory over that dragon! Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Hybrid by Candace Kade Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update Our new Book Quest has begun through North! Or Be Eaten. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Concession stand Maybe you like fantasy dragons. Your can befriend, ride, or train them. Some dragons are even cute and cuddly. No shade on that imagination. Scripture itself portrays a sea-dragon, Leviathan, as God’s “pet” (Job 41). But here we will emphasize the traditional idea: the dragon as devilish. Introducing guest Laurie Christine Laurie Christine is an author, podcast host, certified Biblical Parenting Coach, Bible teacher, wife, and mom of four wild, loud, adventurous boys. Her podcast, Redeeming the Chaos, invites moms of boys to join her on the wild, wonderful, chaotic adventure of raising courageous boys and connecting them with Christ. Her most recent book released last November, Rise of the Enemy, first in her Dragon Slayer Bible series. DragonSlayerBible.com LaurieChristine.com Concession stand Maybe you like fantasy dragons that you can befriend, ride, or train. Some dragons are even cute and cuddly. No shade on that imagination. Scripture itself portrays a sea-dragon, Leviathan, as God’s “pet” (Job 41). But here we will emphasize the traditional idea: the dragon as devilish. 1. Slaying the dragons in modern storytelling Why do readers love dragon slaying stories so much? These mirror the ultimate dragons-slaying narrative in the Bible. Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit matches wits with the great dragon Smaug. Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings later defeats the dragon-like Balrog. A few other modern stories preserve the concept of dragons as evil. The original Godzilla, such as in Godzilla: Minus One (2023), is a destroyer. Harry Potter famously shows a hero confronting dragonlike monsters. Lord Voldemort himself is associated with satanic imagery and serpents. Other stories show dragons not as devilish, but morally neutral or good. Actual dragons in Harry Potter are just another kind of fantastic beast. The recent American films portray Godzilla as more of a hero/antihero. Many, many Christian-made books have different takes on dragons. Eustace Clarence Scrubb’s selfishness turns him into a dragon in VODT. Bryan Davis, “that dragon guy,” has children turning into/out of dragons. Many pre-Flood-set fantasy novels show dragons as originally good. 2. Slaying the dragons of ancient legends Beowulf does not just fight Grendel but Grendel’s mother and a dragon. “St. George and the Dragon” is one of the Western template stories. Of course, Eastern nations like Japan and China have rich dragon tales. But you will find dragons, winged serpents, wyverns, whatever name or variant the creature has, across all ancient culture and continents. Some Christians, such as at Answers in Genesis, think dragons were real. Stephen agrees with them; dragons once really existed on this Earth. And somehow along the way, they got associated with the top dragon. 3. Slaying that dragon, the Devil, in the Scripture Dragons get slain throughout the Bible, not just in Revelation 12. We can see the Genesis 3:15 promise in light of Revelation 12:9. Scripture often uses the terms “dragon” and “serpent” interchangeably. At this Easter, remember that our Hero, Jesus, is the Dragon Slayer. Explore what this truth means for us and for any of our children. One way to help you do that: The Dragon Slayer Bible Series. Com station Question: What are your favorite dragons in stories—good, evil, or neutral? Mahina shared thoughts about ep. 202 and lockdown reading: During Covid I helped take care of my 80+ year old grandma and we were scared. The two things we could actually do together physically and rule wise were go to the public pool to swim and go to the library. Those were the only outings for a while for grandma so that’s when I started getting back into reading. I loved reading in middle & high school but had stopped as an adult. I actually found Lorehaven after being disappointed with library books with hidden agendas and explicit content. Now my life is on a completely different course career wise and I love my God honoring stories. I find solace from the scrolling and can see God’s designs in fantastical fiction. Amanda, also in the Lorehaven Guild, felt much the same way: I was reading then, but I think being shut in for so long was one of the things that brought me to something of a meeting with God over some behavior in my life. Like the things I was reading (or watching) which were not good and definitely not healthy. Stories in principle are

Hand-washing. Social distancing. Fired employees. Air transmission. Four long years ago, the 195 nations lived together in disharmony. Then, everything changed when COVID lockdowns attacked. How did lockdowns change culture? How did our reality’s upheaval affect our enjoyment of fictional worlds? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Guardian by Cathy McCrumb Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update Our new Book Quest has begun through North! Or Be Eaten. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. Concession stand Nope, this won’t be political. By now, I think all that stuff is wrapped up. Although we’re still happy about our “COVID vaccine as parable” episode. Lockdowns actively shaped this podcast and the direction of Lorehaven. So, despite all the nonsense and suffering, God meant this for good. We’ll reflect that sense of positivity as we explore this more casually. 1. Lockdowns helped drive us closer to Jesus Christ. Some “end is near” fervor can be very healthy for cultures and people. We realize we really are mortal and must make good use of our time. All this led us to see more value in church, Scripture, and obedience. We also found God-given value in humor, alone time, and nature. 2. Lockdowns challenged how and why we read. So much screen time reinforced the dopamine/doomscroll problem. Many cultural debates distracted us from the purpose of good stories. Other debates helped encourage us to participate more in our world. That could drive us back to good stories, or unfortunately away from them. Career and other life challenges drew our attention to real-world needs. Quotes and notes Coronavirus and Christ, book by John Piper “The State of The Culture 2024,” Ted Gioia, Feb. 18, 2024 It’s Official: We Can Pretty Much Treat Covid Like the Flu Now. Here’s a Guide., Sumathi Reddy, The Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2024 In nonrealistic epics, such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Princess Bride, and Game of Thrones, tyrants never survive, but heroes do. In realistic epics, such as Spartacus, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Braveheart, and Lord of the Flies, tyrants always survive; heroes never do. —Robert McKee (in his book Character) 3. Lockdowns made us stronger through challenge. For Stephen’s part, his family made big life decisions throughout 2020. Stephen got more serious about scheduling, goals, reading, and writing. We both installed bookshelves in rooms to show we prioritize reading. Our public library has free audiobooks on dedicated “Playaway” devices We’ve invested more in books of all sorts, especially fiction audiobooks. Zack’s strategies for better reading habits Read whole chapters at a time. Keep internet-connected devices out of reach. Use the @freedom app to block distractions for a set time. Share monthly reading goals with friends. If you feel stuck, try reading shorter books, like novellas. Finish half-read books for that faster sense of accomplishment. Walk or even fall asleep to the audiobook of an already-favorite title. Get a Libro.fm subscription to retrieve entire fiction series on audiobook. Follow C.S. Lewis’s advice about reading one old books after you read a new book. Com station Top question for listeners How did lockdowns shape your own reading experience? Next on Fantastical Truth “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…” Next month we begin a new series, He Saves Us, about our Hero’s victory over Satan, sin, and suffering.

Nobody claims to like “hate.”[1. Image credit: Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet by Garofalo, c. 1520/1525 (public domain, source: National Gallery of Art).] That’s bad. Everybody claims they want to “love their neighbor.” That’s good. Should the best Christian-made stories repeat these messages so that readers know Christians are good and not bad? Or could stories with this goal end up actually harming our neighbors? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Guardian by Cathy McCrumb Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update Lorehaven action: North! Or Be Eaten book quest starts March 4 Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Our neighbors need beauty, goodness, and truth from great stories. That’s the pivotal (and biblical) assumption we make behind all this. We’ll need to presume these definitions as we explore flawed stories. Beauty: artistic excellence, craftsmanship, reflection of God our Creator. Goodness: moral virtue, righteousness, reflection of our perfect Jesus. Truth: biblical doctrine, natural reality, imitation of the Holy Spirit’s word. We do know many critics add more heat than light to these critiques. So in critiquing stories directly or otherwise, we don’t fault their makers. In fact, with one exception, we’ll avoid specific examples on this show. Creators have backstories that lead them to emphasize one or the other. Yet we still need to “stop the cycle” and emphasize all three at once. More than our stories’ excellence is at stake; so our neighbors’ lives. Also, many stories only emphasize one of these, ignoring two at once! For the sake of brevity, we’ll focus on those who try getting 2 out of 3. 1. Stories try to show goodness+truth, not beauty Most of us who think of bad/shallow evangelical stories think of this. For instance, many Christian social dramas want to show good behavior. And many of these movies also want to show characters extolling truth. Readers see these emphases in many works of Christian-made fiction. But if they’re not made with creative excellence, beauty, they suffer. They also fail to meet the needs of our neighbors who need beauty. Stephen once debated a friend who seemed to be getting this all wrong. Friend thought Christians should “sell all we have” and live communally. This ignores the God-given human need for beauty even in our homes. Similarly, a story author could say “only the story matters, not the cover.” But in fact the cover does matter. God wants excellence in all our works! Without this excellence, our stories inactively harm our neighbors. Such stories are bad and even lie by saying “God’s work is not beautiful.” So by ignoring beauty, these stories also ignore goodness and truth. So what should we do? Look for stories that value biblical beauty, celebrating our Creator! Read both Genesis 1 and Exodus 28, ordering “for glory and for beauty.” 2. Stories try to show beauty+truth, not goodness Many people struggle with Christian creations that ignore goodness. We would group this under the biblical commands to love other people. This is more about bad artist behavior that you do not see, covered up. For instance, a huge cathedral may proclaim truth and look magnificent. But behind the scenes, they exploited people and laborers to build it. Similarly, a book may look amazing and even reflect biblical orthodoxy. But if the author does not act like a faithful Christian, that’s hypocrisy. Worse than hypocrisy, the story’s author is failing to act like Jesus Christ. Without this goodness, these stories inactively harm our neighbors. Such stories are ugly and even lie by saying “God is not actually good.” So by ignoring goodness, these stories also ignore beauty and truth. So what should we do? Look for stories that value biblical goodness, following our Savior! Read from 1 Corinthians 13, Paul’s view of what goodness/love truly is. 3. Stories try to show beauty+goodness, not truth Quotes and notes “He Gets Us” ad “He Saves Us” response video A Tale of Two Ads, Joe Rigney at WORLD Magazine, Feb. 23, 2024 Now we come to the part where we talk more about that Big Game ad! The ad wanted to show that “Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet.” While many found the ad beautiful and good, it’s based on several lies. Read the whole text of the account, John 13:1–20, hearing Jesus’s words. He does not leave this vague, but explains why he did this act at all. For instance, Jesus washed the feet of 11 apostles and one enemy. He foregrounded his reasons as part of His death and based in the Law. Foot-washing was not simply a decent act, but a ritualistic purification. He spells out the one exception: Judas. “Not all of you are clean” (v. 11). There is no place for revising this story as “Jesus did nice things for all.” That tells our neighbors a great and harmful lie about Jesus’ reasons. And by the way, the “teach hate” line also lies about other Christians.

Today is Fantastical Truth episode 200! This gives a great occasion for us to consider not just how we find the best Christian-made fantasy, but why we must explore fantastical stories for God’s glory. Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: “1232” epic audio podcast Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update Article: What If I Find Sexual Identity Notions in My Child’s New Book? Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes This foundational episode fits into our series called Fiction’s Chief End. Previous episodes explore what we mean by the phrase “Christian story.” We’ve also explored we need genres like fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi. Also, what’s our one job in reading stories? And what about horror? 1. ‘Lorehaven helps Christian fans …’ Here’s our mission statement from the About page at Lorehaven.com: Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Stephen briefly recaps the Lorehaven origin story. Lorehaven isn’t like ministries that teach Bible study or church work. We’re also not focused on “Christians engaging the popular culture.” Nor are we an evangelistic enterprise. We’re an outreach to Christians. And we’re meant for Christians who already like these stories, or want to. 2. ‘… Explore fantastical stories …’ Christian readers already want fantastical stories (and/or for their kids). But they often return to secular markets and expecting Moral Values. We don’t oppose this, but why ignore great Christian-made stories? We talked about this in our recent article about Sexual Identity Notions. Implicit in our phrase is our focus on Christian-made fantastical stories. After all, only these stories are made with the goal of glorifying God. Secular-made stories, even the best ones, glory Him by accident. See the Exodus phrase that God will “get glory over” Pharaoh. God will “get glory over” anything, but get glory through His people. 3. ‘… for God’s glory’ What we don’t mean by God’s glory: only obviously spiritual tasks Christians still assume that “ministry” is only churchy or charity work (Even one recent big game ad repeated this very traditional myth!) But when we say “God’s glory,” we mean all that’s wonderful in God. John Piper often teaches about God’s glory, and he wrote this: Here is an attempt at a definition: the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections. I am focusing on the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes. All of his perfections and greatness are beautiful as they are seen, and there are many of them. That is why I use the word manifold. Here it is in another sentence: the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of his manifold perfections. ‘What is God’s Glory?’, Ask Pastor John podcast, July 22, 2014 From there we apply the phrase for God’s glory to what we do as fans. We believe that exploring stories must be an act of worshiping God. Nonfiction often can’t do this as well. We are not “brains in tanks.” Even before the Incarnation, God was acting narratively in the world. He reveals Himself not just as propositional truths, but as Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives His truth in the Bible, yet makes it live in our lives. So also we see ourselves reflected in fictional heroes with journeys. Com station How do you glorify God specifically by enjoying fantastical stories? Next on Fantastical Truth Nobody claims to like “hatred.” That’s bad. Everybody claims they want to “love their neighbor.” That’s good. But what does this mean? Should Christian-made stories repeat these messages so that readers know Christians are good and not bad? And do stories made with this goal actually help or hurt our neighbors?

‘Tis the season for love and enchanted princesses and handsome princes and such-like.[1. Photo by mtsjrdl on Unsplash.] 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 keeps getting into big trouble, how’s a Christian fan to respond? Joshua Shepherd brings a balanced biblical perspective into the studio. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Mortal Queens Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update New reviews every Friday, including for The Fox and the Dragon Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Our title emphasizes fight to love, not just rant about or reject. At the same time, Disney has been making truly terrible decisions. Just last week, they announced new ones, and got hit with a lawsuit. Some criticisms, however, are simply invalid, or badly out of proportion. Discernment means we must critique the bad but also praise the good. Introducing guest Josh Shepherd Josh Shepherd is a journalist, editor and communications professional who often reports at the intersection of religion and culture. His articles have appeared in media outlets including Christianity Today, The Federalist, Family Theater Productions, and The Roys Report. A graduate of the University of Colorado and native of the Great State of Texas, Josh has lived in the Washington, D.C. area for over a decade. He and his wife, Terri, also run a marketing consultancy called Shepherd Strategies. They stay busy raising two kids, currently ages 3 and almost-5. See all Josh’s articles at Authory Quotes and notes from Lorehaven Fantastical Truth episode 144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022? Fantastical Truth episode 173. Why Are So Many Summer ‘Blockbusters’ Getting Busted? Disney Might Finally Learn Why It’s Failing, Jenneth Dyck for Lorehaven, Oct. 26, 2023 Fantastical Truth episode 194. Which Villains Beat the Superheroes in 2023 Flopbuster Films? ‘Frozen 2’ Shows Queen Elsa Vainly Chasing After Wintry Winds, Shannon Stewart for Lorehaven, Jan. 18, 2024 Quotes and notes from Disney’s legacy Top 7 Hits & Misses in 2023 Family Entertainment, Josh Shepherd for Family Theater, Feb. 1, 2024 How Mary Poppins Changed My Family And the World, Josh Shepherd for The Federalist, Jan. 21, 2019 Guideposts: “Walt Disney on Divine Inspiration,” June 1949 Disenchanted: Did The Critics Get It All Wrong? (podcast) Review: Steven Greydanus on Disney’s ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ from Screenwriter Linda Woolverton, Oct. 18, 2019 Quotes and notes from last week Gina Carano Sues Disney Over Firing From ‘The Mandalorian,’ Elon Musk Funding the Suit, Variety, Feb. 6, 2024 Carano v. The Walt Disney Company, et. al., complaint (PDF), Feb. 6, 2024 Disney’s Q1 2024 Earnings Call: Epic Games, ESPN, ‘Moana 2′, and Taylor Swift to Disney+, BoardwalkTimes.net, Feb. 7, 2024 Disney+ Loses 1.3 Million Subscribers Following Price Increase, IGN, Feb. 7, 2024 ‘Moana 2’ Set at Disney With Surprise 2024 Release Date, Variety, Feb. 7, 2024 Zootopia 2 Gets 2025 Release Date as Disney Reveals Timings for Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 and More, IGN, Feb. 7, 2024 1. Flopping films: Why the agenda and activism? In 2021, Disney/Lucasfilm fired Carano based on her social media posts. Twitter bullies and others demanded she accept their religious beliefs. Last week, Carano (backed by Elon Musk’s attorneys) sued the company. Of course, many pundits criticize Disney for “not-so-secret” agendas. These represent a very real threat to social morality and even policy. Many parents also believe these ideologies specifically threaten kids. Undeniably, these progressivist posturings cost the company millions. Last week, Disney announced a surprise sequel to Moana in theaters. They’d retooled this based on a Disney+ series; seems rather desperate. We’re also getting more sequels to Zootopia, Frozen, and even Toy Story. For those who say, “ew, try something new,” Disney has, and it failed. 2. Magic myths: What are critics getting wrong? Myth: “Disney was a Christian who would be shocked by his company.” Fact: Walt’s nominal belief system was influenced by Norman Vincent Peale, “The Power of Positive Thinking.” You can see true spiritual ideas in the sense of “providence” in his fairy tales, conscience, or American civic religion, but ideas of sin and judgment were mocked even then. Myth: Disney hasn’t produced anything good since Walt Disney died. Fact: Walt Disney died in 1966, yet many consider The Lion King or Remember the Titans or The Avengers as peak Disney. Myth: Disney is entirely “woke” today and can’t make any good stories. Fact: Even recently, we see examples of good storytelling, a comedic love story like Elemental, a brothers-in-arms A-Team rescue series like Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and Togo starring Willem Dafoe. 3. Faithful fantasy: How

Did you know that this week hosts a major competitive American sporting event?[Photo by Matt Benson on Unsplash.] Instead of XP, they have “scores.” Instead of combo moves and puzzle-solving, they have “plays.” Instead of dying and respawning, they have “losing,” and instead of save points, they have “yard lines.” How can Christians who love fantasy show love and respect to other kinds of fans who enjoy sports? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Mortal Queens Return of the Lost Ones by David Liberto Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference Mission update New reviews every Friday, including for Secret of the Lost Dragons And this Friday, more dragons: The Fox and the Dragon Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Stephen is not a sports fan, though part of him wishes he could be. Sports bring up strong feelings in people, often for, sometimes against. Our point here is to avoid cheerleading either, but look to Scripture. 1. The pros: Why do many fans totally love sports? Emphasis on physical training and competition that builds character. Wholesome abilities to show natural love for one’s city, state, or country. Friendly rivalry that simulates “war” with others but for simple joy’s sake. Christian author Randy Alcorn reminds us that sports are good See his big book Heaven, pages 410–411 Sports in Heaven?, Eternal Perspective Ministries, June 10, 2014 And of course, many sports stars overtly glorify Jesus and the gospel 2. The cons: How do fantasy fans feel about sports? Uniform expectations for body types, physical athleticism, and sex roles. Regional patriotism twisted into idolatry for favorites, hatred for others. Obsession with statistics, players, and idols that excludes other reality. Many fantasy fans testify to bullying, even at home, over sports culture. Parents, relatives, and church folks can get really into this fandom. It may help to compare this with “toxic fans” of our own favorites. 3. How can fantastical sports connect us together? Stephen finally unlocked a bridge between fantasy and sports fandoms. Quidditch certainly helped. So did an anime’s “wizards compete” story. All the same values (and possible idols) can “translate” this way. Applications for as soon as this Sunday, day of the annual “Big Game.” Stephen is trying to avoid even gentle mockery about “sportsball.” He’ll actively ask about others’ fandoms, and make human connections. Com station Top question for listeners Do you speak “sports fandom” as well as “fantasy fandom”? Mahina in the Lorehaven Guild liked ep. 197 about gaming: Wow, I’m so interested in this. I’m not really a gamer but a fan of stories. I downloaded the Redwall Lost Legends game. Me and my sisters loved these books! It’s literally choose your own adventure book with music and graphics. Very fun for a reader! I don’t have any kind of game consul or computer other than a small laptop but my sister has a PS4 and we had so much fun playing through Jedi Fallen Order. We are waiting for the next one to come out on PS4. When done together, playing these games is about having an adventure and fellowship. Especially when you’re super frustrated and can’t beat a boss. Next on Fantastical Truth ‘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 keeps getting into big trouble, how’s a Christian fan to respond? Joshua Shepherd brings a balanced biblical perspective into the studio.

We explore a lot of Christian-made fantastical books. But what about video game stories? What about Christians making different kinds of playable adventures set in worlds like The Wingfeather Saga and the Redwall series? Chris Skaggs enters the family room and takes us behind the controllers of Soma Games to help us play games for Christ’s glory. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Mortal Queens The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Mission update This week, Guild heroes begin our quest into the fairy tale Heartless We also released a review of the Anne Elisabeth Stengl novel from 2010 Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Chris Skaggs Chris Skaggs is the Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soma Games and Soma SoulWorks. Created in 2005, Soma Games fancies itself the “C. S. Lewis of video games” and strives to do the epithet honor by making artistically excellent games for people who may never go to church, but find themselves having fun while pondering eternal things. Soma SoulWorks is the ministry side of Soma’s coin, producing teaching and podcasts that seek to reach young adult “creatives,” especially those working in arts and entertainment. Chris is an Intel Black Belt recipient and frequent speaker at mobile and game-developer conferences, including GDC (Game Developer Conference), CGDC (Christian Game Developers Conference), Casual Connect, Serious Play, and Intel Innovators Forum. SomaGames.com Soma Games on Steam 1. When did you discover Jesus and video games? 2. How can Christians game for God’s glory? 3. What kinds of games does Soma create and why? Com station How do you train yourself (and others) to game for God’s glory? One hero of the Guild, DHMcCormack, said about ep. 196: [I] really enjoyed the conversation of digital vs physical mediums, and how that connects to traditional expressions of Christianity vs newer ones. In a world drowning in digital noise, the feel of a nice book in your hands and the way it forces you to be still, quiet and pay attention to one thing is really valuable. Guild hero Bob H also remarked: One subject that wasn’t touched on that I expected was that I often hear authors talk about the difficulties in naming their books. Next on Fantastical Truth Speaking of games, did you know that next week is a major competitive event? Instead of XP, they have “scores.” Instead of combo moves and puzzle-solving, they have “plays.” Instead of dying, they have “losing,” and instead of save points, they have “yard lines.” How can Christians who love fantasy show love and respect to other kinds of fans who enjoy sports?

We all love fantastical books. But how do fantastical books get made? Who takes all that raw material, polishes the edges, and turns the story into a shining jewel? We’ll explore this magical process, the making of fantastical novels, with Enclave Publishing creative director Jamie Foley. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Mortal Queens The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Mission update Two new Onscreen articles arrived last week: ‘Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire’ Plants the Seeds for Promising New Space Opera, A. D. Sheehan ‘Frozen 2’ Shows Queen Elsa Vainly Chasing After Wintry Winds, Shannon Stewart Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Jamie Foley Award-winning sci/fi-fantasy author Jamie Foley loves strategy games, gardening, and making lembas bread. She’s terrified of red wasps and uses them for lightsaber training. When not working as the Creative Director at Enclave Publishing, the typesetter for The Christian Writers Institute, or a suspicious monarch at Fayette Press, she’s probably drawing maps to Cair Paravel. Her husband is her manly astronaut preacher muse. They live between the Texas Hill Country and the family cattle ranch, where their hyperactive spawnling and wolfpack roam. Enclave Publishing Award-winning author Typesetter Cartographer 1. Editors help make the story fitter for print 2. Artists design the cover, pages, and promos 3. Publishers print the book and send it to readers Com station Do you prefer hardbacks, paperbacks, or digital copies of novels? S. Dorman remarked on episode 195 about “personal liberation”: Hi Zak, I believe it was you that had a self-satirical comment on the minimize morality podcast (195). Have you ever done a podcast devoted to satire, satire by Christians? I’d like to listen if there is one. See episode 30 with Frank Fleming See episode 151 with David Umstattd See episode 190 Next on Fantastical Truth We explore a lot of Christian-made fantastical books. But what about video game stories? What about Christians making different kinds of playable adventures set in worlds like The Wingfeather Saga and the Redwall series? Chris Skaggs, founder and operator of Soma Games, helps us play video games for Christ’s glory while he takes us behind the scenes at his studio.

Once upon a time, more literary heroes pursued virtue, or at least knew that they should.[1. Photo by visuals on Unsplash.] But in more modern stories, main characters aren’t motivated by being good, but by being right. They exchange the truth and Law of God for the lie of “personal liberation.” In a world of abuse and tyrants, this can feel appealing. Yet how does this exchange ultimately make stories worse? Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: “1232” epic audio podcast The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Mission update Watch for two new Onscreen articles this week: ‘Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire’ Plants the Seeds for Promising New Space Opera, A. D. Sheehan Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Reintroducing guest Thomas Umstattd Jr. Thomas Umstattd Jr. built his first website at age thirteen and taught his first web design class at only age 16. Since 2009, his websites and resources have helped support authors. In 2014, Thomas has been marketing director for Enclave Publishing, and in 2015 Thomas became an author himself, publishing the nonfiction book Courtship in Crisis. As a podcaster, he hosts the Novel Marketing Podcast, and the Christian Publishing Show. Thomas still serves as the CEO of Castle Media Group, parent company of Author Media. He lives in Austin, Texas with his beautiful wife and children. ThomasUmstattd.com NovelMarketing.com ChristianPublishingShow.com Concession stand We may speak of broader cultural terms to add context to the topic. But many readers resonate with these themes because of backstory. For more background, check into our Fantastical Foes series last year. Definitely see our episodes about church trauma and Sentimentalism. Key excerpt from Thomas’s recent article at SteveLaube.com: An amoral concept has infected Hollywood screenplays and Christian books alike. Some people call it clinicalism, and others call it clinical pluralism. Clinical pluralism is the belief that there is no right or wrong. There is no such thing as evil; there is only trauma. In stories where clinical pluralism is the overarching moral system, villains don’t do evil because they are evil. They do evil because they suffered trauma in the past. Clinical pluralism is sometimes connected with a Marxist oppressor/oppressed worldview where oppressors are evil, and the oppressed are good. Marxism is an anti-Christian worldview. In Christianity, there are no oppressors or oppressed, slave or free, Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:28). There are only wretched sinners in need of a Savior. The slave needs salvation as much as his master. The oppressed need a Savior as much as the oppressors do. Being oppressed doesn’t move you one inch closer to the Kingdom, and being an oppressor doesn’t disqualify you from the love of Christ. Not only is amoral storytelling unchristian, but it is also boring and preachy. We live in a broken world. Everyone experiences trauma. When taken to its logical extreme, amoral storytelling causes villains and heroes to become indistinguishable. —The Key Ingredient for Timeless Christian Storytelling: Morality, Thomas Umstattd Jr., The Steve Laube Agency, Jan. 9, 2024 1. Classic stories were centered on moral virtue Most of these dealt with their heroes’ specific sin struggles. Consider the fairy tales that often pushed morality to a fault. In C. S. Lewis’s Narnia, the children often sin and must repent. 2. But many modern stories promote ‘liberation’ How do we see this theme reflected in newer fantastical stories? “Discover who you really are by throwing off the shackles of your past to unleash your power.” For example, Thomas compares Captain Marvel (2018) to Iron Man (2008). We also compare Captain Marvel (the character) to Black Widow’s struggles. These “liberation” ideas are being laundered through fiction and pop culture. Jesus, however, told us to “be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” This “personal liberation” worldview is fundamentally built on envy. Even some Christian-made fiction can fall into this “toxic empathy” trap. Jesus also told us to watch out for false teachers within the church. This can get uncomfortable. We first have to take the planks out of our own eyes. Yet many writers praised Thomas’s article and said they will apply this encouragement. 3. Better stories are returning to classic virtues Manga is taking bookstores by storm. That’s because because Japanese storytellers know good fiction requires transcendent meaning. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood directly portrays the “seven deadly sins” Demon Slayer shows a Christ-like hero fighting evil spiritual forces One Piece tells the tale of a pirate captain who may unite the world Spy Family celebrates a totally trad family involved in espionage Several Christian-made novels feature characters who experience immense trauma, yet find healing and a higher pur

Wow. Last year we saw so many films flop that it’s not even funny. Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars, Doctor Who, all the usual suspects got paid in “exposure” but not much else. But we did see several breakout movie wins in the year 2023. What did we love? What did we ignore? How can Christians best discern these supposed “get woke go broke” stories? Mission update This week, we started the Voyage of the Dawn Treader book quest. We also shared a Voyage review. Next week we review Once A Queen. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Water’s Break The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Concession stand Of course, at Lorehaven we focus on Christian-made books. Talking about onscreen stories is a “side quest” for us. We want to like onscreen stories, not criticize them. Also, if we’re not careful, we’ll just remake episode 144! 1. Heroes who won the large and small screens Star Trek: Picard season 3 One Piece (Netflix live action) Godzilla: Minus One Two from WBD: Barbie and Wonka (Stephen hasn’t seen either) Almost anything from Universal Studios, such as Mario and Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse (not Stephen’s favorite but still solid) 2. Heroes who got beaten by real-life villains All the Warner Bros. Discovery DC movies: Shazam 2, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Almost all the Disney Marvel movies: Ant-Man 3, The Marvels Even the better-praised Marvel shows got very low viewership; the worst was likely Secret Invasion with its reported subversion of Nick Fury (Stephen literally needed to remind himself about all these names.) This year’s Doctor Who doubled down on its mean-spirited subversion. Once again, the Star Wars shows failed to impress many fans Now lately we have everyone’s favorite Lucasfilm head promising more feminism in space, as if we haven’t already had good and bad heroines. 3. Our theories why villains are beating heroes “Superhero fatigue,” tired of the genre, too much homework Oversaturation and watering down with too many shows People are also disillusioned with streaming’s disposability “Woke” content and perception of feminism, fan-hatred None of these account for corporations doubling down Why in the world do these people want to lose money? Stephen’s reply: inner guilt, craving for “righteousness” They’re not all about the money; they want to feel good Com station What were your favorite or disliked movies and shows of 2023? Kirk commented on ep. 192: Hi guys, First time listener. Loved Episode 192, Twenty Years Ago: How did Return of the King Rule the Movies? Fantastic podcast and as a Tolkien nerd myself, I appreciated all the references to the actual books as well as the focus on true heroes and good & evil. I read the Hobbit and LOTR when I was in 3rd and 4th grade and Tolkien’s worldview and setting informs my own writing and fantasy milieu. Great stuff. Keep up the good work. Jason Brown also remarked on ep. 192: Hello, gents! In regards to the last episode, it was revealed through some YouTube video that Peter Jackson had been hinting at some surprise for the movie’s 25th anniversary. The big fan theory is a possible extension of the movie series. That might go well with the recently announced anime movie War of the Rohirrim. As for Lawhead, I’ve been reading his books since he released his time-travelling Bright Empires series. With that said, long time fans of his hope that, with this “Lawhead Renaissance,” as it were, the next series of his to be adapted may be his Song of Albion trilogy (which I would be okay with). Anyway, I should get back to reading The Pendragon Cycle before the show comes out. Take care and God bless this year! Next on Fantastical Truth After the holiday break, we’re still catching up! This topic may open up future episodes about how Christians discern this new and rather sad “popular culture.” We’re reaching out to new guests who have firm yet balanced views on this subject. Meanwhile, we’re often switching off our screens, making reader resolutions, and hitting the books! This season we will share the best Christian-made fantastical novels and their authors.

Achoo![1. Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash.] We must have fallen asleep over the Christmas break. But now we’re back. And in Zack’s and Stephen’s area, guess what else is back? Cedar fever! That’s the most wicked allergy season you can imagine. So we thought we’d plan for this. All year long, we’ve been asking several of our guests the question we’ll ask ourselves: what stories are we “allergic” to? Mission update Next week, we start our Voyage of the Dawn Treader book quest! Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild! Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Water’s Break The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course 1. Rebecca Reynolds 145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds 2. Robert Treskillard 147. Why Can Christians Celebrate Stories about Merlin and King Arthur? | with Robert Treskillard 3. Candace Kade 154. What If You Had to Fake Being Genetically Modified? | Enhanced with Candace Kade 4. Nova McBee 159. What If Your Genius Math Skills Got You in Trouble with the Mob? | Calculated with Nova McBee 5. Mike Duran 162. How Can Christians Engage Wisely With Conspiracy Theories? | with Mike Duran 6. Becky Dean 165. How Does Science Fiction Help Us Escape Real-World Gravity? | with B. L. Dean 7. Ted Turnau 176. How Can Christians Plant An ‘Oasis of Imagination’? | with Ted Turnau 8. Sara Ella 180. How Can Creative Stories Reflect Curious Realities? | The Looking-Glass Illusion with Sara Ella 9. Carolyn Leiloglou I’m pretty tired of the trope that every middle grade hero needs an obsession that defines their entire personality. While some kids have obsessions, no one’s personality completely centers on a single thing. By all means, give characters interests and hobbies and quirks, but let them be more rounded so they don’t become a stereotype. 181. What If You Fell Into Classic Paintings? | Beneath the Swirling Sky with Carolyn Leiloglou 10. Marc Schooley 184. How Can Nobledark Horror Explore the Problem of Evil? | with Marc Schooley Com station What story “substances” make you sneeze? Zack receive this email from listener Joseph: I just wanted to reach out to thank you for hosting the Fantastical Truth podcast! I’m a 19 year-old Christian writer from Canada. I write Middle-Grade scary stories that give kids courage to face the scary things in their own lives. I first came across Fantastical Truth after meeting someone from Lorehaven at the Write-to-Publish conference last June and she mentioned the podcast to me.I have been so blessed by the podcast! I love the perspectives on stories you and Stephen share and I have found it very helpful as an aspiring author myself. Thank you for making this podcast and sharing your Biblical insights on fantastical stories! I’m excited to keep listening! Next on Fantastical Truth Wow. Last year we saw so many films flop that it’s not even funny. Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars, Doctor Who, all the usual suspects got paid in “exposure” but not much else. But we did see several breakout movie wins in the year 2023. What did we love? What did we ignore? How can Christians best discern these supposed “get woke go broke” stories—and their critics?

Twenty years ago, the world was watching one fantasy film trilogy to rule them all. Its final installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King arrived into American theaters on Dec. 17, 2003. From the beacons lighting of Minas Tirith, to Frodo’s and Sam’s desperate fights against Shelob, to the ear-tingling charge of the Rohirrim onto the Fields of Pelennor, how did we first experience this grand finale to The Lord of the Rings film series? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Introducing guest “Rilian” of NarniaWeb The fan code-named “Rilian” is a Tolkien geek who keeps a watch on Narnia. A longtime member of the NarniaWeb.com fan community, Rilian started his original podcast back in the mid-2000s. Now he’s the co-host of Talking Beasts: The Narnia Podcast along with “GlumPuddle” and “GymFan,” exploring Narnia books and films, interviewing Lewis scholars and film actors. This is the fourth episode of his Fantastical Truth “trilogy.” – @‌Prince_Rilian on Twitter Concession stand We may critique the avalanche of skulls and other odd movie moments. We probably won’t critique the “multiple endings,” still a silly criticism. This one’s a pre-Christmas chance to celebrate an epic, formative story. Quotes and notes We made a promise to ourselves at the beginning of the process that we weren’t going to put any of our own politics, our own messages or our own themes into these movies. What we were trying to do was to analyze what was important to Tolkien and to try to honor that. In a way, we were trying to make these films for him, not for ourselves. —Peter Jackson 1. In 2003, how did we anticipate Return of the King? 2. What did we feel after seeing the trilogy’s end? 3. How have The Lord of the Rings films aged since? Com station Did you see The Return of the King in theaters? What did you think about the fantastic finale back then? How do The Lord of the Rings films teach fans and movies today? Re. our update about a second Lawhead adaptation, Brooks Kirsch wrote: The first book “Hood” has a very cinematic “Batman Begins” feel to it. I’d love to see it on screen. From there, the subsequent books change their focus to other characters, which might not work for a film trilogy. It might need some restructuring. Frank Lattimore also commented: It’s taken far too long for Lawhead’s books to reach deeper into the entertainment industry. I’ve read everything he’s written (after I finish the Eirlandia series), starting back in the 1980s and enjoyed them all. (Well, his Bright Empires series had an awful conclusion. It started dying in book 2.) Mission update After This Year’s Fan Event and Film Releases, ‘The Chosen Effect’ Is Bigger Than Ever Stephen R. Lawhead’s King Raven Trilogy Optioned for Film Version Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Next month, we start our book quest for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Next on Fantastical Truth We’re on break for Christmas! No new episode on Tuesday, Dec. 26. In early January, we’ll return for our 2024 season. Expect great conversations about story “allergies,” video games, how fantastical novels get made, and beyond.

Did you ever read the book where C. S. Lewis criticized trumpery? At the holiday season? “They buy gifts for one another such things as no man ever bought for himself,” Lewis lamented. But he did love Christmas. So did professor J. R. R. Tolkien, who celebrated so hard that he ghost-wrote letters from Father Christmas, from the North Pole, for his own children. What can we learn about critiquing yet celebrating Christmas from these two legends? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lumen by J. J. Fischer The Culling Begins by Anthony DeGroot I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Concession stand Got thoughts on secular Christmas? That’s another episode (next year?). Got thoughts about Santa? That’s our existing episode 44. By now we have a whole “evergreen” series: Christmas Magic. Quotes and notes https://lorehaven.com/c-s-lewis-despised-exmas-cards-and-cosplays-but-loved-serious-celebration/ Introducing guest David Bates David Bates is an English software engineer. He moved to the United States in his late twenties, living in Washington DC, Seattle and San Diego, before getting married during COVID and moving with his wife to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where they have two children. David runs the weekly podcast Pints With Jack, where he discusses the works of C. S. Lewis, the Christian apologist and author of The Chronicles of Narnia. https://www.pintswithjack.com/hosts/ 1. How did Lewis despise ‘Xmas’ cards and cosplay? Most folks might think of Lewis’s positive Father Christmas in TLWW. But the author also satirized the holiday in one lesser-known article. You can find this in God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics. The editor, Walter Hooper, termed the essay “Xmas and Christmas.” The short piece features C. S. Lewis’s scathing take on the subject. 2. How did Tolkien celebrate the season with kids? Starting in the 1920s, Tolkien was writing letters from Father Christmas. He wrote them for his boys, Jonathan, Michael, and Christopher. Father Christmas personalized each letter. Then he told longer tales. The earlier ones feature complex “fan art” of the North Pole’s magic. And the boys must have loved F.C.’s sidekick, the North Polar Bear. This bear was a polarizing klutz. And he added comments to the letters. Some of Tolkien’s later names for elves sound more than a little familiar. 3. How do we have similar hate/love for Christmas? Com station Do you feel “humbug” about mandatory Christmas “fun”? Do you feel joyous about Christmas traditions, even the silly ones? Abigail of the Guild asked for photo evidence of the “Arthur Christmas” sweater Stephen mentioned in ep. 190, then said: I personally like both sugar and spice with my stories. But really, my favorites are stories that are rich and complex, savory and nourishing. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is actually a good example; it’s incredibly dark in places (I know many people, myself included sometimes, who can’t watch it because of the intensity and depression that it contains), but it confronts the darkness and comes through to a place of light and hope. The best Christmas stories do that, I find. They’re about choosing to live when all seems lost, about finding undeserved redemption, about light during the darkest times, and yes, about festivity and jollification not just because it’s tradition, but because we have something real to celebrate. On a more serious note, Jack of Shadows mentioned re. ep. 190: I’m not going to fight about Doug Wilson in here, but I would like to say that the criticism against him is not simply him saying “wuss” (discussed at 28:35 in this episode) . He’s written some pretty terrible stuff that would violate this groups code of conduct… but more importantly violates the Bible’s code of conduct. Mission update Recent review and book quest for A Soul As Cold As Frost Recent review of H. L. Burke’s A Superhero for Christmas Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Next on Fantastical Truth Twenty years ago, the world was watching one fantasy film trilogy to rule them all. Its final installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King arrived into American theaters on Dec. 17, 2003. From the beacons lighting of Minas Tirith, to Frodo’s and Sam’s desperate fights against Shelob, to the ear-tingling charge of the Rohirrim onto the Fields of Pelennor, how did we first experience this grand finale to The Lord of the Rings film series?

We have already seen Halloween, full of candies and other tricky treats.[1. Featured images from Abhishek Hajare on Unsplash (red chilis) and Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash (green candy).] Next came Thanksgiving with its famous feasting. Finally we get the grand finale of festivals: the Advent season leading up to Christmas. So much spicy. So much sugar. These reminded us about fantastical stories and other creative works. Some might have the spicy bite of sarcasm. Others fill you up with too much sugar. How’s a Christian fan to handle these ingredients with wisdom? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Lumen by J. J. Fischer Secret of the Lost Dragons by Phyllis Wheeler I. W.R.I.T.E.: How to Write a Novel course Concession stand Here we use “spicy” not about sensuality, but satire, parody, edginess. We’ll try to avoid squishy and extra-biblical terms like “gray areas.” But we’ll also avoid absolute declarations about what’s right and wrong. For issues that aren’t clearly right or wrong, the Bible has other words. We’ll use those, such as “meat sacrificed to idols” or simple “wisdom.” Also, you may get hungry, because we’re using a lot of food metaphors. 1. What do we mean by ‘spicy’ creative works? Stephen thought about this after a certain culturally conservative movie. It was a surprise drop by the same guys we talked about in episode 188. Unlike kids’ shows or fantasy drama, this was a vulgarian sports comedy. Personalities promoted it by promising it will “trigger the right people.” Basically it was weaponizing a non-fantastical story to “own the libs.” Meanwhile, Christians are debating Douglas Wilson, a popular pastor/satirist. Wilson is also the father of the popular fantasy author N. D. Wilson. So all this discussion affects Christian fantastical fans one way or another. Some critics don’t like spice because it’s off-putting to them or others. Others point to biblical mockery and say the parody is morally fair-use. 2. What do we mean by ‘sugary’ creative works? This one might be easier or harder to define. We can all imagine these. Stephen’s examples: the worst MCU movies, kitsch, silly evangelical stuff. And at this time of year, everyone jokes about hate-watching Hallmark. To sum up, we mean intentionally cozy, sentimental, sticky-sweet stuff. 3. How can we enjoy either ‘treat’ in moderation? Note our use of the word. It’s a mature and firmly biblical concept. It’s also taught in Scripture texts that encourage self-control. Other translations use fine old words like “temperance.” But the word is used in Phil. 4:5 (in the KJV). Here’s that text in the ESV: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4–9 (ESV) Notice the apostle Paul’s frame. Moderation is same as reasonableness. It doesn’t come from dour self-restriction or legalism, but from rejoicing. This moderation doesn’t make you anxious. It makes you thankful. And it is part of enjoying all those things we ought to think about. Right now, the “sweet” people are happy, but the “spicy” sorts may be upset. The folks who like spicy stuff are tired of hearing that “clobber verse.” Of course, Philippians 4 doesn’t rule out edgier parts of the Bible or reality. Those elements, after all, would fall under whatever is true or just. We can use those clauses to correct any saccharine sweetness. As we do. But I’d also point out: when folks are binging on spicy, they get serious. Last week, I re-learned some don’t like challenges about moderation. They act like they’ve been accused of consuming poisonous foods. And they act like you’re trying to make them eat fat-free kale casserole. Not so. Thus the food metaphor: spicy and sugary things that we enjoy. But we enjoy these in moderation. If you binge on them, it’s bad for you. That’s what we’d call for. And it takes joyful maturity to apply this. If folks like spicy creative works in moderation, they’ll respond well. And if other folks like sugary stories in moderation, they’ll respond well. But pity the person who angrily defends this “freedom” for its own sake. Ultimately that won’t make you happy, or even win a just culture war. Instead you’ll get sick on the sweetness, or burn your stomach for battle. Worse,

Have we talked enough about C. S. Lewis at Lorehaven? Of course not. So let’s get ready for more! This week marks a new occasion called C. S. Lewis Reading Day, on Nov. 29. It’s founded by the Pints With Jack podcast, to celebrate our favorite quotes, fantasy, and nonfiction by the famed scholar of medieval literature and languages plus Christian fantastical truth. Today we tour our shelves full of Lewis’s work, and ask: which books are the best? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams Secret of the Lost Dragons by Phyllis Wheeler The Lorehaven Guild 1. What are C. S. Lewis’s best essays? 2. What are C. S. Lewis’s best nonfiction books? 3. What are C. S. Lewis’s best fantastical stories? Com station What’s your favorite C.S. Lewis essay? Or nonfiction? Or fantasy? Mission update Upcoming reviews of Christmassy and wintry stories Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Next on Fantastical Truth ‘Tis the season for Christmas magic! We’re planning three final episodes for our 2023 season, including but not limited to: What did C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien think about their modern Christmases? Why should you give your children that most precious gift of the holiday season? How does The Lord of the Rings film trilogy hold up twenty years after Return of the King?

Last month saw the culturally conservative Daily Wire platform launching a new streaming service that offers dozens of television shows for children. Interestingly enough, two Fantastical Truth guests are now involved with creating these shows, and a third guest works with the company and has interviewed the co-CEO! Yet you, like us, may wonder whether people known for their politics can do this well. Shouldn’t faithful and excellent Christian creators ignore or suppress their punditry to make fantastical stories? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams Secret of the Lost Dragons by Phyllis Wheeler The Lorehaven Guild Lorehaven quotes and notes This episode is a direct sequel to 178. Should We Weaponize Fantastical Stories To ‘Own the Libs’? For more about our takes on politics in fantastical stories, hear episode 40: How May Fantastic Stories Help Us See Politics in Biblical Perspective? And just last year we explored 136: How Did Politics Become King of Evangelical Popular Culture? This episode follows 101: Why Have Some Christians Moved from Engaging Entertainment to Franchise Fatigue? | with Megan Basham Also, don’t miss episode 107: Why Is The Daily Wire Spending Millions To Create Fantastic Shows for Kids? | with Frank J. Fleming And don’t miss episode 126: How Can We Respond With Grace and Truth to Christian Cringe? | with Kevin McCreary More quotes and notes Daily Wire Co-Founder Jeremy Boreing Shares Update About ‘The Pendragon Cycle’ Production In Hungary, The Daily Wire, Aug. 31, 2023 Daily Wire Announces Live-Action ‘Snow White And The Evil Queen’ Starring YouTube Sensation Brett Cooper, The Daily Wire, Oct. 16, 2023 Jeremy Boreing On Why Bentkey Is ‘The Most Important Work We Have Ever Undertaken’, The Daily Wire, Oct. 2023 1. Should fantastic creators even talk about politics? As always, if we touch on politics, we avoid parties, platforms, policies. But politics is part of the real world, e.g. part of truth in Fantastical Truth. In fact, some knowledge about politics helps us better engage stories. Some very famous fantastical novels explore political movements. Humans by nature engage in politics. You can’t know humans otherwise. That’s partly why Stephen is a Daily Wire subscriber and often opines. But there’s a place for that. He won’t do that here, only on other platforms. May this decrease an audience? These days, it’s more likely to increase it. In fact, “cultural conservatives” are one of four groups we hope to reach. Christians like to know where you stand. You can be firm but not a jerk. Still, with so much political obsession, it makes sense to get sick of it. Right now, as we’ve said, politics is king of evangelical popular culture. For those hoping to “engage the culture,” you just can’t ignore politics. Some people have other conflicts going on. They can’t handle politics. In that case, it helps to know whether/how to support those who can. But now some culture-makers clearly want to use that for better ends. 2. How has political punditry ruined great stories? Major corporations are literally getting movie flops related to politics. This is not about specific policies/positions but new synthetic moralities. In response, some cultural conservatives say “we need stories too.” Yet they lack moral and even theological grounding to make them good. Many politically motivated stories “have a mind of metal and wheels.” Many pundits (even parents and church leaders) don’t care for growth. They want a quick-fix to make little political activists rather than people. There’s also the real problem of grift, fake “authors,” and ghost-artists. Cf. some concerns about political leaders being “authors” of books. That spreads the lie that anyone with fame and money can be an author. Others, however, are thinking less politically and more humanely on this. Despite their political platforms, they say politics should serve humans. Some of them seem to think long-term with more biblical anthropology. 3. What are some pundits trying to do better? The Daily Wire announced its children’s/family entertaiment BentKey. This follows mixed success with streaming full-length grown-up movies. Now they’re doing kids’ shows and even their own Snow White film. Two of our guests, Frank Fleming and Kevin McCreary, help make them! Fleming engages in punditry yet writes Mabel Maclay and Chip Chilla. McCreary is lead editor for Mabel Maclay, one of the flagship shows. Co-CEO Jeremy Boreing is not just a cultural conservative but a Christian. Our previous guest Megan Basham interviewed Boreing about Bentkey: Megan: So, how do you respond to headlines like the one at The Hollywood Reporter that said that The Daily Wire is trolling Disney with this new “Snow White and the Evil Queen” adaptation? Do you think that’s a fair characterization? Jeremy: Well, yes, it’

Behold the darkly whimsical world and wholesome family adventures of The Wingfeather Saga! It’s a four-book series. It’s a growing collection of newer titles, including today’s newly released title. And of course, it’s an animated series on the Angel Studios streaming service. Explore the mysterious lands of Aerwiar with its many creatures to be fought, tamed, or trusted, thanks to today’s guest: singer/songwriter/fantastical storyteller Andrew Peterson. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams Secret of the Lost Dragons by Phyllis Wheeler The Lorehaven Guild Introducing singer/storyteller Andrew Peterson Andrew Peterson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and author of the Wingfeather Saga. He’s also the founder of The Rabbit Room, an organization that fosters community through story, art, and music. Andrew and his wife, Jamie, have two sons, Aeden and Asher, and one daughter, Skye. They live in the Nashville, Tennessee, area on a wooded hill in a little house they call the Warren—where they are generally safe from bumpy digtoads and toothy cows. Andrew-Peterson.com Facebook: Andrew Peterson Instagram @AndrewPetersonMusic Twitter: @AndrewPeterson Quotes and notes Peterson’s original SpecFaith article from July 2011: Please Stop Writing Fantasy Novels Episode 146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango Lorehaven Book Quests: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness 1. Why has the Wingfeather franchise flown so high? Which images helped you create a dark-whimsical fantasy world? What’s a brief history of Aerwiar’s publication and adaptation? March 2008: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness was published. 2009–2011: North! Or Be Eaten and The Monster in the Hollows. 2014: The main series concluded with The Warden and the Wolf King. Back in spring 2016, artists began fundraising for the animated series. In late 2017 The Wingfeather Saga experimental short film finally arrived. 2016: Wingfeather Tales released with short stories from many creators. Later the books found a new publisher plus new covers and expansions. 2021: Pembrick’s Creaturepedia arrived with monsters and illustrations. Late last year and in early 2023, the animated series season 1 streamed. At this point, The Wingfeather Saga is basically a fantasy franchise. In fact, we may call this the most successful new Christian fantasy series. What creative and cultural ‘Fangs’ did you face along the way? 2. How do the books show scary stuff v. God’s light? These books include many wholesome yet flawed family relationships. Yet I’ve heard some parents share concerns about the stories’ darkness. We think “nobledark horror” can better reveal the gospel (so does God). Parents, of course, may have different views based on their child’s needs. Yet how can discerning Christians best see these themes in Wingfeather? (Building trust helps many families, especially from a leading musician.) 3. What’s next for the Wingfeather Saga stories? The newest book released today: A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest. Angel Studios promises that season 2 will stream beginning spring 2024. Do you foresee other books or expansions for the Wingfeather world? Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild We’ve started our November book quest for Nadine Brandes’s Fawkes Recent article: Jenneth Dyck’s Disney Might Finally Learn Why It’s Failing, Oct. 26, 2023 One day later, the Walt Disney Corporation announced (in so many words) that they’d delayed releasing their Snow White remake. Clearly the company plans to rewrite/retool the entire project, replacing seven “diverse adult” characters with seven animated dwarfs. Source: ‘Snow White’ First Look: Rachel Zegler and the Seven Dwarfs Join Forces in Disney’s Live-Action Movie, Oct. 27, 2023 Past reviews: Steal Fire From the Gods by Clint Hall (Oct. 27), A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest by Andrew Peterson (Nov. 3) Upcoming review: The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond (Nov. 10) Com station How did your own parents handle “scary stuff” in fantasy stories? If you’re a parent now, how do you discuss darker themes with your kids? What darker stories have helped drive you toward the gospel’s light? Fantasy novelist Catherine Jones Payne remarked on episode 185: Interesting detail I learned the other day about the Witch of Endor passage: the Septuagint translates witch/medium as “ventriloquist,” taking the view that the witch faked the whole thing, while other Second Temple sources suggest that their writers believed it was really Samuel. So this debate has been going on for a very, very long time. Samuel Robinson remarked about episode 186 on real witchcraft: I think Satan is doing his best work through those in the church claiming to follow Chr

This holiday season, when people celebrate either evil or the Reformation, it may help to remember Martin Luther’s reminder that “Even the devil is God’s devil.” And yet Satan is still prowling the Earth, looking for souls to steal. We know people don’t think the Devil exists, yet even some Christians act like materialists who ignore the threat of demonic deception. Marian Jacobs, author of that forthcoming book about fictional magic versus real magic, rejoins us to engage today’s real threats from real witchcraft. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams Almost Paradise by Bryan Timothy Mitchell The Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This episode acts as a sequel to episode 177, building on its extra ideas. Reintroducing guest Marian Jacobs Marian Jacobs has created Lorehaven stories since the first print issue, exploring Jesus, monsters, and spaceships. Her work has also featured at Desiring God and Stage and Story. Follow all Marian’s progress at MAJacobs.com. Sign up and get her free steampunk fantasy Automated. Her first nonfiction book, a scriptural analysis and guide to discerning fictional magic, is set for summer 2025 release from B&H Publishing. 1. Know that Satan uses witchcraft to deceive people We set this up a little in episode 177, which brought up the Salem issue. That “Witch Trials” podcast actually defended the Puritans of their time. But what if the accused really were practicing witchcraft? That’s still evil. No, we don’t believe in burning witches. But this remains a real threat. In the podcast, J. K. Rowling states she does not believe any magic exists. But for Christians, we do believe in supernatural reality and dark “magic.” Satan does not simply deceive people with bad ideas or physical attacks. Especially now, more people are choosing to join overt occult practices. Marian has now watched over seventy video testimonials of ex-pagans. She’s been able to detect trends and patterns behind their deceptions. 2. Beware the old trap of acting like materialists In response, Christians can basically mimic the materialism we reject. For example, commentaries deny that Satan has real power in the Bible. Some leaders “explain away” Pharaoh’s magicians or false prophet tricks. Others think nonbelievers reject our faith because they lack information. We may act like logical arguments or emotional appeals are all we need. If only we were nicer, wiser, less/more politically active, stronger, fitter … Scripture warns our chief struggle is not against mere flesh and blood. We do wage a spiritual “war” against dark powers beyond humanity. Christians have erred in their methods of “spiritual warfare.” Yet it’s real. Embrace the “weird”: we believe in a risen Lord and truly dark monsters. 3. Help the devil’s prey find hope in a broken world Yet as we explored in episode 184, we do not resign ourselves to darkness. Yes, we believe in the devil’s real power. But we know Jesus defeats him. All devilish “miracles” are parasitic, a foreign ripoff of the genuine article. Occultic beliefs also appropriate biblical concepts and corrupt them. For example, the law of attraction about “manifesting” your good things. This parodies the Bible’s retribution principle about good bringing good. Christians meditate on truth; occult practitioners meditate on emptiness. Christians look forward to resurrection; the others expect reincarnation. We may accept an angelic “divine council”; others worship many gods. We haven’t even gotten into parodies of marriage, love, human nature. Many occultic beliefs blend with sociopolitical activism and sex-worship. Given such similarities, our conversations and stories can subvert the lies. What is the truth behind the lie? The original song behind the parody? But imagination, logic, and so forth won’t win. Pray, pray hard for souls! Christians do practice these old ways. They’re not cliche. They’re His gift. Com station Where do you see the devil most active in your world? Do you have loved ones who are vulnerable to his wiles? How have you beheld Jesus win victories over Satan? Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Recent article: Jenneth Dyck’s Disney Might Finally Learn Why It’s Failing Past review: Steal Fire From the Gods by Clint Hall (Oct. 27) and A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest by Andrew Peterson (Nov. 3) Next on Fantastical Truth Behold the darkly whimsical world and wholesome family adventures of The Wingfeather Saga! It’s a four-book series. It’s a growing collection of newer titles, including today’s newly released title. And of course, it’s an animated series on the Angel Studios streaming service. Explore the mysterious lands of Aerwiar with its many creatures to be fought, tamed, or trusted, thanks to our next guest: singer/songwriter/fantastical storyteller Andrew Peterson.

Twelve men on a boat are besieged by a storm. Suddenly they see, amongst the lightning, a spectral shape. Hundreds of years earlier, a king throws a party that’s interrupted by some thing that’s not on the guest list: a ghostly hand that scrawls a haunting message on the palace wall. Generations before that, another king with a tragic backstory sneaks into a darkened tent to inquire of the dead, not his parents, or his wife, but the very prophet who doomed his royal house. What are the scariest ghost stories in the Bible, and why? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond Almost Paradise by Bryan Timothy Mitchell The Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Just in case, if we say “story” about these narratives, we mean true story. It’s better to say the word “accounts” to remove all doubt: this is history. Some folks like to find spooky/outrageous takes on parts of the Bible. But the Bible is best read not piecemeal but within redemptive history. Don’t go to the Bible treating it like Spirit Halloween, looking for decor! The Scripture’s main Hero is not nephilim, angels, demons, or monsters. The Hero is Jesus Christ. We must not chase monsters and ignore him. 1. Beware the king who inquired of the dead (1 Samuel 28) 2. Beware the floating hand that inscribes doom (Daniel 5) 3. Beware the Savior himself (Matt. 14:24–33, Mark 6:45–52) Com station How scary did you find your first exposure to these accounts? Do you think Samuel in 1 Samuel 28 was a real “ghost”? Do you feel fearful or excited by “the fear of the Lord”? Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Article: Daniel Whyte IV’s How The Crucifix Shows Christ’s Salvation in Dark Fantastical Stories New article: Jenneth Dyck’s Disney Might Finally Learn Why It’s Failing Past review: A Bond of Briars by Erin Phillips New reviews: Steal Fire From the Gods by Clint Hall (Oct. 27) and A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest by Andrew Peterson (Nov. 3) Next on Fantastical Truth This holiday season, when people celebrate either evil or the Reformation, it may help to remember Martin Luther’s reminder that “Even the devil is God’s devil.” And yet Satan is still prowling the Earth, looking for souls to steal. We know people don’t think the Devil exists, yet even some Christians act as “functional materialists” who ignore the threat of demonic deception. Marian Jacobs, author of that forthcoming book about fictional magic versus real magic, rejoins us to engage today’s real threats from real witchcraft.

This spooky season, what’s scarier than real-world evil? Imagine that Nazis are hiding in a prison mine where they try to torture their victims—that is, until a mysterious enemy in the dark forest rises up to destroy them with zombie-like plant creatures, a granite face, and supernatural symbols. Pastor and paranormal novelist Marc Schooley, author of König’s Fire, joins us to explore the problem of evil versus the amazing grace of our sovereign God. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond Almost Paradise by Bryan Timothy Mitchell The Lorehaven Guild: join monthly book quests through the best Christian-made fantastical novels Concession stand Our other episodes defend/define some stories that are called “horror.” As we record, it’s Friday the 13th! Yet another portent of doom, or is it? Clearly this episode, like reality these days, covers darker subject matter. “See evil for what it is” may look different for people at different times. Sometimes you need whimsy, happy ideas, nostalgia, even distractions. But other times you need to confront evil so you seek answers in Christ. That’s what Konig’s Fire and its author help us explore, quite in-depth. Introducing author and pastor Marc Schooley Marc Schooley is a Texan, Christian philosopher, theologian, and pastor of the Five Solas Church in League City, Texas. He also has twenty-three years experience in the space program for NASA Johnson Space Center, including work for the James Webb Space Telescope. His fantastical novels include The Dark Man, Konig’s Fire, and Nightriders. 1. What is the ‘problem of evil’? If God is willing to prevent evil, but is not able to, then He is not omnipotent. If He is able, but not willing, then He is malevolent. If He is both able and willing, then whence cometh evil? If He is neither able nor willing, then why call Him God? —König’s Fire (2010), pages 21–22 This tributes an 18th-century writer named David Hume, who goes on: Why is there any misery at all in the world? Not by chance surely. From some cause then. Is it from the intention of the Deity? But he is perfectly benevolent. Is it contrary to his intention? But he is almighty. Nothing can shake the solidity of this reasoning, so short, so clear, so decisive. —David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 1776 (yet published in 1907) Or as Lex Luthor phrases it (BvS, 2016): “If God is all-powerful, then He cannot be all good. And if he is all good, he cannot be all powerful.” Philosophers remind us that even the wisest minds find this challenging. Storytellers remind us that everyone confronts this in everyday suffering. As we record, you can look at the news and see people living this out. Even with Halloween decorations, people try to ignore/parody real evil. This gets even more complicated when innocent creatures suffer pain. 2. How does God’s word answer the problem of evil? Some people (even Christians) attempt to use reason over Scripture. We may be tempted to treat humans as passive actors in the problem. Ultimately we find our solution not in logical arguments but in the Bible. Some say Scripture shows God valuing human freedom > human good. Others say God values: His own glory = human good = human freedom. In other words, humans may be free, but our good God is always freer. God has decided to let us experience evil, to glorify Him by contrast. In effect, we might say that God does permit some kinds of horror. 3. How may nobledark horror help us see the truth? By “nobledark horror” we don’t mean slashers, violence porn, nihilism. “Nobledark” would be a story in which there are genuine heroes, but the story world is full of terrors and gritty. An epic struggle for good and evil is ongoing, but the heroes are holding their own. Barely. —Travis Perry König’s Fire would qualify as nobledark. Its darkness serves the light. Despite a lack of traditional “happy ending,” its heroes and God wins. Ultimately these stories help see beyond the present, to eternal future. They help us complete the story, hoping in the promises of Scripture. Romans 8:28–29 should be deep in our imaginations for hard times. As author Randy Alcorn notes, we study this now to prepare for later. Open discussion Mission update New review: Moonchild Rising by B. Ward Powers Coming article: How The Crucifix Shows Christ’s Salvation in Dark Fantastical Stories by Daniel Whyte IV Coming reviews: A Bond of Briars by Erin Phillips, Steal Fire From the Gods by Clint Hall and A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest by Andrew Peterson Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Com station Tom Darrow appreciated our ep. 183 critique of “banned” books: This podcast does a good job covering the same semantic issue I did here, which is that “ban” is typically semantic overreach (which is used for marketing rather than meaningful communication.) Oft

Happy “Banned” Books week, to all who celebrate. [1. Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash.] Yes, we’ve used scare quotes! Some of these books are scary and earn caution. Yet some people think you’ll be so happily scared by hearing these books are “banned” that you’ll want to support them automatically. About this trope, we have questions. Aren’t some books really horrible for some or most or all readers? If so, is this really a matter of whether these books should be banned? And if so, who should ban them from which kinds of readers, and why? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond Almost Paradise by Bryan Timothy Mitchell The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore Concession stand “Banned Books Week” is led by the American Library Association. Some celebrants have genuine beliefs, including a basic freedom idea. We’re speaking directly to the marketing shtick that can appeal to fans. See some silly examples like, “Repeat after me: I read banned books!” Or see a more benign example: “These are the most banned books …” The list includes, say, Huck Finn, Animal Farm, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451. Do watch inflammatory (ha ha) terms like “banned” with implications. “Banned” does not mean “burned,” though you may make associations. Words like these are often used as shortcuts to “hack” your imagination. When we say banned, more positively, we only mean limited, restricted. Also, some “banned books” shtick isn’t political. It’s basically clickbait. Quotes and notes American Library Association: Banned Books Week (October 1 – 7, 2023) New York Post: School purges books published before 2008 in ‘illogical’ inclusivity push TED.com: One of the most banned books of all time TED.com: Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451”? 1. Some books are actually harmful to many readers. We not talking about age-appropriate books that describe some sin. Scripture similarly describes acts of evil to shock Israel, and/or us now. God’s very Law is intended to reveal the sin-corruption in our hearts. Thus, no Christian truly believes in ignoring evil; that’s a stereotype. It would be sentimentalism to ignore the reality that some books harm. Some activists try to turn this around; they claim the books show reality. That may be true if the book explores, say, Nazi Germany or racism. But it’s a bait-and-switch to take this principle and defend Sexualityism. Many books are basically porn and endorse/encourage rank perversion. Spoiler alert: these books should arguably be banned everywhere. This is the cause of many of today’s hottest “banned books” disputes. It may be necessary to share the book’s content to raise awareness. 2. Many books do deserve caution and reader limits. In our Lorehaven reviews, we include Discern and Best for sections. Of course we don’t try to “ban” books. Only recognize reader limits. Everyone does believe that some books should be limited like this. Stephen will risk a pitch: that’s partly why he cowrote his own book. He noticed some Christian materials presumed “discernment” is for kids. Our resources weren’t exploring different maturity/sensitivity levels. Little kids shouldn’t use matches. Older kids must learn to use them. That means we need real trust for their trainers: parents and/or teachers. 3. We only debate who should limit books and why. Some books should arguably be banned for some readers and places. And other books, arguably, shouldn’t be banned at all (but may be limited). Example: I don’t want When Harry Became Sally in elementary schools. That title would simply not be appropriate for those ages of readers. And yet the world’s top marketplace, Amazon, bans this book for all. Which books, then, do the “banned books” activists tend to focus on? Stephen says some people lack moral proportion to make these choices. For example, it’s wrong to treat Christian/conservative parents as villains. This reveals disordered moral priorities, but possibly some projection. We might guess some people are projecting their own family trauma. Unfortunately these habits can also “emotionally bribe” some Christians. The activist can “hack” your own backstory if you have suffered legalism. “I’ll make you feel like you’re fighting legalism like you grew up with.” “And in return, you’ll let me feed abusive poison to small children.” But the “banned books” issue isn’t about your own personal backstory. At the same time, some Christians have morally panicked in bad ways. Examples: 1990s parents who lost battles to block Harry Potter books. That “cry wolf” problem led to legal/moral resistance to parents today. Some otherwise decent librarians/teachers feel the “culture war” heat. Whenever possible, we need to apply positive social pressure on them. We’re all being subjected to some larger corrosive c

A storm is coming, and it will change your dreary Kansas land from its 1939 sepia tones into a magical world with a Yellow Brick Road plus little people and urban studio legends and a famously wicked Western witch. From movies to musicals to the original books by L. Frank Baum, we’re exploring The Wizard of Oz. What are the wonderful things he does? And why has this older fantasy captured the imaginations of so many people, including Zack’s own sister Nicole? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: Oz and Beyond: The Fantasy World of L. Frank Baum The Lorehaven Guild The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore Concession stand As far as we know, L. Frank Baum was no Christian. He liked theosophy. We’ll not try to “find the gospel in The Wizard of Oz” or such-like. Still, any great story can’t help but illustrate some biblical virtues. 1. How does The Wizard of Oz show a sound mind? 2. How does The Wizard of Oz endorse human love? 3. How does The Wizard of Oz show good courage? Quotes and notes “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.” —C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters Mission update Join our upcoming book quest for König’s Fire Watch for upcoming Friday reviews and new articles Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Com station What real or fictional stories do you love about intelligence, love, and courage? Responding to episode 178 on our YouTube channel, Kahlil wrote: We need vulnerable writers who weave stories about how hard it is to do the right thing and how easy it is to succumb to the wrong desires of our hearts. Also, don’t write “good endings” all the time, because this world is not like that. Richard New was not a fan of our upcoming book quest selection König’s Fire: This was a seriously evil story. Major creepy and I did not enjoy it. To this, Cat replied: It deals with a very evil time in history, that’s for sure. Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it. So much has happened over the last few years that I’m looking forward to rereading it in the light of big shifts in culture and governance. Next on Fantastical Truth Some people like to celebrate “Banned Books” week. Did you see the scare quotes there? Indeed, some of these books are scary, and yet some people think you’ll be happily scared by hearing these books are “banned.” We have questions about this trope, starting with this one: if some books really are horrible, is this really a matter of whether these books should be banned, or who should ban them from which kinds of readers, and why?

Vincent is so done with Art and all that. But his mom and uncle just won’t stop going on about the amazing colors and composition of great masters like his namesake. Then his little sister disappears into a famous painting. What’s a lad to do? Join us for this fantastic journey Beneath the Swirling Sky with homeschool mom and middle-grade author Carolyn Leiloglou! Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Looking-Glass Illusion by Sara Ella The Lorehaven Guild The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore Introducing author Carolyn Leiloglou Carolyn Leiloglou (lay-LAW-glue) is the author of the middle grade fantasy novel Beneath the Swirling Sky and the picture book Library’s Most Wanted. Carolyn is the granddaughter of art collectors, daughter of an art teacher, and homeschooling mom to four wildly creative kids. She’s an award-winning author whose poems and short stories have appeared in children’s magazines around the world, including Clubhouse Jr. Carolyn also reviews her favorite children’s books on her platform, House full of Bookworms. Her newest book, middle-grade fantasy Beneath the Swirling Sky, released this month. CarolynLeiloglou.com TheRestorationists.com 1. Which artworks and ideas led you to this world? 2. In our digital-driven age, why delight in art? 3. What is next for you and The Restorationists? Quotes and notes How ‘Monkey Christ’ brought new life to a quiet Spanish town John Hughes video explains ‘Ferris Bueller’ scene at Art Institute Mission update Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Com station Nancy Pearcey herself saw Stephen’s social share of ep. 179: This post proves that artistic people understand books better than most people. Joe finds good men in anime/live-action One Piece: Usopp … as of his introductory arc in season 1, is a good young man. He lays his life down to protect his village, turns down an opportunity to inflate his ego, and acts as a father to his crew of young pirates. Another One Piece real man: Zeff, owner of the floating restaurant with the fighting cooks. That dude is such a giga-chad dad to Sanji, the way he sacrificed for him and mentored him. Also in the Lorehaven Guild, Mahina remarked: Theo from the Morgan L. Busse’s Secret in the Mist [is] willing to put his life [0n the line] and risk his reputation, fortune and safety to save those less fortunate than him by carrying on the scientific work that got his parents killed. Also taking care of and loving Cass in a respectful way. Next on Fantastical Truth This spooky season, a storm is coming, and it will change your dreary Kansas land from its 1938 sepia tones into a magical world with a Yellow Brick Road plus little people and urban studio legends and, just in time for Halloween, a famously wicked Western witch. From movies to musicals to the original books by L. Frank Baum, we’re exploring The Wizard of Oz. What are the wonderful things he does? And why has this older fantasy captured the imaginations of so many people, including Zack’s own sister Nicole?

What if sixteen-year-old Alice fell into that famed rabbit hole and discovered Wonderland is actually a dystopian world? A place where you must survive the annual and deadly Wonderland Trials, then confront The Looking-Glass Illusion? Sara Ella, author of these two whimsical fantasy adventures, joins Lorehaven to explore how fictional stories reflect curious realities. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Looking-Glass Illusion by Sara Ella The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore The Lorehaven Guild Introducing guest Sara Ella Once upon a time, Sara Ella dreamed she would marry a prince and live in a castle. Now she spends her days homeschooling her three Jedi in training, braving the Arizona summers, and reminding her superhero husband that it’s almost Christmas (even if it’s only January). When she’s not writing, Sara might be found behind her camera lens or planning her next adventure in the great wide somewhere. She is a Hufflepuff who finds joy in the simplicity of sipping a lavender white mocha and singing Disney tunes in the car. Sara is the author of the Unblemished trilogy and Coral, a reimagining of The Little Mermaid that focuses on mental health. Her latest novels are The Curious Realities duology, starting with The Wonderland Trials (2022) and finishing with The Looking-Glass Illusion. 1. What ideas and pictures led you to Wonderland? 2. How may literary ‘foolishness’ point to real truth? 3. What are readers saying, and what’s next for you? Mission update New review: Wrought of Silver and Ravens New book quest: Konig’s Fire (starting in October) New article: How to Help Your Teens Engage Dystopian Tales Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Next on Fantastical Truth Vincent is so done with Art and all that. But his mom and uncle just won’t stop going on about the amazing colors and composition of great masters like his namesake. Then his little sister disappears into a famous painting. What’s a lad to do? Join us for this fantastic journey Beneath the Swirling Sky with homeschool mom and middle-grade author Carolyn Leiloglou!

“Hey there, pilgrim. Welcome to the world of the Real Man.[1. Photo by Saman Rashidi on Unsplash.] We’re hard-livin’, hard-drinkin’, gray-area kinds of scallywags. We ride fast horses an’ drive faster cars. We got eleventeen girlfriends and one on the side. Sometimes we even shoot folk with guns and abandon our families and never cry or get diseases and we don’t ask folks nicely for nothin’. Ya wanna know why? It’s cuz we’s Real Men.” And now, inspired by Nancy R. Pearcey’s new book The Toxic War on Masculinity, we shall compare this notion of the “Real Man” with the good men in fantastical stories, and especially the best Hero of all. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Eternity Gate by Katherine Briggs The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore The Lorehaven Guild Concession stand I am but one man, and can’t speak to all issues involving sex differences. But lately I’ve been noticing “Real” Men vs. Good Men in fantastical tales. Like my solo shows, this one feels more personal, with favorite examples. For all the disclaimers about “toxic masculinity,” Pearcey handles those. She’s not here today, but I daresay her book speaks to most questions! 1. Expose our stories’ toxically masculine ‘Real’ Men In The Toxic War…, Pearcey traces how society has portrayed men. American culture shifted from pioneers/Puritans to industrial workers. This often separated men in “the world” from their families at home. People began to think that women were spiritual and men were crass. Then we got overcorrections: men ought to be “wild” or “barbarian.” Pearcey points to the first Western ever written: The Virginian (1902). It “laid out the pattern that would be followed by all other Westerns.” Loners, gunmen, cowboys, outlaws, and/or lawmen become the heroes. Settlers, farmers, husbands, fathers, leaders become side characters. Most Westerns aren’t fantastical, but they heavily influenced later tales. Just when I thought of Burroughs’s Tarzan of the Apes, she goes there. Now we hear men ought not “evolve” but are just “wild beasts at heart.” Some of these images persist in geek culture. e.g. Wolverine, Deadpool. Captain Kirk is an interesting case, caught half between “Real” and Good. Han Solo is an exception (at first): a “Real” Man who must become good. 2. Explore our stories’ biblically virtuous Good Men Jesus Christ, of course, is the top example of the most perfect Man ever. What does this look like? Biblical, virtuous, firm yet compassionate. A good man cares for people and defends the good (see ep. 178). Many great superheroes exemplify this: Superman, Spider-Man, Batman. So do the great Starfleet captains: Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Archer, and Pike. Stephen stans Captain Christopher Pike from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Meanwhile, manga/anime hero Himura Kenshin is a repentant samurai. He swore off manslaying, but uses a reverse-blade sword to defend life. Another recent example is One Piece and its winning live-action version. One Piece shows many different varieties of flawed yet good men: Monkey D. Luffy, dreamer, future king of pirates who loves his nakama. Roronoa Zoro, stoic, rash, ambitious, yet sworn faithful to his captain. Usopp, comedic, cowardly, zealous to become a brave warrior of the sea. Sanji, stylish, flirtatious to a fault, yet altogether a defender of women. 3. Explain how ‘Real’ Men can become Good Men First, focus not on bad men but on God who created us originally good. Focus on Jesus, the perfect and actual real/Good man who saves people. Focus on the Holy Spirit, who supernaturally changes bad/”Real” men. Secondly, plug into great nonfiction books that apply truth to your life. Third, get involved in a local church. Practice at small disciplines. You may also find wisdom in common-sense books by non-Christians. Fourth, for single men, pursue a calling with advice from friends/family. Even if it seems small and boring, everyone needs to start at that place. Fifth, watch how you “feed” your imagination! Don’t enjoy junk “food.” Get great stories that help “train” your heart to enjoy good-men heroes. Six, always guard against “Real” Men stereotypes and idol temptations. Seven, pursue man’s chief end: glorify God by enjoying Him forever. Mission update Look for a new article: How to Help Your Teens Engage Dystopian Tales. This Friday we review the fantasy novel Wrought of Silver and Ravens. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Com station Jason emailed us about episode 177: I’m writing this as both a Christian and as a fan of things many mainstream churches easily frown upon, including J.K. Rowling. When I tell people what I love to read and do, I don’t give trigger warnings or nuances for why I enjoy them, so I don’t explain how I can enjoy the fiction of someone with clearly opposing politica

We hear a lot about “evangelical bubbles,” even on this podcast.[1. Photo by Juliana Romão on Unsplash] People say that Christians ought not live in their insular spaces, but make better stories that help reflect our world. Some encourage believers to plant oases of imagination to serve the common good. Others seem to put their own “oases” onto armored platforms to roll around the territory, firing paintballs. Are these our only choices: influencing mainstream culture versus more aggressive work to “own the libs”? Today, we shall explore pros, cons, and legit Christian-alternative stories that help relieve all our “culture wars.” Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Eternity Gate by Katherine Briggs The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore The Lorehaven Guild Concession stand This is almost a very quickly developed sequel to episode 176. This is something many of our listeners will have thought about. And in our last episode 177, Marian Jacobs set this up by the end. For those hoping to “engage the culture,” you can’t ignore “culture war.” And for those hoping to move past real conflicts, you also can’t ignore it. Some people have other conflicts going on. They can’t handle this “war.” In that case, it helps to know whether/how to support those who can. Quotes and notes Why Storytelling Can Save Conservatism, The Daily Wire Spencer Klavan, Sept. 1 tweet (the original first tweet was deleted after we recorded—not sure why!) Episode 62: How Can Christian Fans Share Great Stories Without Becoming ‘Support Zombies’? Episode 176: How Can Christians Plant An ‘Oasis of Imagination’? | with Ted Turnau 1. Culture War: “stories are too good for the enemy” James Davison Hunter coined the phrase “culture wars” in a 1992 book. Here’s the back cover from Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America: A riveting account of how Christian fundamentalists, Orthodox Jews, and conservative Catholics have joined forces in a battle against their progressive counterparts for control of American secular culture. That sounds about right. But these “wars” are bigger than just the U. S. They affect all of our imaginations and the kinds of books that we see. Some of Christian-made fantasy goes bad thanks to “the culture wars.” Authors may see their story as a tool in the fight, rather than a story first. Now we’re also seeing cultural conservatives say, “hey, we need fiction.” The late Rush Limbaugh “wrote” time-travel history fantasy with his wife. Newer publishers are selling virtue-oriented children’s picture books. The Daily Wire is filming even now in Hungary for The Pendragon Cycle. We’ve had some of these folks on here before, and heard questions. What are these pundit types doing, trying to make popular culture? Aren’t they just stuffing books and shows into cannons to fire at folks? On one hand, branding may be difficult, given audience expectations. In most battlefields, too many will use any thing just to “own the libs.” Often this isn’t even about real victory, but mere good “vibes” of victory. Some of this stuff is indeed propaganda, shiny-looking, but not helpful. Other stuff looks really good, coming from a sincere love for storytelling. I use our five-questions set to find the graces/idols in “culture war” too. Soldiers have always tactically “retreated” to stories and humanity’s best. Remember that without serious war, we wouldn’t have Tolkien and Lewis. Some “culture warriors” can also make their way to this old tradition. 2. Culture Pacifism: “stuff creative flowers into rifles” Many of our listeners may find this view attractive. They are tired of war. Either they’ve been in “culture wars” or are simply sick of hearing them. Sticking with the metaphor, PTSD is real; this is a much milder version. Or maybe folks just recognize that “all fighting, all the time” isn’t healthy. So in reaction, some Christians embrace this kind of culture pacifism. E.g. Art and stories and imagination are the key to renewing humanity. “Because walls and weapons wound people, let’s do away with them all.” “In fact, any criticism (even gracious and firm) will hurt people, so avoid.” “We know that ‘the world is watching,’ so let’s be on our best behavior.” But what does “the world” mean? Particular groups? Victims or enemies? Enemies often have real tragic backstories, yet they’re still our enemies. Jesus never said “you have no enemies.” He said, “love your enemies.” Love means saying “no” to an enemy. Many view this as an act of war. Stories and imagination won’t heal sinfully dead hearts. Only Christ can. And we must admit that some culture conflicts are necessary (Romans 13). Governments should reward good and punish evil, as God’s servant. In any culture (especially a republic), citizens act as part of government. But we must also see the good here. “Culture war” folks must discern.

Alas! We must report that another back-to-school season has come upon us, and we Muggles haven’t gotten our letter to Hogwarts.[1. Photo by Gabriel Kraus on Unsplash.] But since the 1990s, that infamous wizarding world has received plenty of Howlers, not just from concerned Christians but from zealous fans and even sexual activists. One recent podcast, “The Witch Trials of J. K. Rowling,” brewed all this into a bubbling cauldron of controversy. Now our own staff writer Marian Jacobs, who’s crafting her own book about a biblical Christian worldview of fictional magic, appears in our studio to help teach defense against these dark arts. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Savage Bred by Victoria McCombs The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance Concession stand This is less about the Potter series and more about this “Witch Trials” podcast. Just like Rowling, let’s be careful to discern between victims and victimizers. This podcast includes gross worldviews and misogynist, vulgar quotes. When we say “legalism,” we mean any unbiblical rules treated as biblical. When we say “fandom,” we mean any group of story readers/viewers. When we say “sexual activism,” we mean a new political/religious/social cause. This newer religion prizes human sexual autonomy over traditional human views. Stephen calls this novelty religious/social belief system “Sexualityism.” When leaders use this to alter policy, he calls this “sexual imperialism.” This all seems very philosophical—thus our Back to Magic School series! But we think this podcast is vital to help Christian fans discern our world. Reintroducing guest Marian Jacobs Marian Jacobs has created Lorehaven stories since the first print issue, exploring Jesus, monsters, and spaceships. Her work has also featured at Desiring God and Stage and Story. Follow all Marian’s progress at MAJacobs.com. Sign up and get her free steampunk fantasy Automated. Her first nonfiction book, a scriptural analysis and guide to discerning fictional magic, is set for summer 2025 release from B&H Publishing. 1. Her fictional wizards uncloaked Christian legalism. “Witch Trials” episode 2 focuses on this, with great sense of proportion. One implicit point: Christian critics should have seen Rowling as human. Unlike one infamous Onion satire, she was never a witch, just a woman. We need the biblical anthropology that Rowling reflects in her world. But she needs the biblical theology Christians have in the real world. Rowling shows compassion toward HP’s conservative Christian critics Largely, so does the podcast, with sympathetic portrayals on all sides. Yet many Christians must answer for being driven by secular media then. (Similarly, we must practice better discernment with conservative media.) John MacArthur and John Hagee make cameos; only Hagee gets named. Todd Friel of the Wretched ministry also makes a cameo, but not named. (Friel is also a much later HP criticizer—not in the era being described. 2. Her bestselling books built a next-gen fandom. Podcast episode 3 really focuses on how Harry Potter met internet. MuggleNet: founded in 1999 by 12-year-old Indiana homeschool kid! Early fandom bullies and trolls had disproportionate power in forums. We can view “trolls” as similar to the biblical term fools (as in Proverbs). Starting around 2012, Rowling observed a negative shift in fandoms. Rowling does well showing “critical appreciation” for her own fandom. As in our last episode 176, this shows some amazing common grace. In the ’90s, people hoped for “collective consciousness on the internet.” Now we’re dealing with reality. Digital worlds connect yet divide us. On person on the show said, “Social media has corrupted the dream …” No, that was human sin—the greatest ignored villain in this whole series. Of course, Big Tech profit motives, valued over humanity, is also an idol. The show cites nonfiction book Kill All Normies about 4Chan vs. Tumblr. This meme seems true: Tumblr was a big source for synthetic morals. By “synthetic morals,” we mean inorganic, social lab–grown “holiness.” For example, notions of “cultural appropriation” and “problematic” sins. Tumblr, et. al. made expressive individualism go viral at popular level. These cultural influences aren’t like earlier “cancel cultures,” either. Tumblr spread ideas to Twitter, which spread them to elite journalists. This made a far disproportionate influence on culture’s thought leaders. 3. Her new critiques anger modern sexual activists. Who said this: “You will die alone and you will burn in Hell!”? In this case, it was not a fundamentalist Christian zealot, but an activist. Ep. 4 shared wisdom about internet trolls wi

Our great and creative God has called every person to create stuff using his stuff. But as we know, many Christian leaders and churches have gotten busy or really ignorant. They don’t heed our sovereign Creator’s call to lead a rich imaginative life for the common good in our world. How can we cultivate this vital mission? Ted Turnau, author of Popologetics and coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent (with Stephen), has a new big book out: Oasis of Imagination: Engaging our World Through a Better Creativity, and a shorter companion, Imagination Manifesto: A Call to Plant Oases of Imagination! Ted now makes his Lorehaven debut to help our creative gardens flourish. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Savage Bred by Victoria McCombs The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Dr. Jared Moore Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance Introducing guest Ted Turnau Ted Turnau is Chair of Literature and Culture at Anglo-American University, Prague, Czech Republic, where he also teaches on popular culture, the media, religion and social theory. He is the author of Popologetics: Popular Culture in Christian Perspective (P&R, 2012), The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ, with co-authors E. Stephen Burnett and Jared Moore (New Growth Press, 2020), and Oasis of Imagination: Engaging our World Through a Better Creativity (IVP, 2023). He speaks widely on popular culture, the media and Christian cultural engagement. He and his wife Carolyn have three adult children, three cats and a rabbit. 1. Engage our world as a God-worshiping individual Popologetics part 1: Popular culture is full of religious worldview ideas. Popologetics part 2: Christians have adopted many bad views of culture. Popologetics part 3: We’re called to read and respond to popular culture. 2. Engage our world as families and local churches TPCP chapters 1-5: We need biblical views of pop culture and parenting. TPCP chapters 6-7: Wise questions help us engage pop culture with kids. TPCP chapters 8-14: Engagement looks different as children grow older. 3. Engage our world as culture-making missionaries Oasis chapter 1: Human cultures matter, and may even last for eternity. Oasis chapter 2: “Culture war” tactics alone cannot serve our neighbors. Oasis chapter 3: “Withdrawal” strategies can ignore our gospel witness. Mission update New article: Should We Seek the Gospel ‘According To’ Popular Stories? Recent review: today’s top sponsor Savage Bred Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Our next book quest is for Kyle Robert Schultz’s The Beast of Talesend Com station Nick o’ the Wastes has a dim view of “intelligent” aliens (ep. 175): You’ve heard of the Great Filter. Now consider: the Dumb Filter. The only UFOs we see are the ones dumb enough to get caught. Also in the Guild, our Sherriff had a thought on episode length: Re the informal survey on episode length, I think it’s good to have an approximate length to shoot for, but feel free to throw in a few extended sessions when the topic is interesting and the ideas are flowing well. Like you said: Let the Spirit lead! Next on Fantastical Truth Alas! We must report that another back-to-school season has come upon us, and we Muggles haven’t gotten our letter to Hogwarts. But since the 1990s that infamous wizarding world has received plenty of Howlers, not just from concerned Christians but from zealous fans and even sexual activists. One recent podcast brewed all this into a bubbling cauldron of controversy: The Witch Trials of J. K. Rowling. Now our own staff writer Marian Jacobs, who’s crafting her own book about a biblical Christian worldview of fictional magic, appears in our studio to help teach defense against these dark arts.

We’ve explored much about alien theories, but now a whole new official cast of characters claims they’ve seen or heard about evidence that They’re Here. And now this common Christian response has become a meme: aliens are just demons. Well, are they? If these creatures exist, are they deceiving us? Or maybe if they fly all this way only to be seen or crash, they’re just kind of stupid? Or perhaps they’re here to teach us a better way? We shall explore a familiar theme in a new fashion: are any aliens liars, lunatics, or lords? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Savage Bred by Victoria McCombs The Lorehaven Guild Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance Concession stand This is our latest installment in the ongoing Armies of the Aliens series. We won’t say your favorite thing re. aliens. Maybe an earlier episode did. For example, some of this overlaps with end-times fan theories (ep. 80). 1. The aliens could be liars—that is, Satanic agents. This is perhaps the most common evangelical view (close to Stephen’s). Plenty of these videos and “eyewitness” accounts are pranks or scams. But many people who claim closer encounters are messing with spirits. Some researchers see parallels between aliens/medieval demon visits. A few people have halted “alien” activity by calling on the name of Jesus. Alien Intrusion, an older book by Gary Bates, documents some of these. 2. The aliens could be lunatics—they make no sense. Zack knows more about this, but why travel to Earth in the first place? We’re not losing precious materials like minerals or natural resources. Military “hauntings” make little sense without some material motive. Also, all that technology and their spaceships keep being seen in public? Crashed spaceships seems even more comical for advanced beings. If aliens exist, then perhaps they are just as stupid as humans can be. 3. The aliens could be lords—spiritually enlightened. This is a common notion across all of science fiction, often in 1980s–90s. Of course we have plenty of Star Trek examples for “incorporeal beings.” Stephen once glimpsed a TV movie with heroes happily “absorbed.” After that, aliens went back to being invaders and mysterious forces. But we wouldn’t be surprised if aliens went back to sex-affirming “lords.” And with that, we’re right back to the “aliens are demons” idea again. Mission update New article this Thursday: Should We Seek the Gospel ‘According To’ Popular Stories? New review this Friday: Victoria McCombs’s pirate fantasy Savage Bred. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild! There you can join conversations about this Armies of the Aliens series. Com station Guild heroine Jenny Hasteen said about episode 174: Excited to listen to this! Let’s face it, most of us homeschoolers were philosophically shaped by Adventures in Odyssey. Mahina also remarked in the Guild: It was a really long one but felt too short! I’ve got to go back and listen to Phil’s other episodes. Philosophy never sounded interesting to me but now I’m intrigued Next on Fantastical Truth Back here on Earth among us humans, God has called every person to create stuff using his stuff. But as we know, many Christian leaders and churches have gotten busy or really ignorant. They don’t heed our Creator’s call to lead a rich imaginative life for the common good in our world. How can we cultivate this vital mission? Ted Turnau, author of Popologetics and coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent (with Stephen), has a new big book out: Oasis of Imagination: Engaging our World Through a Better Creativity, and a shorter companion, Imagination Manifesto: A Call to Plant Oases of Imagination! Ted will make his Lorehaven debut to help our creative gardens flourish.

Great stories make us feel wonder, and also feel grief, joy, love, or even some temptations to sin.[1. Photo by Giammarco Boscaro on Unsplash.] Yet some of the greatest stories also help us ask big questions about God, ourselves, and the world. They help us practice thinking about the deep stuff, which we call philosophy. In today’s episode, Phil “-Osophy” Lollar, Adventures in Odyssey founding father and writer, rejoins us to explore how great stories train us in renewing our minds. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson E. J. Kitchens: I.W.R.I.T.E: How to Write a Novel course Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance Reintroducing guest Phil Lollar Phil Lollar started his performing career at the tender age of five. He won numerous acting awards in high school, and studied music, screenwriting and directing in college. Phil then worked with Focus on the Family, co-creating Adventures in Odyssey and writing more than 230 episodes plus directing more than 350 episodes. Phil also co-developed the hit comedy series Jungle Jam and Friends! as well as the animated video series Little Dogs on the Prairie. Phil also served as a writer and consultant for the television series, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. Phil resides in Arizona with his wife and son. Phil Lollar’s page at AdventuresinOdyssey.com Subscribe to the Adventures in Odyssey Club Get the new Young Whit and the Phantasmic Confabulator Get the new Young Whit and the Cloth of Contention 1. How can fantastical stories ignore philosophy? By focusing on “fun” entertainment and human feelings. By assuming stories ought not engage big questions. By treating ideas flippantly or moralistically. 2. How might some stories badly teach philosophy? Examples may include the latter Matrix movies with ponderous dialogue. Or consider some Christian stories offering half-baked “profundities.” Genre matters; that’s why we must be careful reading wisdom literature. 3. How can the best stories flesh out philosophy? Philosophy in fiction works best when it challenges plot and characters. Great philosophy won’t offer easy answers, but points to One who does. Our point in transformed minds is not to be smarter but glorify God. Mission update Vincent in Wonderland review from last Friday Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Next on Fantastical Truth The aliens have returned! Well, they never really left, did they? We’ve explored much about this topic, but now a whole new official cast of characters claims they’ve seen or heard about evidence that They’re Here. And now this common Christian response has become a meme: aliens are just demons. Well, are they? If these creatures exist, are they deceiving us? Or maybe if they fly all this way only to be seen or crash, they’re just kind of stupid? Or perhaps they’re here to teach us a better way? We shall explore an old topic in a new way: are them aliens liars, lunatics, or lords?

This summer at the cinema, some movies are doing great.[1. Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash.] Others are flopping on their faces. Meanwhile, some streaming services are falling even harder, and thanks to the Hollywood strikes plus economic instability plus the threat of artificial-intelligence “art,” we could see a burst of the streaming bubble. How should Christians discern these big changes, while seeking onscreen stories that are well-made and more human? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson E. J. Kitchens: I.W.R.I.T.E: How to Write a Novel course The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ Concession stand Just one: we focus on Christian-made stories, with Onscreen talk as side quests. Quotes and notes Force Majeure Terminations for First Look, Overall Deals at Struck Companies Coming as Early as Aug. 1 (EXCLUSIVE), Variety, July 28, 2023 ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Taken Off Sony Release Calendar as Strikes Delay ‘Kraven’ and ‘Ghostbusters’ Sequel to 2024, Variety, July 28, 2023 Mattel Execs on Next Hollywood Moves: ‘Barney,’ ‘Polly Pocket’ and ‘Barbie’ Sequels (EXCLUSIVE), Variety, July 28, 2028 125. Why Do ‘False Prophets’ Predict Doom for Movie Theaters and Other Cultural Experiences?, Fantastical Truth 144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?, Fantastical Truth 172. Why Should Christian Fans Honor and Support Story Creators?, Fantastical Truth 1. Why have some new films become ‘flopbusters’? Stephen felt indifferent toward The Flash, and effectively boycotted it. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was met by audience indifference. Disney/Marvel indifference continues with lukewarm like for franchises. Fans can also send creative fatigue and financial stress on the industry. It was true before WGA’s strike (May 2) and SAG-AFTRA strike (July 14). Fans aren’t relying on critical praise or even Rotten Tomatoes “scores.” Anyway, Stephen has rejected the Rotten Tomatoes approach for a while. Lots of pundits blame “too much CGI,” like saying “too much writing.” The problem isn’t “too much” of anything, but reckless/bad creativity. One old proverb says, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” So it is here. 2. Why have other movies done much better? By contrast, films with strong, unified storytelling voice are thriving. Earlier this year we saw The Super Mario Bros. Movie break out. Of course we’ll talk about Barbie and Oppenheimer (we haven’t seen). Stephen has finally seen Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning: Part 1. These are likely doing better because of top-director and actor billing. Franchises are boring, but two Chrises and Greta Gerwig are exciting. From a creative writing perspective, that’s fantastic to see this respect. It’s good for Christians to find humanity (not just popularity) in stories. 3. What’s the future of summer blockbusters? Like we promote in The Pop Culture Parent, fans are getting more discerning. We may have thought small movies would fail, franchises would thrive. Now that no longer appears true. Only quality franchise stories will win. Smaller “startup” franchises, like from Angel Studios, will reach viewers. This feels great, because it opens territory for Christian-made fantasy. Stephen looks for many streamers to downscale, merge, or collapse. WBD started the landslide by cancelling movies for tax breaks. Also cancelled: Disney Plus shows, Star Trek: Prodigy, and many more. More people will look to physical media (which now feels more classic). Mission update New review: Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson Upcoming review: Vincent in Wonderland by C. E. White New book quest: Dust by Kara Swanson Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Com station Paul in the Guild said he enjoyed episode 172: I’m glad I listened last night. You maintain a hopeful & delicate balance between unhealthy excesses of optimism and pessimism. I mean, in one’s personal feeling about the results of hard work and passion, when not the winner. Next on Fantastical Truth Great stories make us feel wonder, and also feel grief, joy, love, or even some temptations to sin. Yet some of the greatest stories also help us ask big questions about God, ourselves, and the world. They help us practice thinking about the deep stuff, which we call philosophy. In our next episode, Phil “-Osophy” Lollar, Adventures in Odyssey founding father and writer, rejoins us to explore how Christian stories train us in renewing our minds.

Great stories should lead us to wonder, and lately, stories that don’t aren’t doing well at the box office. Meanwhile, writers and actors for these stories have gone on strike because they object to streaming services and AI that might cheat them out of their livelihoods. Scripture warns against employers oppressing hired employees, whether it’s a business or vocational ministry. How do Christian fans honor the value of stories and show our appreciation for the creators who work hard to reflect God’s image and create them? Concession stand Here’s another rare Stephen solo show! It builds off our last episode 171. For those feeling burdened by work, this topic may bring bad feelings. (During a stressful season, Stephen once had those just watching an anime!) When we talk about “work,” you might think of that gross office or task. If necessary, substitute with a better word—the work you like best of all. Honestly, outlining this show was more work than usual, but worth it! Also, we don’t sort between “creatives” and “regular folks” on this show. Our goal is to encourage every Christian who’s also called to creativity. As singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson likes to observe, we’re all creative: I don’t like calling anyone “a creative”—but yes, I believe everyone is creative. It makes a difference, since that language implies there’s a special class of person who’s somehow more creative than everyone else. That’s just not true. Mathematicians are profoundly creative, as are architects and pastors and homemakers. It’s just not helpful to draw that line. Yes, there are artists, but as my friend Jonathan Rogers says, the arts only make up one slice of the pie of human creativity—and not the most important slice, either. —”Andrew Peterson on Why Artists Aren’t Better Than Everyone Else,” The Gospel Coalition, Oct. 23, 2019 1. God made us to work and receive honor for it. Genesis 1:27–28 gives the Cultural Mandate, emphasizing God’s call to work. This includes agriculture, science, forming families, and culture-making. Faithful Christians can’t affirm any of these without affirming them all. Therefore we can respect all people, yet uniquely respect families. And we can also especially affirm people who make stories and songs. This is no “we’re awesome” humanism; it’s about reflecting God’s glory. Before we speak of sin, all work would be joyful, even fun for us to do. We’d have had no corruptions of the task or failure to honor creativity. 2. Sin ruins work with idolatry, laziness, exploitation. Do recall your Sunday school: Satan tempts Eve with distorted work. The devil literally corrupted humans’ original calling: to do (agri)culture. He found the one limit God had given, and urged people to violate it. As a result God imposed a penalty, specifically versus their creative work. That’s why He cursed childbirth and agriculture with pain (Gen. 3:16–19). Along with mortality, we are frustrated whenever we try to create things. It’s still human beings’ fault. We tried to idolize a good gift of God. That leads to other corruptions of creative acts, like laziness or overwork. We also see problems with exploitation, “big guys” over “little guys.” But really, everyone distorts work. We see this in the current strikes. Yes, writers and actors may do bad work, or expect too much in return. At the same time, studios arguably abuse their power and exploit others. There and among Christian-made stories, we may see shoddy work. People may try to excuse poor work because it’s “spiritual” or “clean.” 3. Christ redeems work so we can celebrate creators. Yet we’re still called to strive for excellence to honor our great Creator. That’s why we have reviews, good critics, “gatekeepers,” and publishers. That’s why we have award ceremonies like last week’s Realm Awards. Aspiration and healthy competition are not automatically bad things. Adam and Eve may have had “races,” with one winning, another losing. Even apart from that, we can celebrate advantages in some over others. The apostles encourage this when they talk about healthy sex roles. They speak of spiritual endurance races and eternal rewards (1 Cor. 3). Based on this, Randy Alcorn suggests aspiration/competition are eternal: Just as we can look forward to cultural endeavors such as art, drama, and music on the New Earth, we can assume that we’ll also enjoy sports there. According to the principle of continuity, we should expect the New Earth to be characterized by familiar, earthly (though uncorrupted) things. Scripture compares the Christian life to athletic competitions (1 Corinthians 9:24, 27; 2 Timothy 2:5). Because sports aren’t inherently sinful, we have every reason to believe that the same activities, games, skills, and interests we enjoy here will be available on the New Earth, with many new ones we haven’t thought of. … People have told me, “But there can’t be athletics in Heaven because competition brings out the worst in people.” It’s true tha

While many Hollywood creatives have gone on strike, hundreds of Christian fans, writers, teachers, and volunteers teemed in the hotel halls at last week’s Realm Makers 2023 conference.[1. Featured photo subjects, from left: news writer A. D. Sheehan, staff writer Josiah DeGraaf, publisher E. Stephen Burnett, staff writer Marian Jacobs, ship’s regent Lacy Burnett, reviewer Jessica Boudreaux, graphic designer Jenneth Dyck, chief engineer Zackary Russell.] They heard from speakers like Steve Laube, Steven James, and Tricia Goyer about how stories should lead us to a sense of wonder. So we asked conference newcomers and authors alike: which stories have helped you find wonder and worship of Christ? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock E. J. Kitchens: I.W.R.I.T.E: How to Write a Novel course Quotes and notes Calor by J. J. Fischer Wins Book of the Year Title at 2023 Realm Awards Marian Jacobs Signs Deal for New Book Exposing Occult Magic Versus Fictional Magic Over 500 Christian Creators To Share Fantastic Books at Eleventh Annual Realm Makers Event Special guest stars Marian A. Jacobs Rachelle Nelson Donovan Bergin Brian Weaver Kirk DouPonce Laura VanArendonk Baugh Bryan Timothy Mitchell Mission update We’re exiting conference mode. Look for new reviews and articles soon. Lorehaven.com has all the news from the 2023 Realm Awards. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild! There’s time to join our Recorder book quest. Next on Fantastical Truth Great stories should lead us to wonder, and lately, stories that don’t aren’t doing well at the box office. Meanwhile, writers and actors for these stories have gone on strike because they object to streaming services and AI that might cheat them out of their livelihoods. Scripture warns against employers oppressing hired employees, whether it’s a business or vocational ministry. How do Christian fans honor the value of stories and show our appreciation for the creators who work hard to reflect God’s image and create them?

Artificial intelligence won’t destroy human beings, but as we try using AI to upgrade culture, we may find humanity itself getting downgraded. Today, we will explore the promises and dangers of AI for artistic creations. How will machine-generated content enhance or impede our own creativity? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock The Pop Culture Parent Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge Concession stand We’re talking about how stories are made, but mainly as observant fans. We also focus on AI-generated art, as opposed to robot-revolution fears. We’re not computer scientists so this is more of a layman’s take on AI. Also, is this topic political? People often react like it is, but it’s really not. AI is being wielded by all political factions and many nations. People debate whether or how AI should be regulated; we won’t get into that. But we encourage you to follow those developments on your own. We’ll highlight some legitimate uses of AI with storytelling. 1. AI promises instant ‘expertise’ from storytellers Neo Uploads Knowledge Into His Head In The Matrix 2. AI captivates us with hyper-personalized stories Cypher: I know this steak doesn’t exist… 3. AI smooths away the challenge of human adventure The Architect – A mind bound by perfection Quotes and notes Spider-Verse 2025: Streaming 24/7. No Reruns. Forever Old MacDonald Had Some Help – A.I. – A.I. – Oh!, Steve Laube, June 26, 2023 Twitter suspends viral ‘Erica Marsh’ account after people question whether it is a fake A law firm was fined $5,000 after one of its lawyers used ChatGPT to write a court brief riddled with fake case references DeSantis ad uses fake AI images of Trump hugging and kissing Fauci, experts say Bill and Socrates’ conversation, generated by AI (YouTube video) Amazon Is Full of AI-Written Novels That Don’t Make Sense Mission update New review: Nova by Chuck Black Next on Fantastical Truth Zack and Stephen are headed to the Realm Makers conference, and we’re taking our portable studio with us. If you’re a Christian creator at this St. Louis event, stop by our Lorehaven booth in the vendor hall. This time we’ve planned some exclusive programming in our next episode after the event, especially about the 2022 Realm Awards banquet that celebrates fantastical tales.

Most people think “Christian fiction” avoids “unclean” content like sex, violence, and bad language.[1. Photo by Clément M. on Unsplash.] But in fact, many of these stories have often pushed these limits. We know of a few books now that are experimenting. Just in time for Independence Day in the United States, we will ask—should these stories make very free to show their characters cussin’ and fightin’? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Pop Culture Parent Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge Concession stand This episode serves as sequel to episode 120 (a rare Stephen solo show). We’re going to focus on cussin’ and fightin’, and this time no sexy stuff. We have plenty of other episodes (and will have more) about sexy stuff. Although we’ll touch on the TV shows, here we focus on written fiction. Also, we’ll make secondary applications to parenting, yet focus on selves. Too many of these discussions skip over individuals and focus on kids. Yet all of us implicitly agree that kids don’t see what adults can see. We just may pretend that this issue is only about the kids or vulnerable. Also we may refer to roundtable discussions from early Lorehaven print: Roundtable: Engaging Fictional Violence in Our Real Worlds Roundtable: Engaging That @&*% Our Stories Often Say 1. What does the Bible say about Christian freedom? Let’s follow the apostle Paul’s truth in Galatians, such as Galatians 5:13: For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Stephen’s actually about to start a Galatians study at church. Please pray. Here the apostle Paul has spent many chapters lambasting legalism. Many listeners have grown up with “do not handle” rules (Col. 2:20-23). So they may be tempted to overcorrect and say that all things are lawful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 1 Corinthians 10:23 But the apostle Paul doesn’t want to fix only one issue. He wants Jesus. The whole point of any good rule, or freedom, is Jesus and human love. That’s the point of this text, and we’ll carry that into these two topics. 2. How may the Bible treat issues of story violence? We describe this as, “Violent acts in a visual or written work of fiction.” How may we hear some Christian fans (or writers) defend story violence? When and how is story violence different from committing real violence? At what points do we believe the violence is “too much” or tempting? For what reasons does the Bible include violent descriptions? Must the Scripture form our explicit example for how our stories do this? 3. Does the Scripture warn us against story cussin’? This topic may actually call for even more caution and definitions. “Fiction that includes, either in character dialogue or narrative itself, any of these elements: offensive words, crude names, vulgarities, or slang that misuses God’s name(s) or misuses biblical concepts/places.” How may we hear some Christian fans (or writers) defend story cussin’? When and how is story cussin’ different from committing real cussin’? At what points do we believe the cussin’ is “too much” or tempting? For what reasons does the Bible include possible uses of bad words? Must the Scripture form our explicit example for how our stories do this? Mission update New book quest for Cathy McCrumb’s sci-fi Recorder New review (Friday, July 7) of Chuck Black’s sci-fi Nova Next on Fantastical Truth We’re move into summer and toward the Realm Makers conference. ‘Tis time for us to plan hot topics, blockbuster guests, and many surprises.

This week, Christians are asking all over again why a good God would allow people to suffer. Fifteen years ago in the summer of 2008, many debated the same topic after a little indie book hit it big. The Shack by William P. Young (and guests) followed a man called Mack who sought spiritual healing from fictional versions of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This did and did not go over well. What now do we think of The Shack and its deconstruction of evangelical ideas, and arguably Bible doctrine itself? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Author Conservatory Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge Quotes and notes: Six Lies Christians Believe About ‘The Shack’ Seven More Lies Christians Believe About ‘The Shack’ 69. How Can Faithful Stories Best Show Backslidden Heroes? The Shack went largely unnoticed for over a year after its initial publication, but suddenly became a very popular seller in mid-2008, when it debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times paperback fiction best seller list on June 8 (“Christian Novel Is Surprise Best Seller,” The New York Times, June 24, 2008). Its success was the result of a “word-of-mouth, church-to-church, blog-to-blog campaign” by Young, Jacobsen and Cummings in churches and Christian-themed radio, websites, and blogs. —The Shack entry on Wikipedia God and Fiction – A Look at The Shack, Part 1, Rebecca LuAlla Miller, May 25, 2009 “The Shack Impressions,” Timothy Keller, Jan. 27, 2010 “What Does ‘The Shack’ Say About Your Pain?”, David Mathis at Desiring God, March 2, 2017 “The Shack: Biblical Discernment Is Key in Evaluating Any Book or Movie, Plus Concerns about Paul Young’s New Book Lies We Believe About God,” Randy Alcorn, Feb. 20, 2017 Concession stand We’ll assume certain ideas are heresy, and yes, we’ll use the H-word. Heresy doesn’t mean denomination ideas about secondary issues. Heresy does mean ideas that directly challenge God’s nature and gospel. Many people loved The Shack. As we’ll see, we won’t pick on those folks. Lots of other people critiqued The Shack. We’ll not pick on them either. It’s healthy for Christians to debate the themes and styles of fiction. But you’ve got to meet the book on its own terms. That’s what we seek. For more about respecting yet challenging Christian authors, see ep. 96. 1. What was The Shack book really all about? Recap of the book’s plot after Stephen read this book in 2017. The book counts as fantastical, but is heavily didactic in nature. Imagine a crime story turned devotional turned “fictional dialogue.” In this case, the authors imagined conversations with all the Trinity. They tried to resolve “why do bad things happen to good people” issue. William P. Young is the credited author, but there was a whole lawsuit … Turns out he had a lot of editorial help from arguable coauthors. Young continues to identify as the sole author of The Shack. The book’s actual authorship is a bit more complicated. There was even a lawsuit about it. In the end, author and publisher Wayne Jacobsen also speaks as the book’s coauthor (with Brad Cummings), stating flatly, “Paul isn’t the only author of this story.” So the book was written/edited by committee, and only later picked up for larger distribution by Hachette Book Group. This joint authorship, like with some written-by-committee blockbuster movies, may help explain some of the clashing tones and ideas within the story. It helps explain why The Shack sounds so biblical at one moment … but then The Shack offers clashing notions such as that although God always gets what s(he) wants, s(he) either does want to allow evil and suffering for good reasons, and/or is helpless when an evildoer abducts and kills a child. Moreover, if one author (Jacobsen) says he does reject universalism, but another author (Young) very clearly accepts it, that puts a crucial religious divide at the heart of the story. Unlike the unified God the authors wish to explore, this trinity of human authors is not very well unified. Thus the book’s narrative voice(s) become unreliable and self-conflicting. —Seven More Lies Christians Believe About ‘The Shack’ 2. Which biblical truths did The Shack book reflect? Jesus “chose to die” and “saved us from our sickness.” God isn’t an old white-bearded man in the sky (actual lingering myth?). “The truth shall set you free and the truth has a name; he’s over in the woodshop right now covered in sawdust.” (The Shack authors rightfully understand that John 8:32 is a reference to Jesus, not knowledge.) God isn’t like us, and is not simply “the best version” of man. Our triune God exists as love because His Persons are in relationship. God is not evil, and has good reasons to allow evil and suffering. Jesus promises to renew the universe; Heaven will come to New Earth. Our desire for

If we as Christians want our own great creative works, we’ll need to be the ones producing them. That means families raising up children to value careers in the arts. What does this look like in practice? Zackary Russell is joined by his wife, Naomi A. Russell, to share how they’ve been doing this with their own four children. From homeschooling to public school, to musical theater and dance classes, they’ll explore how Christians can better engage faithfully in the world and in the arts. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Author Conservatory Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge 1. We need more Christians in the arts It’s part of our calling as believers, to be sub-creators with the Lord. From the very beginning, God gave artistic skills to his people to use in an expression of worship to him. The arts shape culture. Nowadays, the arts are often dark places. Our culture has been on a STEM craze for the last few decades. 2. Our own journeys through the arts There’s always a place for the arts, even if you’re a STEM major. 3. How we raise children who value the arts Experiment with different art forms, musical instruments, etc. Make books a privilege, not a punishment Ep 33. How Does Portraying Fantastical Characters Develop Christian Character? | with Julie Novak Shield kids from the anxious thought of, “How can you make money with this?” Com station Commenting on ep. 166 on YouTube, Victor DiGiovanni wrote: As a Christian who is also a filmmaker, I can attest that if you limit yourself to exclusively Christian cast and crew, you will end up with a vastly inferior product. The cinematographer for the first season of The Chosen, Akis Konstantakopoulos, is an athiest. It can be argued that one of the big reasons why The Chosen made such a big splash is that the show LOOKS incredible. It looks like a prestige TV series on the order of Game of Thrones. That’s Akis Konstantakopoulos. You get an exclusively Christian cinematographer, you’ll likely get something that looks basic and flat, like every dull, flatly-lit, basic faith-based film you’ve seen. I don’t need to name any, because it’s true for ALL of them. The Chosen looked great and instantly said “This ain’t your father’s Christian content.” As long as the people working on the product are doing their best, and contributing their expertise to help the boss deliver their vision, then that’s all that matters in the end. I challenge anyone to go through the last two seasons of The Chosen (when the pride flag cameraman was involved) and point out his influence. Next on Fantastical Truth ‘Twas the summer of 2008, fifteen years ago, when a little indie book took the Christian publishing world by storm. That book was The Shack, and yes, it’s fantastical fiction one way or another. This story by William P. Young (and guests) followed a man called Mack who sought spiritual healing from fictional representations of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Among legions of readers, this went over well, and among leagues of critics, this did not go over well. What now do we think of The Shack and its deconstruction of evangelical ideas, and arguably Bible doctrine itself?

Summer brings the heat, especially among the Very Online. Not long ago lots of people were yelling at The Chosen because one of the crew was flying a heathen flag on set, as spotted briefly in one behind-the-scenes video. Then two of the disciple actors got bothered and started calling fans “phobes.” They’ve since apologized, but not before a lot of controversy. Behind all this yelling is one big concern: Christians are hiring non-Christians to help make stories and websites and things. Is this allowed? Does the Bible require Christians to create culture only by working with other Christians? Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Author Conservatory Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge Quotes and notes ‘The Chosen’ Creator Dallas Jenkins Responds to On-Set Pride Flag Criticism Thirty Questions for Critics of ‘The Chosen’ or Other Christian Creators Who Hire Heathens 148. Why Do Some Christians Revile ‘The Chosen’? | with Josiah DeGraaf and Jenneth Dyck Sometimes Unbelievers Help Make Fantastic Biblical Fiction, So Let’s Thank God for Them Concession stand We’ve already talked about biblical fiction and The Chosen controversies. Some people irked by this disagree (deep down) about biblical fiction. And yes, it’s right to take (some) offense about a sin-celebrating symbol. But the real question is how Christians ought to work with nonbelievers. We will need to work with nonbelievers. The only question is how. One big question: Do we expect other Christians to do our job for us? In other words, if I’m a pastor/pundit, why expect a show to do my job? A bigger question is: which sins do we let nonbelievers publicly show? In a working relationship, can Christians rightly disagree on the answers? We must be aware how our own backstories will inform our view of this. 1. Churches: grace for newbies but rules for Christians Many want The Chosen and Christian publishers to be like this. We can’t help wondering if this comes from unique kinds of personalities. People only familiar with church rules, or with ideals, may expect this. And it’s a great setup. Paul, et. al. have specific commands for churches. A keystone text about church behavior expectations is 1 Corinthians 5. You might show grace for a newbie, maybe even one with a “pride flag.” But members must be confessing Christians who want to be like Jesus. I once met one obvious nonbeliever in a megachurch band. Not good! Standards go even higher for those wanting to teach or lead a church. If you’re no member of a church with solid boundaries, you’d want this. Or if you do have a church with solid boundaries, you expect even more. But the Scripture is clear that our world expectations are very different. And even in the Church, people have different views about some issues. 2. The world: needs gospel grace but is ruled by sin STEPHEN: Again, see Paul’s view of world expectations in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul forbids “sexual immorality among you” (verse 1), that is, members. But see verse 10: we can’t avoid the world’s sexually immoral people. Paul assumes the world is darker and messed up and yet needs us there. Most Christians agree that, for now, the world can’t behave like a church. Someday the world will be one great big Church, but it is not this day. That’s why Scripture bans associating with unrepentant immoral folks … But specifically the immoral in the church and not of this world (verse 10). This does not ban significant Christian influence in culture/lawmaking. Citizen issues call for wisdom. But they’re not same as church leadership. 3. Third spaces: Christians hire nonbelievers (and their messes) This “third space” is not quite a local church and not quite the world. This is the closest scenario to the way they’re making The Chosen. It’s also close to a group like Realm Makers or a Christian company. Even a website like The Daily Wire mixes Christians and nonbelievers. Christians may hire nonbelievers, or conservatives(?) hire Christians. The gospel message may arguably get garbled, ignored, or rejected. But does the business as a business exist to do the job of the church? If I’m a Christian in “civilian” capacity, am I an always-on evangelist? For The Chosen, yes, they’re making a Jesus show with evangelistic aims. Yet the production itself will inevitably mix believers and nonbelievers. A cameraman isn’t hired to write the script, but to film the action well. Even the actor isn’t hired to preach a sermon, but to act the role well. And at Realm Makers, they may “hire” a nonbeliever to talk about craft. This is typical. Any local church will hire nonbelievers to build/print/help. If then a construction worker cusses atop the roof, would you fire him? If the Bible printer is same-sex attracted, but a good worker, do you fire her? Scripture does not require these actions, so we can’t require them of others. In fact

Summer is the perfect time to go camping or even just step under the sky to gaze out to the stars. When we consider the heavens God has made, we feel very small, yet also creative and challenged. So many stories take us beyond Earth’s orbit, only to reflect real-world realities and send us right back to our homeworld, better equipped to face these problems! B. L. Dean, author of the Shades of Starlight space adventure series, joins us on the bridge. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Author Conservatory Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge Introducing guest B. L. Dean Becky Dean is a fan of adventures both real and fictional. She grew up on a diet of Star Trek, Star Wars, and stargazing, so when she started writing books, it was no surprise that many of them were set in space. When she’s not writing, she can be found traveling, drinking tea, watching science fiction shows, or quoting The Lord of the Rings. She is the author of two contemporary novels for young adults and a four-book space opera series, Shades of Starlight. BeckyDeanWrites.com Twitter.com/beckydean821 Instagram.com/BeckyDeanWrites 1. Sci-fi gives us new and impossible frontiers 2. Space adventures train us for purposeful living 3. Wars in the stars help us engage challenges on Earth Book quest: Illusion by Frank Peretti just started Review: The Dog Snatcher middle-grade fantasy Lorehaven Summer Reading Challenge begins soon We’re getting ready for the Realm Makers conference Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Next on Fantastical Truth Summer brings the heat, especially among the Very Online. Not long ago lots of people were yelling at The Chosen because one of the crew was flying a heathen flag on set, and the behind-the-scenes video caught sight of it. Then two of the disciple actors got bothered and started calling fans “phobes” and such things. Meanwhile, one culturally conservative website ran an article about the debate, and then the company CEO called the article “disgusting,” so lots of people were yelling about or against him. Behind all this yelling is one big concern: Christians are hiring non-Christians to help make stories and websites and things. Is this allowed? Does the Bible require Christians to create culture only by working with other Christians?

Many fantastical tales look okay, but may endorse ungodly ideas. That’s why more conservative groups are offering newer fiction to teach your kids moral values. How can Christian parents find the good stuff that will disciple your children’s heads and hearts? In this session recorded live at the March 2023 Teach Them Diligently conference in central Texas, Lorehaven founder E. Stephen Burnett (coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent) explores discernment in light of the gospel, offering practical resources for parents to share the best books and other stories within the body of Christ. Subscribe to Lorehaven middle grade • teens + YA • adults • onscreen • author resources • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Wizard’s Stone by Herman P. Hunter The Pop Culture Parent Concession stand This audio was recorded live, not at the most recent conferences … But the Teach Them Diligently event near Austin in late March. We get to use this recording thanks to the courtesy of Teach Them Diligently. Also, this happens to help celebrate more family resources at Lorehaven! 1. Find great stories that glorify God. Problem: We may assume we know what great stories should do. Solution: Let’s base our view of stories’ purpose in the Scripture. 2. Find great stories that help children be like Jesus. Problem: Some stories want your child to follow other “saviors.” Solution: Look for stories that help your child worship Jesus. 3. Find stories that help your family build the Church. Problem: Some stories ignore the gospel; others ignore creation. Solution: Seek out stories that help believers disciple one another. Com station David W. Landrum commented on Jenneth Dyck’s article “The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail” saying this: I loved the scene after the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine. He and his disciples are going home and some of them are stumbling. Some of them had a little too much to drink. Yep, some of them were drunk! But if the best wine the steward there had ever tasted had been served, that might well have been true. I love the realism, the recognition of his followers as human, and the authenticity of the production. These were real people. We’ve made them into allegorical characters and comic book figures. The Chosen has depicted them as human beings.

As hundreds of homeschool families head to Florida for the annual FPEA conference, we flash back to this spring’s Teach Them Diligently conference in central Texas.[1. Photo from Teach Them Diligently 2023 in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., courtesy Scott Minor.] What growing challenges do homeschool families face in our culture? What kinds of fantastical stories do they seek for their children? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren The Wizard’s Stone by Herman P. Hunter The Pop Culture Parent Concession stand This episode is the latest of a whole series about homeschool families: 65. Why Do Homeschool Families Love Christian-Made Fantastical Fiction? 106. What If Homeschool Families Can Help Christian Fantasy Grow for Generations? 116. Why Do Homeschooled Students Love Fantastical Fiction? | with Ethan Nunn 1. What do parents think about Christian fantasy? 2. How does homeschool dad Aaron find great kids’ stories? 3. How does homeschool mom Christina find great kids’ stories? Com station F. Ted Atchley enjoyed episode 152 about healing from church trauma: This is really long, but it is such an important discussion. I especially identified with L. G. McCary’s story. Next on Fantastical Truth Many fantastical tales look okay, but may endorse ungodly ideas. That’s why more conservative groups are offering newer fiction to teach your kids moral values. How can Christian parents find the good stuff that will disciple your children’s heads and hearts? In this session recorded live at the March 2023 Teach Them Diligently conference in central Texas, Lorehaven publisher E. Stephen Burnett (coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent) explores discernment in light of the gospel, offering practical resources for parents to share the best books and other stories within the body of Christ.