Fantastical Truth

Our podcast is Fantastical Truth.[1. Photo by Tom Radetzki on Unsplash.] Yet even seeking the truth can lead us into shadowy places. How can we discern these conspiracy theories without rejecting the truth that humans do often plot secretly, or falling into the trap of Gnostic “secret knowledge”? Mike Duran, author of the new nonfiction book Christians and Conspiracy Theories, will sneak into the studio. 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 As always, any political references are about issues, not parties/persons. If you’re new to Fantastical Truth, we’re not a conspiracy-theory show. (So please don’t @ us with any favorite theories that we somehow missed.) Mike Duran is a trusted friend who also focuses on greater fantastical issues. Reintroducing author Mike Duran Mike Duran is a novelist, artist, and freelance writer. Mike writes fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of The Ghost Box (Blue Crescent Press, 2014), which was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best indie novels of 2015 and first in a paranoir series that continues with Saint Death (2016), and The Third Golem (2020). He’s the author of Christians and Conspiracy Theories (2023) and Christian Horror (2015) His short stories, essays, and commentary have appeared in Relief Journal, Cemetery Gates Media, The Gospel Coalition, Relevant Online, Bewildering Stories, Rue Morgue, Zombies magazine, Breakpoint, and other print and digital outlets. Mike is interested in religion, science, conspiracism, media, books & monsters. You can learn more about Mike Duran, his writing projects, cultural commentary, philosophical musings, and arcane interests, at MikeDuran.com . 1. What led you from fantastical worlds to this topic? 2. Why do some Christian leaders avoid this issue? 3. How can Christians better engage these theories? Mission update Reviews: last, The Lost Property Office; next, The Crossing: Arlan’s Pledge Mike Duran’s article with his book excerpt, posted just yesterday Shannon Stewart’s upcoming article exploring Link’s heroism Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Next on Fantastical Truth 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. What growing challenges do homeschool families face in our culture? What kinds of fantastical stories do they seek for their children?

Imagine a mind virus has taken over people you love. You have fought the good fight. Now you’re tired and feel like retreating. You and some old friends are desperate for a solution. Then one captain says he has a surprise. You open vast hangar bay doors to discover … a wonderful fantasy franchise, lovingly restored, with everything back as it should be, yet better. But how? “Well,” says the restorationist, “you can thank the good ol’ common grace of our Creator for that. Also, I’m a lot like you—a huge fan of the original.” Yes, many franchises are failing. So let’s celebrate a few that seek restoration! Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Radiant by Ashley Bustamante The Wizard’s Stone by Herman P. Hunter The Pop Culture Parent Concession stand Especially when exploring Picard, we’ll try to avoid spoilers . Optimism about present/future restoration is still limited by reality. Most franchises are restricted by bad stories, so a good one stands out. This episode is a more positive sequel to two previous episodes: 144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022? 153. When Can Deconstructionism Threaten Christian Fiction? | with Michael Young aka ‘Wokal Distance 1. First the bad news: many franchises are still failing Star Wars. Fans are really feeling the Meh-dolorian (cf. Pitch Meeting). DC. Excitement about Gunn’s reboot seems artificial/shallow/trend-based. Marvel. There was a new movie this weekend. Its numbers are lackluster. Disney. Still failing. Did anyone see that Peter Pan remake? Lowery, why? LOTR: Again, we’re still reeling about the thud that was TROP season 1. Harry Potter: On the ropes, despite talk of a streaming series remake. Doctor Who. Tennant’s back but it’s kinda bait. Showrunner goes Sexualityist. Oh, then there’s the writers’ strike, which could set back all the things! ONSCREEN: ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Resists Alien Assimilation to Boldly Celebrate Heroes and Family Yes, the third season of Star Trek: Picard really is that good. That’s especially true if you grew up enjoying the Enterprise-D crew’s adventures across seven seasons, or at least some of their continuing cinematic missions aboard the Enterprise-E. I’ll wager even Trek newcomers would find something to love. But longtime Trek fans will get the most enjoyment from long-open plot resolutions and, frankly, some drastic tonal and thematic course corrections after Picard‘s first two seasons got trapped in postmodern spatial anomalies. If you’re still skeptical, especially after the grimdark mess and leftist elements of Discovery, I’d like to win you back aboard. 2. Star Trek: Picard does restoration at warp speed Characters: back to normal, flawed yet matured; best of all, respected. Plot: nods to disputative stories (seasons 1-2), resolves many old ones. World: fully continuous with every older Trek series including Enterprise. 3. How we hope other franchises will learn from Trek Right now, Disney/Marvel, Doctor Who, TROP already seem too far gone. Star Trek itself needs to forge its respectful future with Star Trek: Legacy. The other Star world needs to let go and use the force of its own legacy. Creators must heed the “sacred [world] texts,” interpreted with honor. Ignore both Abrams-style fanservice or Johnson-style “deconstruction.” If WBD remakes Harry Potter, don’t “woke” it up. Films mark a tall order. DC, whatever else they do, must commit to completing the Snyderverse. Emphasize music, meaningful “Easter eggs,” struggle-earned “nostalgia.” Mission update Reviews: Radiant last Friday, The Lost Property Office this Friday Articles: How to Discern Beautiful Christian Fiction Without Becoming Snobs, from Josiah DeGraaf this Thursday Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Com station Autumn shares a mostly positive view of cultural Christianity (ep. 160): As far as cultural Christianity goes, I did have a lot of that growing up and for the most part it was beneficial. Christianity was explained pretty well for me at a young age, and it resonated with me when it came to ideas like the deep imperfection of humanity, the problems with vengeance, the need for forgiveness and mercy, etc. There were some downsides as well, though, such as the fact that even though the Bible was interesting to me, growing up with it made regular Bible reading feel like a chore that I had a hard time doing even though I knew it was important, good and meaningful. Still, the positives outweighed the negatives. But one of the reasons growing up with cultural Christianity worked in my case was because Christianity DID mean a lot to me. I was always analyzing everything I heard, so instead of just taking the cliches at a surface level, I would try to figure out why certain aspects of Christianity existed. There were times I struggled with going through the motions, but I’m at least aware of that, and it’s something I’ve be

Did you grow up in “cultural Christianity”? Do you think this background helped you love Jesus more, or drove you away from him? What would your neighbors think? As people debate whether we even live in a Christian culture, how do these public moral tropes and gospel reflections influence our stories, Christian-made or otherwise? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Radiant by Ashley Bustamante The Wizard’s Stone by Herman P. Hunter The Pop Culture Parent 1. What do we mean by ‘cultural Christianity’? 2. How does cultural Christianity hurt our stories? 3. How can cultural Christianity help our stories? Quotes and notes What is Cultural Christianity?, GotQuestions.org In Praise of Cultural Christianity, Mere Orthodoxy Pop Culture Gets Religion, Christianity Today Positive, Negative, and Neutral World, First Things Com station Jo Ann Dagis Samide enjoys “dangerous books” in right ways: Reading this thread made me feel so nostalgic. I loved reading to and with my five kids when we homeschooled. We used sonlight curriculum which had a great deal of fabulous reading choices. My youngest is 20 and my oldest is 35, and they all talk about the days of reading aloud and what we learned…. Keep it up, folks, you are truly doing the Lord’s work! R. M. Archer commented on Twitter about A. D. Sheehan’s article: Though this topic is nothing new to me, I personally found this @Lorehaven article timely to share given my very recent disappointment with the Dungeons & Dragons movie and with the season 2 finale of The Mandalorian. Andreas commented on the article itself: Good article. I feel the same way. In recent years, I’ve been going back to the classics more and more. Jane Austen and Jules Verne in particular are just fun to read. I personally found your first point particularly challenging. When I read “The Inklings” by Humphrey Carpenter a while back, all I could think to myself was, “I could never be friends with Charles Williams!” But you’re right. In such cases, it can be helpful to put aside one’s theological beliefs to discover literary treasures. Next on Fantastical Truth We’ve explored how big franchises keep failing their fans. More recently we delved into how some fiction can’t stop deconstructing its own heroes and lore. That’s frankly discouraging. Still, we’re not without hope, because we know some destroyed worlds can be restored! If we’ve already felt grief over a story’s death, how can we best celebrate a story that comes back to life?

What if you were a teenage prodigy who could use mathematics to predict the future? But finally your numbers-driven world collapsed into betrayal and kidnapping by a criminal empire? That’s the equation for Calculated and its sequels from novelist Nova McBee, who now joins today’s episode. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: War of Torment by Ronie Kendig Infernal Fall audiobook by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing novelist Nova McBee Nova McBee, a Seattle native, has lived nearly half her life in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Calculated is currently in development to become a major motion picture. Emmy-Award winning screenwriter, Ann Peacock, best known for The Chronicles of Narnia, will adapt the novel for the screen in partnership with One Door Studios, who owns the rights and options to all of the books. Visit NovaMcBee.com or OneDoorStudios.com for more information. 1. What images and ideas led to making Calculated? 2. How have readers responded to Josephine’s tale? 3. Can you predict what’s next for this story-world? Mission update Article: Why The Mandalorian Makes Sense in a World That Masks Creedal Religion Last week’s book review for Infernal Fall This week’s book review for Calculated Subscribe free to get updates and join the Guild Com station CM Genton was grateful for A. D. Sheehan’s media malaise: Thank you, AD, for this article. Yes, I draw from the deep wells of classic literature as I write my futuristic science fiction. Were there ever the good old days of literature? I doubt it. But “zero-calorie diet of postmodern writing” is well put. Everything has gone flat. Or one could say, into the void has rushed fantastical creatures, gods, and demons, like in the most ancient times. Jay DiNitto recalls that older stories often prove more daring: With older books you avoid a lot of the ubiquitous cinematic tropes–usually. There was less of a set formula back then for characters, so writers could afford to get away with doing things that are odd to modern sensibilities. Speaking of risks, Jenny Chasteen questions deconstructionism: I know I’m late to this episode, but I wanted to thank you for #153, “When Can Deconstructionism Threaten Christian Fiction?” I found the definition of postmodernism really thought-provoking, and I’d never fully connected that concept in my mind with the rising popularity of “deconstructing.” As I listened to the episode, I started asking hard questions of the stories I write. I think of them as stories that support truth and portray a world that has “foundations.” But I realized that I’ve been subconsciously “deconstructing” some tropes and sometimes trying to make readers feel like they’re “in on the joke.” Do you think that can be done in a way that’s actually constructive as long as I’m still showing a world where good and evil have weight? How can I show characters questioning and changing what they believe without falling for the deconstruction fad? Next on Fantastical Truth We’ll choose from one of two or more topics: (1) finding stories homeschool readers want, (2) how great stories reconstruct genres and heroes, (3) something else!

Real life is already making fake “life” with artificial intelligence programs. But many science fiction writers have already rushed ahead to ask whether these artificial “lives” would count as human beings with human rights. Can we see the image of God reflecting in these synthetic creatures made in man’s image? Today we’re joined by a popular author who’s just passed the Turing test! Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: War of Torment by Ronie Kendig Infernal Fall audiobook by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing novelist Steven James Steven James is host of The Story Blender podcast and the critically acclaimed author of eighteen novels, including the 2019 sci-fi Synapse, and numerous nonfiction books that have sold more than 1 million copies. His books have won or been shortlisted for dozens of national and international awards. In addition, his stories and articles have appeared in more than eighty different publications, including the New York Times. He is also a popular keynote speaker and professional storyteller with a master’s degree in storytelling. His latest thriller novel, Broker of Lies, just released in April. StevenJames.net 1. Could we see artificial lifeforms in our lifetimes? 2. How might our culture react to such lifeforms? 3. How would believers react to synthetic ‘life’ and vice-versa? Quotes and notes “But, in general, take my advice, when you meet anything that’s going to be human and isn’t yet, or used to be human once and isn’t now, or ought to be human and isn’t, you keep your eyes on it and feel for your hatchet.” ―C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe “Ginny!” said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. “Haven’t I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain?” ―J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” —Luke 19:39–40, ESV This is how it ends: Someone added ChatGPT to a Furbie and it is hellbent on world domination Is Microsoft’s new AI an absolutely based domestic extremist? Mission update The Last Battle’s Darkness Helps Me Long for Resurrection’s Light Christians Who Feel Media Malaise Can Find Buried Treasure in Older Books Why The Mandalorian Makes Sense in a World That Masks Creedal Religion Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild for monthly book quests Com station After episode 157, Guild hero Mahina anticipates resurrection reality: I’m still stuck on the idea of resurrected food. Wow, it will be amazing. But even more so that sense of purpose. I’m so looking forward to that. I feel glimpses of that here in this life but to be fully and completely “of purpose” in everything I say, do, etc. woo! It’s going to be absolutely incredible. It’s what I yearn for in this life. There’s so much exciting stuff to be reminded of in eternity.. of course for the Christ followers. Others not so much. Which inspires me to double down on sharing my hope with those who don’t have Christs gift of salvation yet. Eternity is a long time. Next on Fantastical Truth What if you could plan your destiny by seeing the world as an equation to be solved? Nova McBee arrives in the studio to share the stories behind the edge-of-sci-fi-dystopian Calculated and its sequels.

Last weekend we remembered not only Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice, but his resurrection—the same resurrection he has promised for all who receive him. On this podcast we’ve explored Epic Resurrection before, but not with questions like: Do we get to fly? Could we “apparate” from place to place? Dive underwater for hours? Will we get superpowers after the Resurrection? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: War of Torment by Ronie Kendig Infernal Fall audiobook by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Realm Makers 2023 conference Concession stand We’re building off five previous episodes in our Epic Resurrection series. This means we assume the New Heavens and New Earth will be physical. This means our selfsame universe/planet, judged and made new. Any “normal” elements are a mere starting point for biblical speculation. If we speak of New Earth coffee and you want time travel, why not both? We believe it’s helpful to keep speculations grounded, at least at first. Scripture does this with ordinary ideas: farming, animals, commerce. We can’t cite Scriptures for all points; if we miss a reference, just ask! Finally, these promises apply only to people who repent/believe in Jesus. Scripture solemnly warns all will be resurrected, but some enter Hell. 1. What do we mean when we say “resurrection”? But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (ESV) (1 Corinthians 15:35–50, ESV) We’re talking about bodies; this is the apostle Paul’s operative word. We’ll see differences between our current bodies and future bodies. Yet we also know what a body is; that’s why Paul uses natural language. The phrase “spiritual body” has led to some readers’ confusion. Randy Alcorn warns of “Christoplatonism” that puts us off resurrection. Scripture never endorses ghosts, spiritoids, or some unearthly existence. Alcorn has often explored misconceptions about 1 Corinthians 15: When Paul uses the term “spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44), he is not talking about a body made of spirit, or an incorporeal body—there is no such thing. Body means corporeal: flesh and bones. The word spiritual here is an adjective describing body, not negating its meaning. A spiritual body is first and foremost a real body or it would not qualify to be called a body. Paul could have simply said, “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spirit,” if that were the case. . . . When Paul says that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” he’s referring to our flesh and blood as they are now: cursed and under sin. Our present bodies are fallen and destructible, but our future bodies—though still bodies in the fullest sense—will be untouched by sin and indestructible. They will be like Christ’s resurrection body—both physical and indestructible. Challenge 1: Doesn’t the Bible promise “this world is not our home”? Challenge 2: What about Christians already died; aren’t they bodiless? Challenge 3: Doesn’t the Bible warn “no eye has seen, no ear has heard”? 2. How will resurrection bodies be perfectly human? Stephen uses the words “perfectly human” literally: human yet perfected. Today we can live for any time at all. Tomorrow we will live forever. Today we enjoy food and drink with risks. Tomorrow we can enjoy more. Today we’re subject to “futility” (Rom. 8). Tomorrow

“We come to it at last: the great battle of our time.” Last week we shared this metaphor, and since then the cultural struggles have heated up even more. This is mainly because of our world’s possibly fastest-growing religion, which we call Sexualityism—that is, strong belief in one’s own sexual identity, which usually leads to false worship, legislation, and culture wars. One guest who’s experienced with these beliefs, and taken some heat for this, joins us to enjoin this foe. How might this belief threaten not just biblical Christianity, but even some fantastical stories made by Christian creators? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: War of Torment by Ronie Kendig Infernal Fall audiobook by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing guest Bethel McGrew Bethel McGrew is a high school teacher, math Ph.D., and widely published freelance writer. Her work has appeared in WORLD Opinions, First Things, National Review, The Spectator, and many other national and international outlets. Her Substack, Further Up, is one of the top paid newsletters in “Faith & Spirituality” on the platform. She has also contributed to two essay anthologies on Jordan Peterson. When not writing social criticism, she enjoys writing about literature, film, music, and history. Follow Bethel McGrew on Twitter @‌BMcGrewvy. Quotes and notes How the Side B Project Failed, Bethel McGrew, March 14, 2023 The Last of Us and its unnecessary sexualization, Feb. 16, 2023 Killing Dead Name, Bethel McGrew, Feb. 10, 2023 The broken, the sheep, the wolves, Bethel McGrew, Nov. 16, 2022 Mutilating Our Bodies, Bethel McGrew, July 1, 2022 From Bethel’s article The broken, the sheep, the wolves: Carl Trueman, in a recent podcast, encourages Christians to distinguish carefully between the victims and the perpetrators of the new sexual revolution—the people who are being “destroyed” and the people who are destroying them. We should handle the former tenderly, but we should handle the latter “ruthlessly.” With some people, it is possible to be too gentle, too ready to assume good faith. On the other hand, Trueman points out that it is possible to forget many people are suffering, and not all of them have the singular goal of destroying Western civilization. Concession stand (full buffet edition) After months of discussion, last month we began planning this series. Now we find that cultural conversations about sex/gender are hotter. We will proceed, yet more aware of how sensitive these topics can be. This goes double if you’re very tired/sick/depressed, and need to rest. That’s why this series is meant for folks whom God has gifted strength. If that’s not you, don’t worry. Rest up. Just don’t oppose your family. And as before, don’t listen to this episode without hearing episode 152. Many very wounded people are often deceived by Fantastical Foes. Some trauma is culturally imposed, but other wounds are universal. Result: real survivors can have their own empathy turned against them. Survivors are also vulnerable to many sentimentalist appeals to emotion. As we explored in episode 88, we’re no longer living in a “neutral world.” To claim otherwise is to call into the Sentimentalism we explored before. In a parallel Earth, we’d oppose racism or greed-ism infecting fiction. We’re living in the real world, Earth-1, and this is the hand we’re dealt. Even as fantastical fans, we believe Christians must reckon with reality. We do feel it’s important for Christians to “gatekeep” Christian fiction. We wouldn’t want any other harmful, anti-biblical beliefs in our stories. This doesn’t mean “no struggling characters.” It means: no propaganda. God says: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). If you disagree, we’d rather be honest, and part ways more amicably. We’ll stake our rep on this: Sexualityism, not its critics, is harming people. Real people are being deceived into destroying their own human nature. If human nature is under attack, then so are human creations: stories. Questions before discussion: What does Scripture’s insistence about “male and female” mean to us? Given that our Creator told us to steward the world and make families … If we minimize marriage and family, what’s our foundation for creativity? Consider “toxic empathy”—is this possible? What would this look like? Have you ever felt uncertain about a new sexual identity, but kept quiet? What culturally popular ideas do you refuse to adopt, or spoken against? Even if not now, could such religions persecute us? How could we know? Do you believe parents and wise Christians must say “no” out of love? How would you discern between a victim and a victim-turned-abuser? 1. What do we mean by ‘Sexualityism’? 2. How does Sexualityism threaten Christians? 3. How does Sexualityism threaten Christian fiction? Mission update Watch Lorehaven.com for new menu changes going into spring 2

Today’s next Fantastical Foe doesn’t look that villainous. Instead she dresses up as whimsical kittens, cozy cottages, or obvious heroes and villains. He will approach you with pleasant platitudes, from a church, or even from that smiling popular fantasy author. She will shine like an angel of light, telling your heart beautiful lies such as, “Everyone is basically good, and you only need to fight something else.” Beware this second Fantastical Foe: Sentimentalism. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Enhanced by Candace Kade Once Upon a Ren Faire by A. C. Castillo Realm Makers 2023 conference Concession stand This episode isn’t so much about the “clean fiction” debate (episode 81). Our focus is not on old sentimentalities, but modern sentimentalities. We’ll not accuse Christian sentimentalists, but will make general allusions. Some villains attack “sentimentality” because they hate virtue and goodness. We don’t refer to healthy sentimentalism—a love for good things or memories. Quotes and notes The Kinkade Crusade, Randall Balmer in Christianity Today, Dec. 24, 2000 Brandon Sanderson Is Your God, Jason Kehe at Wired.com, March 23, 2023 Thomas Kinkade’s Cottage Fantasy, Joe Carter at First Things, June 16, 2010 “The Bob Newhart Show,” YouTube clip: “Stop it!” The Therapeutic, Ctd., Jake Meador at Mere Orthodoxy, March 22, 2023 The Chosen Succeeds Where Woke Stories Fail, Jenneth Dyck at Lorehaven, Feb. 2, 2023 Jon Acuff on “toxic empathy,” Jan. 17, 2023 tweet: Toxic Empathy: When someone I love is headed toward a health, financial or relational train wreck and instead of telling them the bridge is out I encourage or even celebrate the decisions that are slowly destroying them because I want them to like me. 1. Old sentimentalism: People are mixed, church is good, world is mixed, Jesus is good (yet optional) (Created by Zackary Russell using the Midjourney AI art generator) This may be hard to define, so let’s start with a specific example. Imagine a Thomas Kinkade painting about a cozy forest or cottage. These images look nice, but if they ever bothered you, you’re not alone. The late Thomas Kinkade himself said in 2000, according to Christianity Today: “I love to create beautiful worlds where light dances and peace reigns. … I like to portray a world without the Fall.” Kinkade, then, wants to show a world that’s basically good. It’s a “elseworld” that never even had a Fall into sin in the past. Older (stereotypical) Christian fiction often fell into this trap. In one 2016 article, Stephen explored this old fiction sentimentality: Not all Christian novels are this way. We need to stop pretending they are. But I have read some of them that are still like this: They are written by, published by, marketed to and sold to Christians, but are based entirely around the story of an imaginary non-believer. The secular character serves as wish-fulfillment for some of our over-sheltered evangelical desires. He/she is convinced by soft-soap clichés, such as “just take a leap of faith.” Or the secular character hears a good-cop-Christian assurance like, “Yes, God really loves you,” and are led to sentimental tears, rather than confusion or eye-rolls. Such secular characters act as if they somehow already understood the Law, which would mean Grace comes as a relief to them. But of course, in such stories, the Law doesn’t even make a cameo. 2. New sentimentalism: People are good, church is bad, world is mixed, Jesus is good (yet still optional) Now some creators react to this sentimentalism, thinking it unrealistic. But they overcorrect into false religions that share similar premises. You see this in some versions of Christianity, or spinoffs like Mormonism. It’s behind lines like, Everyone is just looking for… or If only we could… That’s new sentimentalism. Like the old kind, this denies human sin nature. Like the Kinkade paintings, they want to paint a world with a weaker Fall. Thus they show a world that doesn’t really need Jesus (even if He’s nice). 3. Our mission: Base reality and thus fantastical fiction in the gospel that rightly defines all these People started good, yet are corrupted by idolatry, yet can be redeemed Church is good, but can also be corrupted by idolatry, yet redeemed The world is good, yet was corrupted by humans, yet can be redeemed Jesus is not just good but nonoptional; He alone can redeem the others! Lorehaven mission update Last week we hosted our booth at the Teach Them Diligently conference in Austin Last week we reviewed Please Return to the Lands of Luxury This Friday, March 31, we review Once Upon a Ren Faire Ticia Messing explores how parents can disciple kids with dangerous books New Lorehaven writer A. D. Sheehan will offer solutions to media malaise Lorehaven publisher E. Stephen Burnett joins two conferences in May

What if you had to survive in a futuristic East Asian world, ruled by a social credit system, by pretending you were genetically altered? Let’s break from our ongoing series about present-day Fantastical Foes. Instead we’ll jump into the sci-fi cyberpunk world of Enhanced, Candace Kade’s newly released novel. Today, she rides into the studios to share her own social credit points! Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Enhanced by Candace Kade Once Upon a Ren Faire by A. C. Castillo Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing author Candace Kade Candace is a recovering over-achiever who spends her time dreaming up stories typically involving tech, psychology, culture, and/or swords. She’s a certified Krav Maga assistant instructor and loves writing action-packed martial art scenes. A third culture kid, she considers Chengdu and Austin to be her homes. When she’s not exploring new countries, she enjoys hiking in national parks, moving, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping a baby human alive. She can be bribed with boba tea, fluffy puppies, and breakfast tacos. CandaceKade.com Candace Kade on Instagram 1. How did China change your life and creativity? 2. Will people benefit or suffer from genetic editing? 3. Should we fear cyperpunk social credit systems? Com station One hero of the Guild said of episode 152 about church trauma: Yikes, do you guys have my whole life bugged! Wow, may have to listen to this one again. Great discussion. Thanks for sharing. Another listener wasn’t a fan of ep. 153 about deconstructionism: I’ve read Jesus and John Wayne and I believe Michael is entirely incorrect on his assessment about the book and deconstructionism in general. There are no professional deconstructors. There’s no leftist agenda in Dr. DeMuse book, unless the message that “power and influence corrupt and having super megachurch pastors be held up as leaders in evangelical circles was a terrible idea” doesn’t translate for you. I thought this was a podcast about storytellers, not a political punditry soapbox. The same listener also left related comments on social media Most focused on this particular book, barely mentioned in the episode You can read Stephen’s response here (posted in reply at the episode before 153) Next on Fantastical Truth Our next Fantastical Foe doesn’t look that villainous. Instead she dresses up as whimsical kittens, cozy cottages, or “easily” spied good guys and bad guys. He will approach you in pleasant platitudes, from a church, or even from that smiling popular fantasy author. Shining like an angel of light, she will give you beautiful lies such as, “Everyone is basically good, and you only need to fear the System of obvious villains… like The Powerful. Or doctrine. Or that bad Church Back Home.” Should we follow these messiahs from the deserts of social media? Beware this second Fantastical Foe: Sentimentalism.

If a church or group of Christians hurt you, that is part of your origin story.[1. Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash.] True heroes, on their journey to victory, often face many temptations to the dark side. One of those temptations is to a fantastical foe we’re calling deconstructionism. How can we show sympathy to victims who need to tear out bad structures, while refusing to let professional demolition crews reduce the gospel itself to ruin? Michael Young, known on the Twitterverse as “Wokal Distance,” shares wisdom from outside the Christian-fantastical community about Fantastical Foe number one. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Enhanced by Candace Kade Once Upon a Ren Faire by A. C. Castillo Realm Makers 2023 conference Concession stand We’ll talk about some hot topics, but focus on ideas, not politicians or policies. We especially focus on on the intersection of ideas and fiction. Instead of emphasizing bad ideas, we want to highlight excellent stories that glorify God. Introducing Michael Young aka ‘Wokal Distance’ Michael Young, known on Twitter as “Wokal Distance,” teaches about the roots of wokeness. He decodes, deciphers, and explains the postmodern world in a way which is accessible to the average person. For those who feel the breaking apart of the social world, he helps them find their bearings. Follow him on Twitter @‌Wokal_Distance. Quotes and notes Welcome to the postmodern world The faith struggles of young people today Jesus and John Wayne Among the Deplorables Conservative storytelling aesthetic (segment from Benjamin Boyce podcast) 1. What is postmodern deconstruction? 2. How is deconstruction laundered through stories? 3. How can we fight deconstruction with meaningful stories? Lorehaven mission update News: Enclave, Lorehaven, Fayette Join Forces for Austin Homeschool Conference Review: Frank Peretti’s 2012 last(?) novel, Illusion Next on Fantastical Truth What if you had to survive in a futuristic East Asian world ruled by a social credit system, you had to pretend you were genetically altered? We’ll break from this series about present-day Fantastical Foes. Instead we’ll jump into the sci-fi cyberpunk world of Enhanced, Candace Kade’s newly released novel. She’ll join us for an interview in our next episode.

The time has come to explore the wild lands. From legalism to worse attacks on God’s image in us, many Christian fantastical fiction fans have suffered what can only be described as church trauma. How can we show Christ’s love to these enemies while more importantly healing from these attacks that may come from relatives, the church back home, or other bullies who might slander us because of our faith or even because of the fantastical stories we enjoy? Today we begin our new four-part series: Fantastical Foes. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Enhanced by Candace Kade Once Upon a Ren Faire by A. C. Castillo Realm Makers 2023 conference Reintroducing author Marian Jacobs Marian Jacobs writes about Jesus, monsters, and spaceships. Her work has featured at Desiring God as well as Stage and Story, and she has written many articles for Lorehaven. MAJacobs.com follow @MAJacobsWrites on Instagram recent article: Christian Critics of ‘Purity Culture’ Are Still Influenced By Its Fantasies Reintroducing author L. G. McCary L. G. McCary, author of That Pale Host, writes supernatural and dark science fiction on many diverse topics. She has written articles and coordinates social media for Lorehaven. LGMcCary.com Lorehaven’s review of That Pale Host follow @LorehavenMag on Instagram Concession stand This topic may seem really general, but applies to Christian fantasy fans. Many fantasy fans have unique tastes or see the world in unique ways. Fantastical stories can also provide a sense of escape from real pain. We want to share empathy, but also warn against some real hazards. Episode 112 explores fiction examples about loving/fighting enemies. Episode 120 explore how Christians enjoy biblical freedom in fiction. This whole episode is like a concession stand before more of this series. In our Fantastical Foes series, we explore top threats to Christian fantasy: Deconstructionism Sentimentalism Sexualityism 1. What do we mean by church trauma? 2. When might we respond in harmful ways? 3. How can we respond in healing ways? Mission update Subscribe free to Lorehaven for all updates Soon we’ll announce more about spring events Read our new review of Charles’s Williams’s classic War in Heaven Join our Book Quest, starting this week, only in the Lorehaven Guild Stephen has restarted his personal site under the Lorehaven Authorship Follow Lorehaven.com for more updates about that upcoming project Com station J. J. Griffing remarked on that War in Heaven review: Along with “There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it,” (Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C. S. Lewis) and “The building was on fire, but it wasn’t my fault,” (Summer Knight, I think, by Jim Butcher), Charles Williams’ opening line in War in Heaven is among literature’s best. “The telephone was ringing frantically, but nobody was there to answer it but the corpse.” Or something like that. Sure beats “It is a truth universally acknowledged, …” by Jane Austin (P&P) or Lewis’ own “Marriage was ordained, thirdly, …” in [That Hideous Strength]. Next on Fantastical Truth If a church or group of Christians hurt you, that is part of your origin story. True heroes, on their journey to victory, often face many temptations to the dark side. One of those temptations is to a fantastical foe we’re calling deconstructionism. Everyone needs to test your faith. And if the church back home had rotten construction, you may need some remodeling. How can we do this, showing sympathy to ourselves and other victims who need to tear out bad structures, while refusing to let professional demolition crews destroy the gospel? Let’s explore a first Fantastical Foe: deconstructionism.

What if you were stuck in a burdensome power armor and had to flee from the wrath to come? If this sounds familiar, it’s because you know the classic story of Pilgrim’s Progress. But this version has giant mechs. Plus robots, space marines, and talking platypuses. John Bunyan didn’t write those parts, but author David Umstattd did. Today he stomps into the studio to share his narrative podcast and forthcoming novel The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Bear Knight by James R. Hannibal The Dragon Slayer Chronicles by Carey Green Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing guest David Umstattd David Umstattd was called to be a writer in 2006. He graduated from Baylor University in 2013 and is the author of Pilgrim’s Progress: Reloaded. He lives in North Austin where his family has lived for seven generations. DavidUmstattd.com Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded on Spotify Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded on Apple Podcasts Concession stand We make niche references to things like first-person shooter games, anime. You may find yourself and your evangelical culture lightly roasted. But the whole point of allegory is to explore ideas, not people. 1. What are the pitfalls of vague theology? 2. How does allegory work? 3. How does satire help us sharpen our minds? Lorehaven mission update Listen to last week’s podcast episode 150with James R. Hannibal. Read last week’s Friday book review of Bear Knight. Subscribe for Lorehaven Guild access and any Lorehaven updates you so desire. We’ve also announced our next book quest for Charles Williams’s War in Heaven. Com station David Mock sent an audio response to episode 149 about fictional romance Next on Fantastical Truth Next month, we plan to explore some perilous territory, starting with one challenge afflicting many Christian fantastical fans. From legalism to worse attacks on God’s image in us, many Christians have suffered what can only be described as church trauma. How can we show Christ’s love to churches that have hurt us while, more importantly, healing from these attacks that may come from relatives, the church back home, or other bullies who might slander us because of our faith or even because of the fantastical stories we enjoy? Today we begin our new four-part serious series: Fantastical Foes.

Aliens! Now that we have your attention, here’s a plot twist: the aliens just want to show their love. But they’re also nationalistic, because they’re only sending America all their cute little balloons for Valentine’s Day, yet they’re too early, and don’t match the pink and red decor. This is no fantasy: fighter pilots have been shooting down floating objects, over Alaska, Montana, and Lake Huron. So it’s time to beam back aboard our Armies of the Aliens craft series. A special guest joins us on today’s Fantastical Truth to explore what all these rumors might expose about human nature and gospel solutions. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Bear Knight by James R. Hannibal The Dragon Slayer Chronicles by Carey Green Realm Makers 2023 conference Concession stand This discussion is necessarily political, relating to the military, government, and coverups. But, as usual, we will try our best to avoid partisan references and instead focus on the fantastical. See our previous Armies of the Aliens series episodes for further discussions about alien life. Reintroducing author James R. Hannibal Former stealth pilot James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He has been shot at, locked up by surface to air missiles, has hunted insurgents with drones, and was once chased by an armed terrorist down a winding German road. James is the Carol Award–winning author of the Clandestine Service series and a three-time winner of the Silver Falchion Award for Juvenile Fiction for his Section 13 series. He also stewards the discipleship learning adventure game Lightraiders (previously called DragonRaid). His newest novel, Bear Knight, released Feb. 14, 2023 as book 2 in the Lightraider Academy series. LightRaiders.com JamesRHannibal.com Fantastical Truth episode 70: Why Did a 1980s Televangelist Try to Cancel the RPG DragonRaid? | with James R. Hannibal Episode 85: What If You Joined a Quest to Defeat Goblins, Trolls, and Ancient Invaders? | Wolf Soldier with James R. Hannibal 1. Some say the government uses UFO stories to distract us from scandals 2. Others say the Chinese spy balloon distracts us from truly anomalous UFOs 3. We say that UFO stories reveal our longing for a better, more fantastical world Quotes and notes Timeline of unidentified object shoot downs Radio Audio From F-16 Shoot Down Of Object Over Lake Huron Broken AARO? Pentagon UAP Office’s Role Questioned Following Shootdowns U.S. Senators React To Classified UFO Briefing From Biden Administration Officials Ben Shapiro Knows Why Biden Is Suddenly Getting Tough On Invading Aliens White House says a leading explanation for the 3 downed unidentified objects is that they were commercial or benign President Biden says three downed aerial objects not linked to Chinese spy program UFO shot down by $400K US missile may have been a $12 hobby balloon Tracking UFOs over North America with Harvard’s Amir Siraj Most UFOs – like the Chinese spy balloon – can be explained away. But what about the other 2%? Possible UFO caught on camera flying over Iraqi city of Mosul in 2016 Key Takeaways from 2023 ODNI UAP Report Does the Navy’s Missile-Fooling Plasma Tech Explain Recent UFO Sightings? Lorehaven mission update Christian Critics of ‘Purity Culture’ Are Still Influenced By Its Fantasies We reviewed Candace Kade’s upcoming sci-fi Enhanced Next week we review today’s guest’s newest book, Bear Knight Com station Brian Stansell replied to our episode about The Chosen With “types” and “shadows”, these things that give similar shapes and forms, are not the “thing” itself that casts the shadow. As long as the series points back to the Truth, this should not be so harshly judged because it is not the “thing” itself. … For “The Chosen” series, we must admit that even though, it may have fictional elements, it is at least an attempt to look through the glass back towards the object that IS worth taking a closer look at. CM Genton replied to Marian Jacobs’s article: Thank you, Marian, for a well-thought out and much-needed article. The imagination is a powerful gift (therefore a target for the enemy of all that is good and true) and is engaged in sexual matters as well as the arts. I too am really concerned about Christians normalizing lust in the arts. Romance elements can fuel addiction for women, offering narratives that portray unrealistic depictions of men, just as men can be addicted to images of unrealistic depictions of women. Our sexuality and the arts need to be subjected to God, for our protection and to fully reflect his goodness. Please keep speaking out. Next on Fantastical Truth What if you were stuck in a burdensome mech suit and had to flee from the wrath to come? If this sounds familiar, it’s because you know the classic story of Pilgrim’s Progress. But this version has a mech suit. Plus robots, space marin

This episode releases on Valentine’s Day. But we’ve noticed that for a lot of fantastical fiction, and especially traditional Christian-made fiction, every day is Valentine’s Day. You get fantasy romance. Fairy tale romance. Fairy-tale retelling romance. YA superhero romance. And so much more. So, why all the romance? And will we spend a whole episode making fun? No way. It’s Valentine’s Day! Instead, let’s explore why Christian readers fall in love with fictional romance. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Press: The Fairie Queene fundraiser The Dragon Slayer Chronicles by Carey Green Realm Makers 2023 conference 1. Which romantic fiction have we read or seen? 2. Why do many Christian novels feature romance? 3. Will Christian fans move beyond romance genres? Stephen’s article: Why Does Christian Romance Outsell Christian Fantasy? A reader’s ideal of Paradise influences his or her story preferences. If your ideal Paradise is love and family, you’ll likely prefer romance. If your ideal Paradise is a fantastical world, you’ll likely prefer fantasy. One wouldn’t end here with anything like a condemnation of Christian romance or its fans. That would be sick legalism. Again, romance is God’s creation! It points back to the union of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2), and forward to the union of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5). However, Christians believe romantic relationships will not always continue as they are now. Some believe this means a total abolition of even good human marriages, based on Jesus’s words in Matthew 22:23-33. Even if this isn’t what He meant, we can be confident that Jesus refers to some adjustment to human marriage, which may be fulfilled in eternity. In either case, romantic relationships are a subset, not the sum total, of that future world. Whereas the Bible’s literal and ideal image of paradise—a made-new world of wonder, of good conquering evil, and miracles—is closer to the themes explored in fantastical stories. Why, then, don’t more Christians at least enjoy romance fiction and fantasy fiction equally? Maybe it’s because most readers haven’t yet enjoyed this more biblical picture of paradise. Com station Andrew Trauger wrote in reply to Josiah’s article: The #1 complaint I’ve heard about “The Chosen” regards the response of so many people who use it as an aid to worship. Clearly, idolizing a character depicted by Jonathan Roumie is every bit as sinful as idolizing St. Peter, the Virgin Mary, or a painting of Jesus on the chapel ceiling. Idolatry is idolatry, and people are as prone to break the 2nd Commandment today as ever–just with pixels instead of gold. For this reason, a lot of Christians have taken the hard line, with a few subpoints and addendums to the Law. “Thou shalt not depict Christ in any way, shape, or fashion. Thou shalt not put words into His mouth that have not already been written, nor shalt thou presume Him as saying anything not recorded for you in Scripture. Thou shalt not imagine.” … If someone watching “The Chosen” is a weak brother and supplants his daily Bible reading with binge watching, then that brother needs to throw his TV (and phone) in the garbage. He needs to pluck out his eye. This show is not a replacement for Scripture, as its director has stated multiple times. Viewing the show sinfully–that is, with an idolatrous heart–is sin. But Dallas Jenkins no more causes people to commit idolatry than Glock causes people to commit murder. Lorehaven mission update Last week’s review of Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key This week’s Friday review, probably for a new release If you like romance, our Guild is exploring Rose Petals and Snowflakes We’re working on more timely articles to help with these missions Next on Fantastical Truth Aliens! Now that we have your attention—if it’s not that infamous and not-at-all-seasonally-colored balloon the People’s Republic of China sent America early for Valentine’s Day, it’s some kind of floating silver craft that was also just shot down, over Alaska this time, that might could just be more Armies of the Aliens. So we’re showing our love a different way, this time for urban legends about sci-fi and spaceships. These often seem creepily plausible, but cause a lot of questions for Christians. What can we learn from this war of the worldviews?

The Chosen biblical drama series is headed back to theaters to conclude season 3. Somehow this season, above all, we’ve seen a lot more criticism of the show. Are these creators trying to replace the true Christ with a TV Jesus? Aren’t they adding to Scripture and supplanting the local church? Is this Mormon propaganda? We’ll return to this fantastical-adjacent series to explore the purpose of biblical fiction, and debunk some of the misunderstandings and plain lies about these kinds of stories. Two guest stars join this roundtable discussion. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Press: The Fairie Queene fundraiser The Dragon Slayer Chronicles by Carey Green Realm Makers 2023 conference Introducing Josiah DeGraaf Josiah DeGraaf is a literature nerd who loves epic fantasy stories with imaginative worlds and authentic characters. He loves crafting fantastical stories about characters who face the same dilemmas we do when we try to do the right thing. You can download his short story collection for free to read about ordinary people struggling to be heroic when suddenly gifted with supernatural powers. Josiah’s article: How Christians Can Discern Jesus Adaptations in ‘The Chosen’ and Other Stories Introducing Jenneth Dyck Jenneth Dyck is a dyslexic writer, illustrator, and designer who creates professional book covers for indie authors and small press publishers. She thinks way too deeply about superhero movies. These stories, plus quantum physics, angels, and the fourth dimension are regular topics of discussion at her dinner table. She holds degrees in professional writing and digital media with an M.A. in graphic design. Jenneth’s article: The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail Concession stand This one could be really sensitive, folks. We’re also trying a roundtable! All that to say, like The Chosen itself, you’ll likely disagree with some of it. Lorehaven often emphasizes creative acts as primarily worship of Jesus. Christians often defend art/worship by appealing to Practical Ministry. Aim for worshiping Jesus, and you get Practical Ministry thrown in. Aim for Practical Ministry, ignoring worship/obedience, you get neither. We build on Stephen’s Discerning Biblical Fiction series and two articles. And of course, we see biblical fiction as a “cousin” to fantastical fiction. 1. Can non-Christians help us make great stories? 2. Why and how do Christians make biblical fiction? 3. Will nonbeliever fans corrupt Christian stories? Quotes and notes On our Facebook page, one reader wrote: There is a SIGNIFICANT difference between Aslan and another clearly fictionalized “Jesus”, and a fictionalization of the REAL Jesus. The Chosen blends truth, fantasy, AND Mormon teachings into one package. In other words, it INTENTIONALLY blurs the line between faithfulness and fiction in a way that is incredibly difficult for even a cautious believer to discern. Unfortunately, it’s being consumed by a vast number of people who are using to “learn more about Jesus” with little to no discernment applied. I know people recommending it to unchurched or new believers as a way to learn about the Life of Christ. In the end of the day, what Aslan says is STILL only what Aslan says, but words falsely attributed to Christ Himself muddy His actual teachings no matter how well intentioned they are. Dallas Jenkins’s 2019 defense of The Chosen Lorehaven mission log New book quest for Rose Petals and Snowflakes New podcast episodes every Tuesday, new reviews every Friday New articles and news posts almost every week Subscribe free at Lorehaven.com Com station C. L. Stansberry replied to Elijah David’s Magician Nephew’s piece: Thank you for this. My family has experienced many losses including the death of my son last April after a long battle with a rare neurodegenerative disease (he was 17 with the mind of a 4-year-old). I feel God’s love, compassion, and comfort. My hope is that in the novel I’m writing, I’ll be able to express the goodness and sovereignty of God that others may see and experience.

What if you were a blind young man living in medieval times? And you were called to a special and future-mythological mission: to become the wizard Merlin? Robert Treskillard’s fantasy Merlin’s Spiral series has been re-forged into audiobook form. This day Sir Robert himself rides into the studio to share more about his medieval fantasy—round tables, knights of yore, and the wonderful true King reigning over them all. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Press: The Fairie Queene fundraiser The Sentinel Trilogy by Jamie Foley The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Jared Moore Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing author Robert Treskillard Robert Treskillard has been crafting stories from his early youth. His author career began when Robert’s son wanted to learn blacksmithing and sword-making. The two set out to learn the crafts and in the process were told by a relative that they were descended from a Cornish blacksmith. This lit the fire of Robert’s imagination, and so welding his Celtic research to his love of the legends of King Arthur, he forged new books—The Merlin Spiral series, Merlin’s Blade, Merlin’s Shadow, and Merlin’s Nightmare. All three titles just recently released to audiobook. He’s also a software developer, graphic artist, and veteran homeschool dad. He and his wife have three children and live in Missouri. EpicTales.org Robert Treskillard on Facebook Robert Treskillard on Twitter 1. What led to your stories exploring Merlin? 2. Why do people so love these legends of Arthur? For many, this has turned into the realm of parody (like Monty Python). A 2017 movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword didn’t do all that well. DailyWire+ says they’re adapting The Pendragon Cycle into movies/TV. 3. What’s next for the Merlin Spiral and beyond? Lorehaven mission update Last week: Elijah David’s article, Friday’s A Crown of Chains review Feb. 1: we’re starting our next book quest for Rose Petals and Snowflakes Feb. 1: registration opens for Realm Makers 2023, and we have the news Feb. 2: Jenneth Dyck’s first article about The Chosen’s authentic diversity Feb. 3: our review of military sci-fi Into the Darkness by Charles Hack Com station At Lorehaven.com, Cole Powell commented on Josiah’s article: Although I haven’t yet finished Season 1 of The Chosen, I find this article a reasonable, well-articulated perspective on the issue of Biblical fiction in general. Thanks for posting! Kellyn Roth remarked: Really grateful for this post, Josiah! Put into words what I couldn’t put together in my brain. I also can’t join the discussion because I’m not a watcher yet, but it’s still good to have this information. … It’s not really my type of show, at all, but I’ve been convinced I must try it anyway, so it’s on my list. Next on Fantastical Truth The Chosen biblical drama series is headed back to theaters to conclude season 3. Somehow this season, above all, we’ve seen a lot more criticism of the show. Are these creators trying to replace the true Christ with a TV Jesus? Aren’t they adding to Scripture and supplanting the local church? Is this “Mormon propaganda”? We’ll return to this fantastical-adjacent series to explore the purpose of biblical fiction, and debunk some of the misunderstandings and plain lies about these kinds of stories, possibly with some guest stars, in our next episode.

Have you been watching the hit animated Christian-made streaming series, The Wingfeather Saga? No doubt you’ve heard of the fantasy series by singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson. This story of the Igiby family’s darkly whimsical journey has attracted legions of readers from all ages. Now it’s a streaming series from Angel Studios. Today, series CG director Keith Lango visits our studio to share more about the origins of this animated story. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Press: The Fairie Queene fundraiser The Sentinel Trilogy by Jamie Foley The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Jared Moore Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Essential links Keith Lango’s original March 2016 article about The Wingfeather Saga fundraiser Book review: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness Book quest: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness Introducing animation director Keith Lango Keith is both a student and instructor in the art of animation and its technology. His passion for developing engaging experiences in animation has given him a wide and varying experience in the field and was fundamental to the creation of The Wingfeather Saga‘s distinct animation style. He has worked on 3-2-1 Penguins, VeggieTales and at Valve Corporation on video games like Portal 2. He’s an executive producer and animation director for The Wingfeather Saga. WingfeatherSaga.com Keith Lango at IMDB Keith Lango’s original YouTube channel 1. What led you to help create animated stories? What’s the most fulfilling part of this creative job to you? What are the least glamorous and hardest parts people should know? How would you like Christians to see the value of animation/visual tales? 2. How did you discover Andrew Peterson’s series and make the show? Did you discover the books first? Songs first? Or both at the same time? What do you enjoy most about The Wingfeather Saga that’s unique? Which early challenges helped make the project better? 3. What’s next for The Wingfeather Saga? What have fans been saying about season 1 of the show? When does the first season end, and when do we get a season 2? How might this and other streamers open chances for more animation? Com station dtill359 wrote about our recent news story: As a Christian and a fanfiction writer, I’m so glad other Christians are doing this. Yes, it’s going to incur some wrath from other groups, but Salt & Light isn’t trying to force others to agree with them. They’re just making a place where those who already do can congregate and share stories. I’m adding this tag to my works right now. Kessie replied: Dude, I am so joining this. I’m always wishing I had an easier way to find Christian fic writers, and for them to find me. Lorehaven.com mission update News story: Christian Fanfiction Writers Fight Porn, Exalt ‘Salt and Light’ With New Tag on AO3 Book review: Lander’s Legacy Thursday, Jan. 27: Elijah David’s article The Magician’s Nephew Taught Me Christ’s Compassion in the Midst of Grief Friday, Jan. 28: A Crown of Chains book review Book quests: This week we finish Prince Caspian. Next month we start Rose Petals and Snowflakes. Next on Fantastical Truth What if you were a blind young man living in medieval times? And you were called to a special and future-mythological mission: to become the wizard Merlin? Robert Treskillard’s fantasy Merlin’s Spiral series has been re-forged into audiobook form. Next week, Sir Robert himself gallops into the studio to share more about his medieval fantasy—round tables, knights of yore, and the wonderful King reigning over them all.

Long ago, before C. S. Lewis or J. R. R. Tolkien, and before even George MacDonald or G. K. Chesterton … lived another fantasy writer, British poet Edmund Spenser. In the 1590s his epic adventure was published in six books. It’s an epic fantasy allegorical poem, written in nine-line stanzas, involving phrases like “iambic pentameter” and other incredible facts we need explained by a literature expert! So in this episode we’ll be joined by Rebecca K. Reynolds, classic literature educator, audiobook narrator, and editorial director for Oasis Family Media. She will introduce us to a long-forgotten classic being given new life: The Faerie Queene. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Sky Turtle Press: The Fairie Queene fundraiser The Sentinel Trilogy by Jamie Foley The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Jared Moore Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing author and teacher Rebecca K. Reynolds Rebecca K. Reynolds is the editorial director of Oasis Family Media and Sky Turtle Press. She is the author of a text-faithful prose rendering of Edmund Spenser’s 1590s epic poem The Faerie Queene and of Courage, Dear Heart by Nav Press. Rebecca is a longtime member of the Rabbit Room and she has spoken at Hutchmoot both in the US and the UK. She taught high school literature for seven years and has written lyrics for Ron Block of Alison Krauss, Union Station. FaerieQueene.com 1. What led you to teaching about these famous books and recording audio versions? How did you get from teaching literature to writing songs and more? Have you read over sixty audiobooks for Oasis Audio, per the website? 2. Why do you love Edmund Spenser’s classic fantasy poem The Faerie Queene? How did you discover The Faerie Queene? What prevents more people from reading this classic? What’s this about a new ending for book 3? Cited: “Longing for a far country never visited,” Subby Szterszky at Focus on the Family 3. When will this new edition release, then what’s next from Sky Turtle? What’s the purpose of founding Sky Turtle Press? How did these creators decide to start with The Faerie Queene? Where could The Faerie Queene lead to the future of this publisher? Com station lmransomwrites remarked about episode 144: Not a big fan of the Willow show, but my hubby and I really liked the new Middle Earth one. Any quick comments about fans defending this show Lorehaven mission log We shared two retro reviews: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian The latter is inspired by our current Prince Caspian book quest This week we plan Josiah DeGraaf’s new article about discerning fictional dialogue for Jesus Next on Fantastical Truth Have you been watching that other hit Christian-made streaming series, The Wingfeather Saga? No doubt you’ve heard of the fantasy series by singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson. This story of the Igiby family’s darkly whimsical journey has attracted legions of readers from all ages. Now it’s a streaming series from Angel Studios. CG director Keith Lango will visit our studio to share more about the origins of this animated story.

For fantasy franchises, 2022 was a rough year. From Middle-earth madness, to not-so-secret Disney agendas, to yet another creative disaster threatening to destroy the DC multiverse, fans have gone through drastic changes. What were the top threats to fantasy fandoms in 2022? And how should Christians view the grief process after corporations seem to destroy the best worlds? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Silver Bounty by Victoria McCombs The Sentinel Trilogy by Jamie Foley The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, and Jared Moore Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand As usual, we try to limit our popular culture criticism at Lorehaven We’d rather shine light on fantastically excellent stories by Christians Yet we all enjoy fantastical franchises created by non-Christian artists So we suggest that it’s legit to grieve when those stories do fall apart. Some of this involves political issues, yet we’ll focus on morality. This episode builds on Stephen’s solo episode 122 back last July That focused on the fan healing. Here we focus on other grief stages. Stephen felt a lot of this at Christmas about the whole DC mess (later). Yet he will try to discipline himself, and acknowledge other fans’ grief! 1. Fantasy streaming keeps crossing the fans The Witcher and Willow cast dark spells that backfire The Witcher isn’t our fandom (because it harms actors; see episode 5) There’s the first of two Henry Cavill–related messes (see chapter 3 later) Many fans are also raging at the show(s) about cheap/“woke” messaging The same is true of Willow, Disney Plus’s new sequel to the 1980s fantasy film The Rings of Power divides Middle-earthers As in episode 143, Stephen concludes the show had some bad marketing. Fans can legitimately disagree about whether the story was at least made well. Stephen thinks the show breaks not only Tolkien’s timeline but anthropology. Even the Peter Jackson films clearly show men protecting women/children. Yes, even The Hobbit part 3 is outrageously “based” in showing this concept. If women fight/lead all the time, that breaks virtue and the Eowyn story. Amazon executives seem to favor egalitarianism in TROP and The Wheel of Time. 2. Disney dooms its ‘family friendly’ image Star Wars fans keep fighting their dark sides This year brought Boba Fett (mixed) and Obi-Wan (mixed-negative). Stephen didn’t hate Boba Fett, but after that we got bad Disney news. Andor’s approach seems to have won over fans (Stephen hasn’t seen it). Yet the perception continues: Star Wars is at best adrift in its own space. Disney’s ‘not so secret’ agenda ruins the magic In late March, Chris Rufo leaked video of Disney creators being honest. This voiced to what many Christians suspected (even back in the ’90s). Perhaps this great corporation “thought we wouldn’t notice, but we did.” That summer, audiences bombed both Lightyear and Strange World. Critics liked them, and were just aw-shucks confused why families didn’t. We yet stand by our takes on streaming-service boycotts in episode 41. Meanwhile, Disney’s just had some lackluster stuff, like Disenchanted. 3. Marvel and DC super-fatigue crash-lands She-Hulk and more makes Marvel fans get angry A lot of this is related to the Disney doomed magic. They own all things. Stephen skipped all Marvel TV shows this year. Hawkeye was meh. (By the way, actual prayers for the recovering Jeremy Renner!) Lots of fans have been feeling that “meh,” from MCU movies and shows. Now the Mouse has dumped Bob Chapek and reverted to its last Bob. This older Bob implies he’ll be less political—meaning less obviously so? But the big issue seems to be this emphasis on quantity > quality. “Superhero fatigue” is real, but it’s frankly not the heroes’ fault. DC hires villains(?) to ‘Gunn’ down popular heroes While the MCU has too much meh content, DC is self-immolating. In late October, Henry Cavill announced his return as Superman. Weeks later, new DC Studios co-chief James Gunn cancelled that news. Stephen’s article argues that Gunn creates “deathworks” and will ruin DC. Com station Paul Regnier remarked on Stephen’s article: The “reconstruction” of Superman you talked about reminded me of the path Captain America took in the Marvel universe. They may have experienced some dissolution of their original outlook on things, but their noble drive only became more sharpened because of it. The current Marvel path is pretty disappointing as well. After watching Thor Love and Thunder, I can’t imagine spending another dime on a Thor sequel. Andrew Trauger also remarked: It’s also yet another display of a profound lack of originality. Few movies or TV shows are portraying truly original content, preferring instead to milk a formula to its bitter end (and well beyond). While woke ideology, political correctness, sodomy, a

You’ve just time-traveled. At the approximate rate of 60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours per day, you’ve crossed into a new year. As per usual, to start our 2023 season of Lorehaven’s Fantastical Truth, we’ll review the top ten articles, news, and pages at Lorehaven.com last year. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Silver Bounty by Victoria McCombs The Gift of Dragons by Rachel A. Greco Infernal Fall by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand Any candy from your stocking? We make cinnamon rolls and good stuff. Some of these topics deal with sensitive subject matter. Rightfully so. And because we’ve got ten of them, we’ll try to go more quickly. Lorehaven’s 2022 top ten: 10–8 10. 126. How Can We Respond With Grace and Truth to Christian Cringe? | with Kevin McCreary, Aug. 23, 2022 Maybe you’ve heard about that one church that just did a “Christian” version of the musical “Hamilton,” and of course got criticized by the creators and savaged by secular media. Or maybe last Easter you heard about the other church that did a “Christian” version of “Avengers,” just as they’ve adapted (or parodied?) other fantasy franchises. Christian cringe. Most of us have grown up seeing the controversial “art” our brothers and sisters keep making for the sake of evangelism or entertainment. How can we be truthful about these controversial cringe attempts, while also being gracious in Christ and faithful to his beloved saints? Today we’re joined by a surprise guest who has seen a lot of Christian cringe. IMPROV 9. About the Lorehaven Guild The Lorehaven Guild serves a community of heroes who gather to celebrate Christian-made fantastical fiction with delight and discernment. These stories include (but are not limited to) fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Heroes of the Guild will explore their favorite creative works in these genres. We will focus on Christian-made stories, yet occasionally include general market books. Guild heroes can join monthly Main Quest parties that travel into the fantastical worlds of new books. We will explore these stories’ beauty, goodness, and truth (and opposites!), applying their meanings to the real world of our ultimate Author. Heroes can also join occasional Side Quest parties that travel into other books, such as older Christian-made stories or general market novels. How to join the Lorehaven Guild Subscribe free to Lorehaven! We’ll send you the exclusive invitation link. Then, use the Discord app or your browser to enter the Lorehaven Guild. Once inside the Guild, you can browse the Lorehaven Sacred Scrolls faith statement (this one only applies to Lorehaven staff creators). Then you’ll sign off on the Code of Honor (this one applies to all Guild members). Once you finish, enter the Great Hall and pass into the Guild itself. Starting Monday, Jan. 9, we begin our next book quest: Prince Caspian We’ve also opened an expanded Studio and Media Room for heroes 8. ‘Fast and Furious’ Movies Prove That Fantasy Can Become Propaganda, W. S. Fulkerson, April 11 “We’re family,” the famous street-racer claims of his friends, but this idea actually subverts the biblical beauty of God-given adoption. This article proved very controversial, likely one of the most we’ve had. It led to creative team discussion about how we discern pop culture. We also shared a response from guest author H. L. Burke. Found Family Stories Can Reflect Christ’s Redemption in Reality and Fiction Lorehaven’s 2022 top ten: 7–5 7. Subscribe to Lorehaven 6. Amazon ‘Rings of Power’ Promos Threaten to Burn Middle-Earth in the Fires of Industry, Mike Duran, Feb. 28 The studio’s teaser trailer and fake “superfans” video appropriates J. R. R. Tolkien’s canon and the good will of fans. . . . A good example of this disregard may be a YouTube video, uploaded by Amazon Prime Video UK, entitled “Lord Of The Rings Superfans Review The Rings Of Power Official Teaser Trailer.” The video consists of four twenty-somethings gushing over the trailer. What are they so excited about? Well, one of the “superfans” squees that “Sauron is hot.” Another foresees that this series, unlike Peter Jackson’s trilogy, will pass the Bechdel Test by having two women speak to each other about something other than men. Yet their predominant praise heaped upon the trailer was that the series is apparently making a push toward ethnic diversity. They reach this conclusion because the trailer features a black elf and a black dwarf, ethnicities never before featured in either the source material or the Jackson trilogy. This effort by the creators to represent more minority characters gave one panelist hope that as a “queer disabled” person, she may one day see people like herself represented in Middle-earth. Apparently, Amazon’s new “superfans” see Tolkien’s epic mythology as simply a vehicle for diversity and inclusion.

We’re preparing for the end of our 2022 podcast season. Between this year and the next, Zack and Stephen will enjoy a two-week break. First, however, we should open one last podcast present. With all due respect for amazing toys, we’d like to talk about useful gifts we received but still remember years later. In the words of C. S. Lewis’s Father Christmas, which “tools, not toys” at Christmas helped you grow as a person? Support the Schlegel family Fundraiser for the Schlegel family Mary Schlegel on Fantastical Truth episode 71 Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Calor by J. J. Fischer The Gift of Dragons by Rachel A. Greco Infernal Fall by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Intro: Here’s what we mean by ‘tools, not toys’ In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the great Aslan’s power has finally begun to thaw the land of Narnia. Father Christmas is finally able to enter and perform his delightful duties. He serves Aslan, Narnia’s king. (In fact, if Aslan is a reflection of Christ, then Father Christmas is a reflection of Aslan.) Father Christmas is no mere Santa-cosplayer. . . . He cares not for materialism or gifts-by-obligation or excessive indulgence in any good thing. Instead, he joyously provides for the children’s and the Beaver couple’s immediate needs. He even gifts them a small feast, hearkening to future celebration of victory. Best of all, Father Christmas grants each child a gift that is wonderful, yet also suited to each child’s abilities and real-world callings. When he describes Peter’s sword, he seriously reminds him, “These are tools, not toys. … Bear them well.” Each gift comes with “conditions” on its use, especially given the Pevensies’ royal duties and the forthcoming battle. Yet this is not deathly seriousness. Father Christmas gives serious, joyful life. To borrow Lewis’s later thought in The Last Battle, Father Christmas models “a kind of happiness and wonder that makes you serious,” which is “too good to waste on jokes.” —from C. S. Lewis Despised ‘Exmas’ Cards and Cosplays, But Loved Serious Celebration 1. What great Christmas toys do we remember? 2. Why might kids at Christmas feel awkward getting older? 3. Which Christmas gift tools helped us to mature? Mission update Subscribe free at Lorehaven.com and join the Lorehaven Guild. We’re remodeling for 2023, adding new rooms to the Guild castle. Also starting in January, we return to Narnia in Lewis’s Prince Caspian. Check the website for more info about that upcoming book quest. Please pray for Lorehaven as we plan new content for a new year! Next on Fantastical Truth It’s a clip show! Well, sort of. Those would actually be even more challenging for us to make. Instead, we’ll look back on the biggest stories we’ve followed about fantastical stories in the year 2022, including any updates from any previous guests and authors whom we could grab during the break.

Some months ago, a certain other Lord of the Rings-ish TV show prompted some fans to say, “Now we’re really going to appreciate The Hobbit film trilogy!” But after that certain other show, we saw little appreciation. Mostly the fans wanted to criticize that certain other show. Some of us never stopped appreciating The Hobbit films. That’s why we feel so alone in a company of Dwarves who really seem to hate that series. Today our special guest returns for some friendly sparring about the trilogy, whose first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, released ten years ago this week! Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Calor by J. J. Fischer The Gift of Dragons by Rachel A. Greco Infernal Fall by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Returning with ‘Rilian’ of NarniaWeb’s Talking Beasts podcast Rilian and Stephen met on the NarniaWeb forum back in the mid-2000s. Rilian’s podcast, also with GlumPuddle, is now known as Talking Beasts. They explore Narnia books and films, interviewing scholars and actors. For example, Samuel West and Ben Barnes, who have both played King Caspian. In 2020, Rilian joined us to lament The Voyage of the Dawn Treader film. In 2021, we also reminisced about The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). 1. How did we track The Hobbit films’ development? 2. What did we think about An Unexpected Journey? 3. Do fans really hate The Hobbit parts 2 and 3? Com station People are still talking about when to play Christmas music, the best and worst. Many more Guild heroes and other listeners had Christmas music takes. In the Guild, Mr. Roboto clarified his position on one classic tune: My list, mentioned in the podcast, was for Christmas music written by Jewish people. I’d like to make it very clear that I do not endorse “Santa Baby” or approve of any version of the song. Similarly, “Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog” was the unfortunate choice of an Episcopal bishop for his investiture. He was easily persuaded that he could be “relevant” to the “coffee- house Christian set” by having a folk guitarist play “Stille Nacht” and sing it in German. Fantasy author Catherine Jones Payne said: Santa Baby is the worst and it’s not close. Andy Sheehan observed: Last Christmas by Wham! is a violation of the Geneva Convention. Sarah Daniels said: Worst? And so This is Christmas by John Lennon. One of the most depressing songs ever. Best? Tough call, but I’d have to say for me it’s a split between The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole and Christmas Time is Here from The Charlie Brown Christmas special. I myself like to wait until Thanksgiving to play Christmas music…otherwise I get burnt out on it. Karl D. Swenson added: Easy one: Santa Claus is coming to town by Bruce Springsteen makes me cringe every time. . . . “HEY MAN! YOU GUYS ALL-YOU GUYS ALL BEEN GOOD THIS YEAR?” *CROWD RESPONSE* “AAAW THATS NOT MANY NOT MANY…” Lorehaven mission log Josiah’s article last week: How to Discern Moral Christian Fiction Without Expecting Sermons The Gift of Dragons review last week Power Play review this Friday (link will go live then) Next on Fantastical Truth We’re preparing for the end of our 2022 podcast season. Between this year and the next, Zack and Stephen will enjoy a two-week break. First, however, we should open one last present. What’s inside? With all due respect for amazing toys, we’d like to talk about useful gifts we received but still remember years later. In the words of C. S. Lewis’s Father Christmas, which “tools, not toys” at Christmas helped you grow as a person?

It’s the holiday season! So we would like to say a few words: Whoop-de-do. Also: hickory-dock. These inspiring words come from just exa-a-actly the worst-written Christmas song you may have ever heard of. But you have heard of it—and many others. Which songs are your least favorite? Which fantastical songs are the best? And when should you start listening to Christmas music? Should we Christians fight, even politely, over “secular” versus “sacred” Christmas songs? Hum along with us while we begin a new podcast season: Christmas Magic. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Calor by J. J. Fischer The Gift of Dragons by Rachel A. Greco Infernal Fall by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand Enjoy early candy canes, chocolate drops, and for the British, tangerines! We’ll assume that it’s okay to celebrate Christmas (is this a future topic?). We mean no insult to any classic or new artists, not even Andy Williams. Music, like stories, can bring strong emotion. All this is tongue-in-cheek. We’re quoting some comments from heroes in our Lorehaven Guild! Finally, if we’re very festive, we might break into (public domain) songs. No holiday shade meant. It’s just not exa-a-actly great writing. (Stephen is accountable for this meme.) 1. When should you start the Christmas music? 2. What are the best fantastical Christmas songs? 3. Which are the worst Christmas songs you hear? Com station Last week, Angel Studios premiered their Wingfeather Saga series. One week earlier, DailyWire+ had another fantasy series to announce. Carey Green commented: I’m half way through the cycle now and have loved it. Lisa added her anticipation: It took me 10 minutes to read this short article because I am BEYOND excited!! Please be quality, please my favorite author and my favorite series (tied with his Song of Albion). When I first read these books 30+ years ago, it made me want to be a better Christian. So, so good! Chris pleaded with series creators (whoever they are): Please please please do this series justice. Could be a cultural phenomenon if don’t right Finally, inkslingerjournal slung some ink: I read the first three books when they were released and it was one of the best stories and they remain with me all these years later. Lorehaven mission log Don’t miss Marian Jacobs’s popular article about accidental legalism. Next up: Josiah DeGraaf explores discerning morality in Christian fiction. Find our new reviews for Aberration and Calor (which releases today). We’re also starting our Dream of Kings book quest in the Guild. Subscribe free to Lorehaven for updates plus to become a Guild hero! After a rush of new heroes, we’ve renovating the Guild castle for 2023. New rooms are opening in “beta” stage to explore new conversations. Next on Fantastical Truth Some months ago, a certain other Lord of the Rings-ish TV show prompted some fans to say, “Now we’re really going to appreciate The Hobbit film trilogy!” But after that certain other show, we saw little appreciation. Mostly the fans wanted to criticize that certain other show. Stephen says he never stopped appreciating The Hobbit films, yet feels alone in a company of Dwarves who really seem to hate those movies. Next week an old friend returns to explore the Hobbit film trilogy, whose first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, released ten years ago this month.

Before our new season of Christmas Magic, let’s finish off our Dystopian Doom series with a whole other wicked government for you to rise up against. In a world ruled by twelve alliances, one young man has a chance to compete in The Chase for a chance to pass exactly one law. But how can a newly freed people live under grace? Bradley Caffee, author of The Chase Runner series, dashes into the studio and leads the resistance. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Aberration by Cathy McCrumb Mountain Brook Fire, Wraithwood by Alyssa Roat David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing author Bradley Caffee Bradley Caffee created the Chase Runner series (The Chase, The Choice, and The Change). He trained for vocational ministry through the Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary before spending 12 years in the pastorate. In the pulpit he learned his love of story-telling. In April 2013, he began the work of transforming an idea into his first novel, The Chase. He now lives in North Carolina with his wife and children. BradleyCaffee.com @BradleyCaffeeAuthor on Instagram @BradleyCaffeeAuthor on Facebook Lorehaven reviews The Chase (and The Change and The Choice): Readers who catch a second wind will find a gripping adventure and reason to anticipate the next match. 1. What ideas and images formed your story-world? 2. How do Christians see dystopian stories differently? 3. What’s next for your fantastical creative journey? Meanwhile at Lorehaven Our guild is finishing On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Next up: Sharon Hinck’s newest fantasy Dream of Kings. Subscribe free to Lorehaven and get your Guild invitation. New article: Even If We Like Fantasy and Sci-Fi, We Can Still Practice Accidental Legalism We’re already planning our content for 2023; please pray for us! Next on Fantastical Truth It’s the holiday season! And “whoop-de-do, and hickory-dock. Don’t forget to hang up your sock.” This is just the best Christmas song ever, and you can fight Stephen on that—except he’ll throw the match because he was being sarcastic. Without a doubt this is the worst-written Christmas song he’s ever heard of. But you have heard of it. And many others. When should you start listening to Christmas music? What are the best songs? Should we Christians fight, even politely, over “secular” versus “sacred” Christmas songs? Hum along with us while we begin a new podcast season: Christmas Magic.

Welcome to the world of the Consortium, which uses nanotech implants to turn people into hyper-logical beings. The young woman Recorder is one of these, assigned with her neural implant to high-tech record-keeping. When she’s cut off from that technology, can she discover humanity before the Consortium discovers her? That’s Recorder by Cathy McCrumb, whose sequel Aberration releases this month. Cathy arrives in the studio where we will use some technology but keep our humanity, thank you very much, to explore these heavy questions with a light touch. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Aberration by Cathy McCrumb Mountain Brook Fire, The Chase by Bradley Caffee David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing novelist Cathy McCrumb Cathy McCrumb handles heavy subjects with a light touch, keeping the novel from grimness. Recorder is a creative and engaging novel that will appeal to a broad audience. —Lorehaven review of Recorder Cathy McCrumb is author of the Children of the Consortium science fiction series. She graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children and currently live within the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. While writing is one of her favorite things to do, she also enjoys reading, long hikes and long naps, gluten-free brownies and raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction movies with friends and family. Most of her imaginary friends are nice people. CathyMcCrumb.com Facebook: @CathyMcCrumb.Author Instagram: @CathyMcCrumbAuthor 1. What ideas and images formed your story-world? 2. How does your story explore human dystopia? 3. What’s next for your fantastical creative journey? Com station Krisyoungwrites on Instagram remarked on episode 137: I thought Huxley was closer to being right. Hence the Love Collective… 😂 Carol Carr commented about the same episode: They’re both worse, in different ways. I think 1984 is more likely to happen. Remember its original title was 1948. It was so close then. Meanwhile at Lorehaven We’re planning new articles before and after Thanksgiving Day. Want new middle-grade sci-fi? We reviewed Trouble in the CTC! Next on Fantastical Truth One week in advance: Happy Thanksgiving week! We’re taking next Tuesday off to spend time with our families. When we return for Tuesday, Nov. 29, we’ll bring a whole other dystopian government for you to rise up against. In a world ruled by twelve alliances, one young man has a chance to compete in The Chase for a chance to pass exactly one law. But how can a newly freed people live under grace? Bradley Caffee, author of The Chase Runner series, will dash into the studio and lead the resistance for our next episode.

Just in time for Election Day, we’ve begun our new series: Dystopian Doom. That means we should start with the two most infamous dystopian novels ever made. You’ve heard of them and may have already read them—Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). What are their differences? Which villain is worse, the flippant Mustapha Mond or the torture of Big Brother? And, of course, which one of these dystopian dooms are we more likely to confront today? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Aberration by Cathy McCrumb Mountain Brook Fire, Wraithwood by Alyssa Roat David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Quotes and notes Leaked Documents Outline DHS’s Plans to Police Disinformation What is Elon Musk’s X, the ‘everything’ app? Here’s what you need to know Brave New World vs. 1984: Which dystopian future is scarier? Peacock stars agree Which Dystopian Novel Got It Right: Orwell’s ‘1984’ or Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’? (Published 2017) Fantastical Truth ep. 55. Should Christians Embrace Cultural and Digital Enclaves? | with Austin Gunderson Concession stand If you’re listening in the U.S. on release date, “happy” Election Day! If you’re listening weeks afterward, we’re still counting votes. This is fine. Like any Dystopian Doom episode, we avoid specific parties/policies. But these issues of basic humanity are supra-political, beyond politics. They’re far more about how we recognize and organize moral realities. Please note that neither Huxley or Orwell was a professing Christian. Also, big discernment note: both these novels include sensual scenes. We’ll speak cautiously about these, and ask: which one wears it better? For that reason, Stephen doubts those scenes are appropriate for teens. Read in early adulthood, or if you struggle with some sins, avoid them. 1. How does Brave New World ‘condition’ humans? This world has a little-known name; it’s referred to as the World State. Book opens with all worldbuilding: a human embryo/caste growth lab. We then move to labs where people are forcibly educated/conditioned. This is how people get sorted in society, but they all legitimately like it. If you don’t like it, you can always take the drug “soma,” or pop culture. Movies are “feelies.” Music, families, and even religion are all synthetic. Many chapters later we meet actual main characters, and many shocks. Our “heroes” are Bernard Marx and Lenina Crowne (name meanings?). Key phrases include “Community, identity, stability” (World State Motto). “Everyone belongs to everyone else” shows total sexual libertinism. “Spending is better than mending” calls for total consumerism. We’re shocked by how the World State hates life, religion, and families. Ultimately the novel ends tragically, with the one empathetic hero killed. 2. How does 1984’s Big Brother torture humans? This world’s name is also more popular: the totalitarian Oceania. But the world is split into three huge states: Oceania versus two others. Orwell introduces his central hero, Winston Smith, almost immediately. Smith begins to discover his own “wrongthink” against Big Brother. He also falls in love with a morally dubious woman named Julia. All along, Winston helps introduce us to this clearly totalitarian state. You’ve heard the phrase “Oceania has always been at war with East Asia.” No doubt you’ve also heard “thought police,” “memory hole,” “ministry of truth.” People often reference “Newspeak,” “wrongthink,” “unpersons,” and other terms. On top of all the worldbuilding, it’s a genuine suspenseful spy thriller. We’re shocked by the novel’s prescience about big-tech surveillance. Also, Orwell names names: Big Brother’s philosophy is called “Ingsoc.” That’s short for “English socialism,” tying that personality cult to his present. 3. Which dystopia is morally worst or most realistic? 1984 reminds us of obvious government/big tech totalitarian control. Orwell’s evil is top-down, over top of basically decent people. Yet Huxley’s Brave New World is closer to our reality in Western culture. Our “conditioning” is less overt, often volunteered by popular culture. We find clever nonpartisan ways to blend consumerism and sex-worship. But we’re approaching the point of overt government power in culture. Some government leaders intentionally endorse Huxleyan sex-worship. It’s much easier to root for the hero Winston Smith over Bernard Marx. Being unconditioned, Winston somehow inherits a morality we support. Marx is mostly conditioned and so he ends up little changed by the end. But most people know that (spoiler) Winston learns to love Big Brother. 1984 actually fakes a happy ending, while Brave New World is tragedy. Ultimately the Huxley version is more realistic about human nature. Big Brother must impose evil, whereas the World State simply feeds it. Both

Once upon a time, evangelical subcultures loved spiritual warfare books and prairie romances. We liked angel figurines and Amish novels. We shared adult coloring books starring small boys who have afterlife visions. Now our subcultures have been overtaken by another trend—politics. When and why did this happen? Should we try to change it? Welcome to Dystopian Doom, our next series of episodes about bad governments and good citizens. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Aberration by Cathy McCrumb (ebook, hardcover, audio CD) Mountain Brook Fire, The Chase by Bradley Caffee (audiobook, ebook, paperback David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Quotes and notes How Political Punditry Has Taken Over Christian Popular Subcultures, Jan. 14, 2021 Concession stand Happy post-Halloween! Check your kids’ candy, lest they find politics. By evangelical popular culture, we mean an entire world of things. This includes names, bands, shows, leaders, books, memes, and beyond. By politics we mean “matters of public policy,” that is, law and culture. Not just people/parties and working/professional/rivalrous relationships. We do believe politics do matter a lot to Christians’ witness in the world. If you doubt us, check our social feeds. We talk about politics some. In fact, I’d specifically disagree with folks who try to minimize politics. Usually “public witness”/nuance sorts ignore realities like Sexualityism. To ignore crucial, gospel-altering issues like these is to lie to one’s self. And we contend that some issues are not political but religious conflicts. But. If everything is politics, then nothing is. It’s all work and no rest. You may find some old evangelical fandoms making cameos in here. We also follow our episode 40, about how stories shape views of politics. 1. How did Christian fads create political obsessions? Our memory/research is very generalized, going back to the 1970s. 1970s: the Jesus Movement, early Christian rock and roll, early end times. 1980s: more end times, CCM, kids’ audio and videos, spiritual warfare. 1990s: even more politics, sentimental angels, upgraded end times, Y2K. 2000s: more Left Behind, men got to man up!, Prayer of Jabez, Sept. 11. 2010s: few trends, coloring books, Jesus Calling, Christian social dramas But at this point politics really began taking over even Christian movies 2. How does politics reign over evangelical cultures? In the 2000s the issue was terrorism and concerns over militant Islam. In the 2010s we had confusion between policies and actual faith issues. E.g., people acted like (if not believed) taxes and borders mattered more. Now we see Christian/Muslim teamups over one bigger, important issue. In this decade, we’re seeing unity against the Sexualityism crusades. More candidates are supporting/opposing this view of faith/life/family. (For Stephen’s part, this is his personal “trinity” of single-issue voting.) In that case, these issues are far more about how we imagine the world. Speaking “in fiction,” they’re about worldbuilding, not just neutral policy. Literally we’re dealing not with human law, but how we see natural law. So how much more do we need more than civil laws to defend these? We’ve needed proactive stories that imagine/challenge faith/life/family. And yet until very recently, only a few Christians have emphasized this. 3. Why must we invest in stories, not just policies? From the original article: We bought into promises from political activists and candidates to help us build a better America from the top-down, and the top-down only. Most of us took that shortcut. We dumped resources into forging political movements, political nonprofits, political fundraising, networks, pundits, activism, campaigns, and . . . debates galore, neverending debates on all our websites and podcasts and platforms. All these pushed all the other Christian popular subcultures to the margins. . . . Our cultural imagination collapsed. Promising niche offerings, such as uniquely Christian audio drama, went unsupported and thus underfunded. Big Idea Productions went bankrupt and was bought out (yet now it could still come back, thanks to streaming Christian media). “Contemporary Christian music” also lives on, yet often reduced to simpler “worship” tunes that are suitable mainly for churches (where you can’t sing cleverer songs about how they don’t serve breakfast in Hell). Even if all that stuff earned the same attention, it’s nowhere near the level that U.S. Christians give to politics: candidates, pundits, movements, debates, obsessions. . . . I contend a Christian popular subculture obsessed only with politics is a weaker subculture. Even if you were a shallow Christian who had turned his faith into a means toward political ends, it would make zero sense to focus exclusively on politics. Even for such a Christian, you

You’ve heard about them in sermons. You’ve seen their name in dozens of Christian-made fantastical books’ back covers. And now, I’m not saying our next monster for Monster Month was nephilim, but it was nephilim. Join us for this giant controversy. They get such a quick cameo in Genesis 6 but get a starring role in many Christian speculations. Who were these critters? Why do they appear in so many Christian fantasy novels? And do they even matter in the grand scheme of the gospel according to the Scripture? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck (Amazon ebook, hardcover, audio CD) Mountain Brook Fire, The Tethered World by Heather L. L. Fitzgerald (audiobook, ebook, paperback) David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Quotes and notes “There’s More to See in the Unseen Realm,” Lexham Press “Nephilim: Who Were They?”, Bodie Hodge, Answers in Genesis Fallen: The Sons of God and the Nephilim, Tim Chaffey’s big book “Story Shutdowns,” Stephen in April 2013 “Just Reached My Fill of Nephilim,” Stephen in August 2013 A Critique of Heiser’s Interpretation of the Nephilim by Dr. Jordan B. Cooper Book of Enoch, The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, editor, R. H. Charles Concession stand Stephen and Zack plan to monster-brawl about this one, on purpose. But be forewarned: somehow, Stephen’s grown really sick of Nephilim. In fact, nearly ten years ago, in 2013, he wrote this article about it. Lots of Christian fans, however, seem really interested in these critters. Stephen wants to respect that, also to be honest about his reactions. If you’re new to this show, we support biblical speculation, even fantasy. For instance, we like The Chosen, and don’t like the silly criticisms of it. We have, however, four whole gospels about Jesus Christ to explore. And we have only four short verses about the pre-Flood Nephilim. We will ask: Should we base so much speculation on just a few verses? Many Christian fans and authors we do respect write about Nephilim. Some folks have even been on this show, like Brian Godawa in 2020. Anyway, if I step on some clawed creature-toes, know it’s not personal! We must assume truths about biblical canon and textual criticism. Also, your view of these creatures might reflect your own church background. 1. What does the Bible say about Nephilim? Let’s open God’s word to the book of Genesis, chapter 6: When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. (Genesis 6:1–4) Here’s one other reference (with a name inspiring a Star Wars villain): … Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy [the land of Canaan], for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him [to scout out the land] said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (Numbers 13:30–33) That’s it. That’s everything the Bible says about Nephilim by name. In later Old Testament books, you do hear more about the giants. These giants fight for the Philistines, killed by David and his mighty men. The same words, “mighty men,” describe Nephilim and David’s soldiers. Just to be clear: there’s nothing here about Satan, demons, or creatures. On first reading, the Genesis text could be describing any kind of group. On first reading, the Israelite spies could be likening giants to legends. And that’s the idea given by the commentary of The ESV Study Bible: Nephilim. The meaning of this term is uncertain. It occurs elsewhere in the OT only in Num. 13:33, where it denotes a group living in Canaan. If both passages refer to the same people, then the Israelite spies (Num. 13:33) are expressing their fears of the Canaanites by likening them to the ancient men of renown. Although in Hebrew Nepilim means “fallen ones,” the earliest Greek translators rendered it gigantes, “giants.” This idea may have been mistakenly deduced from Num. 13:33; one must be cautious about r

If it’s not one creepy critter, it’s another, here in Monster Month. Next to rise up moaning, not from the crypt but from the secret lab, it’s mad scientists. Whether it’s Victor Frankenstein from Frankenstein, or all those Marvel villains, or the folks who let loose dinosaurs from Jurassic Park—or the scientists actively trying to experiment on mutilating humans in the real world—mad science just won’t stop. What’s unique about these monsters and the monsters they make? Why do they seem to take the Devil’s promise, “you will be like God,” as their gospel? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media: Frankenstein adapted by A. S. Peterson (Amazon, Audible, SoundCloud) Mountain Brook Fire: Wraithwood by Alyssa Roat (audiobook, ebook, paperback) David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded podcast Concession stand In episode 60, we asked why real researchers don’t heed stories’ warnings. We surveyed ideas of gene editing, sentient robots, and transhumanism. Much of that episode was all about the “what.” Now we ask: Why? In this one, we’ll focus more on the fictional/real “mad scientist” figure. Many stories ignore this once-popular villain. Science is good, you see. Old Marvel: Dr. Osborne goes “back to formula,” and goes mad. New Marvel: Tony Stark makes a monster, then tries again, makes a hero. New Marvel, again: Peter Parker uses science to try curing all the villains. We assume (not try to prove) mad scientists want to make monsters. Our only question is: why? So today we will focus on human idols. Our key assumption here is that man is sinful, as the Scripture says. Science, like man, started out good. But any good thing can get twisted. Lewis in The Great Divorce says strongest fallen angels make fiercer devils. Thus we do assume this truism: mad scientists are the real monsters. Finally, some of this touches on politics. But we’ll try to focus on culture. 1. Mad-science monsters want power. Many Christians fear human power, and this is one reason why. We’ve had years of people (rightly and wrongly) fearing this bad power. But this challenge is far older than all the recent political disputes. Whether it’s climatology or war-planning, scientists like being in control. Stephen’s Tshirt says, “God created science!” It’s a good power to have. And hey, being in control is fun. I like it, even planning Lorehaven stuff. But this gets more dangerous when you have authority over others. Scripture recognizes this about kings and even soldiers (cf. Luke 7:8). Kings are a good idea. Organizations are necessary. Order > disorder. But we derive this power from God. We have no authority without him. Frankly, that’s why I’m by default skeptical about secular scientists. I think it’s naivete to assume they’re not tempted by power and control. This goes double when mad science meets government bureaucracy. Then when you get secular moralism in there, the lab will just explode. The first godly attribute stolen for a mad-science monster: sovereignty. Chapter 2: These monsters want to re-create men. The second item stolen for evil secret labs: the gift of creation. Mad science abuses other people, and body parts, to attempt creation. Here we could add a whole other spread of concession-stand items. But if you’ve been tracking the news, you know the modern analogue. Last week I heard one American state wants to impose this madness. They want to give mad science power over kids, denying parents power. They want to give mad scientists sole right of “remaking” confused kids. We might even make some reference here to “mad social science”! Back in 2003, my old Catalog of Tomorrow predicted body modification. It suggested growing horns, weird piercings, or wearable electronics. No contributor to that book counted on the evil of sexual imperialism. That’s a great term for it, over “sexual revolution” (credit Andrew Klavan). Your revolution method may vary. Here, we fight evil with better stories. This is a better way to remake humans, from the inside imagination. It’s closer to the Holy Spirit’s work. He alone has power to alter men. 3. Mad-science monsters want eternal life. I can empathize. Do you want to live forever? Of course, we all do. This is a third gift that evil will corrupt: power, creation, and life itself. Of course we see this most overtly in sci-fi transhumanism notions. But I’m thinking of another way this works itself out more subtly. I think of the constant references to “right side of history.” I also think of power/creation attempts, to gain such omni-ish power. This is a kind of immortality: to be praised, well-known, for generations. Most aren’t trying to live forever. But they want their names to be great. This is a kind of glory-seeking that trespasses against God himself. “I am the LORD … and my glory will I not give to another” (Isaiah 42:8). For this one, we really need an eternal perspective (credit Randy A

Listen to them, the new fans of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. What music they make! As we continue exploring the Count’s evil castle in this month’s Lorehaven Guild book quest, we plan to peer deeper into this crypt. This year, over 200,000 readers have been reading Bram Stoker’s original classic novel, cheering its earnestly good heroes who fight this evil vampire’s predations. What have they thought about the story? How have they sought to respect the world they’re entering? And after many decades of showing Dracula as a cartoon or tragic figure, how can we better discern this villain and his horror versus the holiness of Christ’s power? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck (Amazon ebook, hardcover, audio CD) Mountain Brook Fire, The Tethered World by Heather L. L. Fitzgerald (audiobook, ebook, paperback) David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand Unlike the Count Dracula, we do sup. To-night we sup on concessions. This episode is a spiritual sequel to episode 39, with Geoffrey Reiter. There we focused mostly on Stoker; here we focus on new novel readers. It also follows from our last episode, Do Christians Really Need Horror? We see horror not as means to be “realistic” or edgy or to “get” legalists. Instead, we base our discernment of horror in the Bible and the gospel. This includes Dracula, a deeply Christian story now over 120 years old. The author, Bram Stoker himself, at least understood deep gospel ideas. Of course, we’re also exploring Dracula’s castle in our own book quest. Chapter 1: How did #DraculaDaily boost this book? Stephen is indebted to his wife Lacy for tracking this year’s Dracula fandom. This began last year. A chap called Matt Kirkland rediscovered the book. Slate.com has the whole story. He started with 1,600 readers in 2021. The New York Times has a newer story (we found this after we recorded!). Now something caught fire, and his newsletter has over 200,000 readers. Fans get the novel, unabridged, but rearranged by day of record entry. That way old and new fans can read the book in a new way, and slowly. The format has reinvigorated the “book club” concept, and Dracula. Kirkland says most traffic comes from Tumblr, doing something right! In this case, it’s not just a wretched hive of scum, villainy, and pronouns. Fans are speculating about the book, cheering, grieving, making fan art. As of this recording, fans are nearing the book’s conclusion, on Nov. 6. Next, we’ll survey some of the fans’ reactions to the book thus far. Chapter 2: How have new fans respected Dracula? Be not dismayed, fans of literature and Truth per a Christian worldview! Not all young readers appropriate stories as tools for their own tales. They are not rejecting the world’s creator and abusing it for their ill ends. They’re not projecting our own culture’s foolish religions over top of it. Instead, many Dracula readers are humbly entering this Victorian world. They’re rooting for Jonathan, falling in love with Lucy, admiring Mina. They support Dr. Seward and laughing with (not at) Quincey Morris. (Many loved Stoker’s incidental subversion of the “love triangle” trope!) (Stoker plays his trio of good men vs. the disordered vampire women.) And finally, they love the caring yet firm heroism of Dr. Van Helsing. Maybe even better, they’re catching on that many movies have ruined it. Stephen has never seen a whole Dracula movie, but has done research. Many movies, like Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 one, ruined the book. That film made Dracula into a sexy and sympathetically tragic villain. It also morally compromised the heroes, especially (and grossly) Mina. And these fans aren’t appreciating any of those changes, and rightfully so. For them, Jonathan, Lucy, and Mina are thoroughly victims of assault. For them, Dracula is a predator, not tragic/sexy, and needs to go down. And now some readers are discovering the many overt Bible allusions. Chapter 3: Can this help us recover fictional evil? It’s great now to return to Stephen’s hopes in our October 2020 episode. Stephen had hoped this story could help people discern modern evils. And so far, many fans have. They are feeling, not just seeing, parallels. Many fans silently long for wholesome, caring, strong, emotive heroes. They want Jonathan and Mina to build their marriage and resist evil. They want Dr. Seward and Quincey to be different, faithful, strong men. And they don’t think Dracula or his predatory methods are sexy at all. They’re insisting we get a faithful Dracula film adaptation or miniseries. They are wholly accepting this Victorian, morally charged worldview. Lots of Christians cite Narnia as a example of Holy Spirit gospel warmup. In the future some newer Christians will cite Dracula as a darker preparation. Among this many fans, God might use this story to bap

God reveals his truth to us through stories, especially the true stories and fictional parables in his word—and some of the stories he tells are scary. Horror is God’s idea, and he often uses this to prepare us for real-world monsters and dangers. Yet we’ve all seen or heard horror stories that are too disturbing. As a result, Christians often shun this genre. But how do darker stories help us flee toward the light of Christ? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio, The Rabbit Room Press Audio books: Henry and the Chalk Dragon, The Door on Half Bald Hill Mountain Brook Fire, Wraithwood by Alyssa Roat David Umstattd, The Pilgrim’s Progress Reloaded Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand This rare episode continues both our Fiction’s Chief End and Monster Month series. Christians might not hold as “doctrine” a belief that horror is bad. More likely, we find this belief lurking in the shadows of our minds. But some Christian leaders have gone on record opposing horror. “Horror is an example of a genre which was conceived in rebellion. It is based on a fascination with ungodly fear. It should not be imitated, propagated, or encouraged. It cannot be redeemed because it is presuppositionally at war with God.” —one homeschooling leader (since fallen into his own shadow) Some horror is not redemptive, only terrifying people for terror’s own sake. Some horror is ridden with other idols. Some is torture porn. Some is truly demonic. That’s why some Christian novels are labeled supernatural, paranormal, or dark fairy tale. In the Lorehaven library, we group horror titles under the label supernatural and beyond. Christians will have different convictions and instincts about horror. Your conscience may vary. But horror is not an unredeemable genre (like porn.) Horror is part of our cultural landscape. We’re aware of the “fire and brimstone” preaching excesses and other church fear tactics. Yet, we believe not all scary stories or fear-based appeals are wrong. Some may be necessary. This is more true in a culture that has diluted themes about God’s wrath against sin. Like our other episodes in the Fiction’s Chief End series, we’re trying to approach this proactively. That is, we do not assume that horror/darkness is a Fix for a Problem. Some people, including Christians, can use these as ways to rile others. They act like stories are a tool to “get at” people, rather than glorify God. So we do ignore all those notions, asking how horror stories exalt Jesus. 1. Horror stories are God’s idea “Only terror will cause you to understand the message” (Isaiah 28:19, CSB). Genesis 3 includes many horror elements: a secret villain, curses, banishment, avenging angels, a murder. God warns Cain by likening his temptation to a lurking monster (Gen. 4:7). The Bible includes horror language like undying worms, bad dreams, plagues, witches, and demons. Finally, Christ’s own crucifixion reaches the depths of the Bible’s horror: God’s wrath borne by Christ. 2. Horror brings the hidden dangers of sin to light “The fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning” (Exodus 20:20). We live in an age that minimizes man’s sin and God’s wrath. Many churches and even church networks are ignoring, excusing, or approving sin. Horror stories are therefore a blessing from God to shock us awake. Horror stories warn us of sin’s truly horrific consequences of sin. In an age of confusion and relativism, horror shines clear moral truth in the darkness. In the Bible, people spread factual horror stories that lead to repentance. Acts 5:1–11: see the key phrase, “… on all who heard these things.” Acts 19:13–18: note the key phrase, “When this became known…” Luke 8:26–39: hear the key phrase, “Those who had seen it told them…” These supernatural encounters had a powerful, secondary effect on people who heard the story. 3. Horror trains us to face real-world terror “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Jesus confirmed that we face good fears and bad fears (Luke 12:3–5). Fear itself is not the problem, but rather the object of our fears. It is natural and good to experience fear, but not all fears are healthy. Horror is the exploration of fear and the possible responses. Scary movies help personify our deepest fears and show that they can be overcome. Explore more in Christian novels with horror elements This Present Darkness, The Oath, and beyond by Frank E. Peretti Lilith by George MacDonald Perelandra by C. S. Lewis Descent into Hell by Charles Williams The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen Com station Abigail, hero of the Guild, knows Oasis Audio’s ancestor (ep. 130): Chapel of the Air! David and Karen Mains?! Ohhhh! They had a couple of excellent fantasy allegory book

What if humans who survived an apocalypse were forced to flee into the sky to escape a deadly mist? And what if one sky-diver, working aboard an airship, was hired to find the impossible: a way to eradicate the Mist for good? Of course, it helps little that the Mist is rising and threatening to turn humans into steampunk zombies. That’s the world of Morgan Busse’s Skyworld series that starts with Secrets in the Mist and finishes with Blood Secrets. In this episode, Morgan makes her Fantastical Truth debut. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Blood Secrets by Morgan L. Busse An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt Lost Bits by Kerry Nietz Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing fantasy novelist Morgan L. Busse Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series, The Soul Chronicles, The Ravenwood Saga, and now the Skyworld series that includes Secrets in the Mist and Blood Secrets. She is a three-time Christy Award finalist and winner of both the INSPY and the Carol Award for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel. Visit her website: MorganLBusse.com. “How Writing Helped Me Overcome My Fear of Flying,” Morgan L. Busse, Oct. 27, 2021 “I Want to Share With Other People Who God Is,” Lorehaven magazine, fall 2018 issue Chapter 1: How did you discover biblical faith and fantastic imagination? Chapter 2: What’s life like up in the steampunk sky? Chapter 3: What’s next in your creative fantastical future? Com station John Allison II on Twitter liked Josiah DeGraaf’s recent article: Ahhh, very nice. Now this is interesting and great to see. Patrick Kane Abbott also replied to that article: It will be an interesting shift for readers who are use to fluff/cringe “Christian fiction” to accept characters who are not perfect, do not always make the right decisions, and repeatedly fall (just like how everyone of us actually are). . . . I think I’m still scarred by my time being a book seller, but from what I gather the big sellers are still more fluffy than anything else. Meanwhile at Lorehaven Don’t miss Josiah’s article, which caused a lot of great discussion. As we’ve mentioned, we’re hosting a Hobbit virtual moot on Saturday, Oct. 1. Watch this week for a fantastic article about The Hobbit’s mythic origins. Then on Monday, Oct. 3, we begin our journey to defeat count Dracula. Subscribe free to Lorehaven updates and get your Lorehaven Guild invitation. Next on Fantastical Truth Our new Monster Month series has begun. During our next few episodes, we’ve scheduled stops at your favorite haunted house for some scary topics. Yet as with count Dracula, it’s not the power of evil but the power of Christ that compels us. That’s why we’re surveying the genre of horror. Then we’re learning how tens of thousands of new readers have discovered the holiness and horror of Dracula. Then we’ll stop by the mad scientist lab, and finally, by somehow popular demand, we’ll try to explore why we have all this Christian curiosity about the Nephilim. This spooky season, welcome to Monster Month.

Sept. 7: Steve Rzasa public library director, prolific novelist Sept. 13: Steve Laube literary agent, publisher of Enclave Publishing Sept. 20: Steve Smith president of Oasis Family Media You’ve met a librarian and novelist who flies spaceships and hunts monsters on the side, Steve Rzasa. Next you encountered a secret agent man who hunts new talent and publishes fantastical Christian-made stories, Steve Laube. For this series finale, you will meet one more Steve, who shares amazing adventures of yesteryear in riveting recorded form. There will be more spaceships and dragons. You’ll even soar high above the jungles of Christian publishing on the back of a … sky turtle? Yes indeed, our third and final Steve, Steve Smith, president of Oasis Family Media, will arrive to share more about Oasis Audio and beyond, and what’s next in this world. Join us for our thrilling conclusion to the Steve Saga. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: George MacDonald’s Lilith and Phantastes as well as George MacDonald: Scotland’s Beloved Storyteller by Michael R. Phillips An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt Lost Bits by Kerry Nietz Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Intro to Steve Smith Stephen D. (Steve) Smith is the president of Oasis Family Media, publishers of Oasis Audio books, Enclave Publishing and Sky Turtle Press. He was the producer/director of the 2018 multi-award nominated audiobook biography of Mr. Rogers, The Good Neighbor, narrated by Levar Burton, and the 2020 Christian Book Award-winning producer of the best Audiobook, Chasing Vines by Beth Moore. He is a 2022 recipient of the coveted Eisner Award for his translation of The Obscure Cities graphic novel, Shadow of a Man. He has worked in and around the Christian publishing industry since 1984. A lifelong reader of fantasy and science fiction, he cites Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, J. R. R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, and C. S. Lewis as key influencers in his life. 1. What’s the origin story of Oasis Audio, now called Oasis Family Media? How did the company get started and what audio did they publish? What led to the company’s interest in the Baum and Burroughs worlds? How did you meet your “variant,” Steve Laube, and later buy Enclave? 2. How and why does Oasis turn books into audio? Why do more people embrace audiobooks, often over print books? For fantasy/sci-fi, how do you handle name and place pronunciations? Stephen recognizes some of your narrators—where do you find them? 3. What’s the future of audiobooks and what’s next for Oasis Family Media? Now that Enclave is getting more titles, what are your hopes for this? Do you want to talk about Sky Turtle and this unique fantastical imprint? What other specific plans, or general hopes, can you reveal for Oasis? Com station Realm Makers co-founder Scott Minor on ep. 129: This interview with Steve Laube is a “Must Read” for any Christian author writing fantasy or science fiction. It is essential that you understand how the industry has evolved over the last 20 years since Bethany House published Kathy Tyers’ novel Firebird, the first science fiction story published in the Christian publishing industry. Thank you, Steve and Stephen for sharing the story here! @smithpetesmith (Twitter) on ep. 129: This is super encouraging to hear from a publisher of Christian fiction! @rob_kickok (Twitter) on ep. 129: Gonna listen. This is always a good conversation. Meanwhile at Lorehaven Follow us on all the socials. We have way more images on Instagram. We’re halfway through our Lorehaven Guild adventure in The Hobbit! Next month, we’re traveling to Transylvania for a darker journey. This week at Lorehaven.com, read Josiah DeGraaf’s next article in his How to Discern Christian Fiction series: How to Discern ‘Honest’ Christian Fiction Without Reveling in Darkness. We’ve taken an incidental hiatus from new reviews, but they’ll be back. Next on Fantastical Truth What if humans who survived an apocalypse were forced to flee into the sky to escape a deadly mist? And what if one diver, working aboard an airship, was hired to find the impossible: a way to eradicate the Mist for good? Of course, it helps little that the Mist is rising and threatening to turn human survivors into steampunk zombies. That’s the world of Morgan Busse’s Skyworld series that starts with Secrets in the Mist and finishes with Blood Secrets. And in our next episode, Morgan makes her Fantastical Truth debut to share these secrets.

The Steve Saga continues! Last week we invited librarian and novelist Steve Rzasa to explore his worlds of spaceships, superheroes, and a little steampunk. Now you could say we’re switching genres to a spy thriller. Well, perhaps not, but we do have a secret agent man arriving in the studio. He’s helped to discover some of your favorite authors, helped to create a lot of your favorite books in fiction and nonfiction, leads his own not-so-secret literary agency, and is also publisher of Enclave Publishing. Steve Laube is our next guest on Fantastical Truth. Sept. 7: Steve Rzasa public library director, prolific novelist Sept. 13: Steve Laube literary agent, publisher of Enclave Publishing Sept. 20: Steve Smith president of Oasis Family Media Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Flight by Kristen Young from Enclave Publishing An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt Lost Bits by Kerry Nietz Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand Enclave Publishing is now owned by Oasis Family Media, our top sponsor. Regardless of sponsor, we’d want to invite this particular Steve (and the next). Also, if you’re in the Christian writer world, you may have pitched to this chap. Psst: We’re no exception! But, as usual, this won’t be a writing-focused show. Instead we hope to hear Steve’s heart behind Enclave and all publishing. We want to look behind the scenes, just as if you were looking at a film set. Having heard Steve speak, we always appreciate his candor about this work! Introducing literary agent and fantastical fiction publisher Steve Laube Steve Laube has worked over forty years in the book industry. He’s been a bookstore manager and editor at Bethany House Publishers before he started his own literary agency. The Steve Laube Agency has since represented nearly 2,000 books across many different genres. In 2014, he bought an existing publisher of Christian-made fantastical fiction, now known as Enclave Publishing. Earlier this year the company was sold to a new owner, Oasis Family Media, with Steve still serving as publisher. He’s also the author of many nonfiction resources for Christian writers (including a new book releasing next year) and is president/owner of The Christian Writers Institute. Enclave Publishing The Steve Laube Agency Christian Writers Institute “Out-Of-This-World Stories,” Lorehaven cover story, fall 2019 “Steve Laube on Marcher Lord Press Regenerating Into Enclave Publishing,” June 2014 “Enclave Marches On: Q and A With Steve Laube,” June 2015 “Breaking News: Oasis Family Media Acquires Enclave Publishing,” Dec. 2021 Prologue: How did you discover biblical faith and fantastic imagination? Personal origin story From bookselling to Bethany House to The Steve Laube Agency What are your favorite fantastical novels, such as Dune and Ender’s Game? Chapter 1: What’s the Enclave Publishing story? Enclave developed from a previous publisher in 2014. The mission of Enclave Publishing The defining characteristics of Enclave books Chapter 2: Why does Enclave create Christian-made fantasy? Why we need “out-of-this-world stories informed by a coherent theology.” Christians bring unique gifts to the world of fantastical fiction. Christians face some challenges in this space. Chapter 3: What does the future hold for Enclave and Christian fantasy? Now with Oasis, what’s next for the Enclave universe? How do you hope to see Christian-made fantasy grow? What opportunities and dangers do you see? Com station @LyndseyLewellen commented on Instagram about ep. 128: It was a great interview. Loved the behind-the-scenes look into the library system and how they curate their selection. (Plus the geeky sci-fi/space opera chat.) @WriterVanessa added about that same episode and this series: The Steve Saga sounds info-packed! Meanwhile at Lorehaven We’ve begun our Book Quest for The Hobbit in the Lorehaven Guild. Next on Fantastical Truth Join us next time for our thrilling conclusion to the Steve Saga. For this finale you will enjoy amazing adventures of yesteryear in riveting recorded form. There will be more spaceships and dragons. You’ll even soar high above the jungles of Christian publishing on the back of a … sky turtle? Yes indeed, our third and final Steve for now, Steve Smith, president of Oasis Family Media, will next arrive to share more about the Oasis and what’s next in this world.

Sept. 7: Steve Rzasa public library director, prolific novelist Sept. 13: Steve Laube literary agent, publisher of Enclave Publishing Sept. 20: Steve Smith president of Oasis Family Media Not long ago we talked about church libraries and how these resources can help Christians find the best books, including (if not now, then in the future) Christian-made fantastical fiction. What then about public libraries? How can Christians best discern and enjoy this resource? We’re speaking with a public library director who also happens to be a prolific Christian novelist of sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, paranormal suspense, and beyond: Steve Rzasa. He is the first Steve for a new saga of epic episodes we’re assembling for September. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Flight by Kristen Young An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt Lost Bits by Kerry Nietz Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing library director and novelist Steve Rzasa Steve Rzasa doesn’t slay monsters, but he defeats word count goals and vanquishes overdue books. He’s the author of many novels of science-fiction and fantasy, including the award-winning tales Broken Sight, Mercury on Guard, and Mercury at Risk. When he’s not writing, he’s running a library in Wyoming. Find his stories at SteveRzasa.com. How did you discover biblical truth and fantastical stories? Chapter 1: Why do public libraries still matter in an internet age? Steve mentions the “Unshelved” webcomic by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes Chapter 2: How do you share great books at the library you lead? How did you get into the public library field? What’s your present role at your public library? What are myths and/or unsung benefits of public libraries for Christians? Chapter 3: What leads you to create so many fantastical story worlds? First books: The Face of the Deep series “PG” story worlds: Vincent Chen, Mercury Hale series, and beyond “PG-13” story worlds, including the Deception Fleet series with Daniel Gibbs Com station Abigail shared encouragement about ep. 127, about the Code of Honor: Good [episode]. Going over the Code of Honor was both helpful and insightful—not groundbreaking perhaps, but interesting to go over why things are done how they are around here. . . . Lots of good thoughts about how to read and discuss courteously as fans! Meanwhile at Lorehaven This week we’re going on an adventure in the Lorehaven Guild: The Hobbit! Also our advance review of The Change, book 3 of The Chase Runner series. Next on Fantastical Truth The Steve Saga continues, going from spaceships, superheroes, and a little steampunk to a spy thriller. Well, perhaps not, but we do have a secret agent man arriving in the studio. He’s helped put together a lot of your favorite books in fiction and nonfiction, leads his own literary agency, and is publisher of Enclave Publishing. Steve Laube will be our next guest on Fantastical Truth.

This week fans will be fixing to fight. This includes many Christian fans. We won’t say what they’ll fight about, except to say the topic is “prime” for debate. That’s like many topics that Christians dispute, not just relating to politics but relating to the stories we enjoy. Meanwhile in the Lorehaven Guild, we’re enjoying a respite from those clashes, and Lord willing we want to keep following our Code of Honor that applies to all members. How can Christian fans follow such honor codes wherever they go and whatever they debate? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Blood Secrets by Morgan Busse from Enclave Publishing The Lorehaven Guild: Sept. 2022 Book Quest for The Hobbit Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand We felt this topic was worth revisiting in light of that “prime” fan debate. However, like many of our episodes, we do want this theme to be evergreen. This is a spiritual sequel to our episode 115 about statements of faith. For all of Lorehaven, our creators must sign onto the faith statement. We also apply a written Code of Honor to every member of the Guild. Lorehaven is not a substitute for a biblical local church. But we do want to mimic any biblical faith statement—orthodoxy. We also uphold and expectations for Christian behavior—orthopraxy. If we know these, we’ll have confidence when we face ungodly behavior. This confidence is not based in power, but in Christlike truth and conduct. 1. Why we made a Code of Honor to help us respect all members Guild leaders and members must follow the Lorehaven Code of Honor. Keep to the Code. Lorehaven Guild members may not necessarily agree with the Sacred Scrolls faith statement (see above). However, please recognize that Lorehaven and the Lorehaven Guild are led by Christian guides. We encourage questions of the biblical gospel, but we cannot tolerate attempts to disparage this Christian faith or dissuade other members from following Jesus Christ. Respect everyone. Every person in your Quest party is created in God’s image. Every novel author is also created (and is creating) in God’s image! Because all people, whether celebrity, stranger, friend, or family, reflects this very image of God, they are worthy of respect. We will uphold this biblical, gracious respect. 2. How the Code of Honor aims to discipline controversial topics Avoid swearing, sex-talk, and harassment. Scripture says, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place” (Ephesians 5:4). We apply this standard to the Guild. Avoid vulgarities, profanities, and misuses of God’s title (including in acronyms). Yes, some books for Main Quests or Side Quests may include language we wouldn’t ourselves use in the Guild. If you’re uncertain about a word, avoid using it, or ask a Guild guide. Members must avoid sexualized comments about characters or actual harassment of real people. This does not refer to disagreements but does include (yet is not limited to) slander or vulgar language. Moderators will help with resolutions as needed. Beware of political issues. Some books and their Quests may naturally explore moral issues that relate to political conflicts. We encourage gracious discussion of these ideas and themes, as specifically related to the books. But members must avoid active discussion of specific political leaders, parties, or public policy. 3. What positive themes do we promote in the Lorehaven Guild? Celebrate fandom! Our quest is to explore Christian-made fantastical stories as readers. Aspiring writers can find many other communities about creative work. In the Guild, we will keep all our Quests focused on delighted, discerning fans. (Fantastic authors, heed the wisdom of Proverbs 27:2: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips”!) Enjoy your creative gifts. We don’t require but we do encourage Guild members in Quests to engage in virtual “cosplay.” Try taking personas of gallant knights, brave adventurers, ship captains, monster hunters, or whatever suits your God-given imaginative fancy. Quest guides will lead in this imaginative worldbuilding. If that’s not how you create, no pressure. Stay as normal as you like. Either way, whether or not we engage in virtual cosplay, we’re all fans of fantastic stories. Keep to the Quest road. If our Quest conversations diverge too far from the Quest’s main journey, pursue those smaller trails elsewhere. For example, if we end up discussing books different from the selection, move that conversation to another place, or request a future Side Quest to focus on that other book. Com station Nicholas Tieman remarked on episode 126 about Christian cringe: Fun fact: all high budget Christian cringe is made by a single individual, Cringelore, who gained the power to transcend time and decency after being bitten by a radioactive youth pa

Maybe you’ve heard about that one church that just did a “Christian” version of the musical “Hamilton,” and of course got criticized by the creators and savaged by secular media. Or maybe last Easter you heard about the other church that did a “Christian” version of “Avengers,” just as they’ve adapted (or parodied?) other fantasy franchises. Christian cringe. Most of us have grown up seeing the controversial “art” our brothers and sisters keep making for the sake of evangelism or entertainment. How can we be truthful about these controversial cringe attempts, while also being gracious in Christ and faithful to his beloved saints? Today we’re joined by a surprise guest who has seen a lot of Christian cringe. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Blood Secrets by Morgan Busse from Enclave Publishing P. S. Patton’s science fiction novel The Withering Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Introducing Kevin McCreary of Say Goodnight Kevin Kevin McCreary is a podcaster and video editor, host of the popular YouTube channel Say Goodnight Kevin. In said channel, Kevin roasts (sometimes even gently) Christian cringe movies of all sorts. Somehow this has helped him make connections with evangelical filmmakers and/or actors such as Alex Kendrick, Dallas Jenkins, and Pureflix’s David A. R. White. (But it seems Kevin Sorbo and Rich Christiano won’t come onto the show.) Kevin lives in Tennessee with his wife, currently editing videos for companies such as The Daily Wire. Concession stand Yes, Christian cringe can be subjective because people are very different. If you like a thing, even one we call “cringe,” don’t catch our embarrassment! At the same time, there are things that many Christians can’t help cringing at. This calls for discernment. We must “love the cringe-maker, hate the cringe.” Discernment goes double when some critics claim that our faith is “cringe.” No matter how cringey your spiritual family can be, we are called to grace. The point of identifying cringe is not to hate-watch this forever, but to grow. We do assume we can rightly expect art to fulfill objective excellence standards. 1. Okay, let’s have it all out: some Christian art is just plain cringe. One church was recently blamed for a “Hamilton” ripoff that added religion. See Variety: Lin-Manuel Miranda Calls Out ‘Illegal, Unauthorized’ Production of ‘Hamilton’ by Texas Church, Rebecca Rubin, Aug. 11, 2022. Last spring, critics lambasted a Canadian church for many other ripoffs. See Relevant Magazine, Watch This Church Crucify a Chumbawamba-Singing Iron Man For Easter, Tyler Huckabee, April 26, 2022: “We use whatever is most popular in pop culture in a particular year. We always give it our own name and our own spin…The simple answer is people, for the most part, today are not beating a path to their churches,” Hughes says. “They see them as archaic and irrelevant and outdated.” Yes, we can also include infamous Christian movies, such as the God’s Not Dead franchise. See Kevin’s remixed review of God’s Not Dead, or his reviews of Princess Cut, War Room, and (yes) The Trump Prophecy. 2. But some cringe critics miss the point of particular creative works. Some may call “cringe,” say, Thomas Kinkade paintings, or romance/Amish novels. But not all these are legit examples of cringe. They do what they mean to do. See Roger Ebert’s 2022 review of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: “The Two Towers” is one of the most spectacular swashbucklers ever made, and, given current audience tastes in violence, may well be more popular than the first installment, “The Fellowship of the Ring.” It is not faithful to the spirit of Tolkien and misplaces much of the charm and whimsy of the books, but it stands on its own as a visionary thriller. I complained in my review of the first film that the hobbits had been short-changed, but with this second film I must accept that as a given, and go on from there. Ebert wisely sought to divide his feelings from his review, and so should we. That means we may dislike kitsch or preachy stories but they have their place. Maybe this isn’t “realistic,” but in the real world, real people still like kitsch! It would be wrong to drift into considering evangelism/doctrine as “cringe.” Also, it’s more than a little dishonest to ignore plenty of secular cringe. For example, many cringed at a recent video clip from Disney’s She-Hulk. Popular culture cringe is not a uniquely Christian issue. It’s a human issue. 3. Even for truly cringe Christian stuff, we can learn to live with it. Like with mere kitsch, in the real world, real people like Christian cringe. It’s probably okay to laugh and be snar

Okay, we admit, in recent episodes we have sounded more negative about popular culture. That’s justified. At the same time, secular pundits can sound even more negative about decent pop-culture traditions. For example, just two years ago, some critics spoke like movie theaters and the whole cinematic experience were finished, passé, the end! They assumed we’d all be sitting at home in lockdown with our streaming services, watching made-for-TV-movies and shows. Today we instead see theater movies roaring back. Some studio CEOs are taking harder looks at the flaws of streaming. How can Christians evaluate that strange impulse to spy trends ahead of time and predict our culture’s future? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Blood Secrets by Morgan Busse from Enclave Publishing P. S. Patton’s science fiction novel The Withering Explore the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand In this episode we get to be more positive about popular culture! That’s okay. God gave people the ability to share amazing stories, including in theaters. Idolatry of movies is bad, but you can also enjoy movies for great reasons. Moreover, there’s something very wholesome about respecting The Past. In this episode, we inspect a weird issue when people tried to reject theaters. We’ll draw a lot from one example, HBO Max, because it’s now a special case. 1. Why did critics and corporations think theaters would shut down? In short, a lot of this started because of the 2020 lockdowns. Understandably, some studios panicked; their revenue is based on crowds. Meanwhile, some critics seemingly wanted to be first to predict doom. In a clickbait age (itself a descendant of “yellow journalism”), alarmism sells. More legitimately, if this had proved a terrible virus, crowd events might end. But they have not, and those who gambled opinions and money on it failed. Disney moved all its Pixar movies and a few Marvel movies to streaming. HBO Max tried day-and-date release for all its movies, even epics like Dune. In short, everyone was ready to say: Down with theaters! Up with streamers! 2. What happened when corporations gambled on longer lockdowns? In summary, the predictions and the resulting gambles seem to have failed. Arguably, big studios like Disney and Warner Bros. weakened their brands. “Event” movies rely on exclusivity in “special places.” Now they’re common. You’ve already got fandoms in dispute (see ep. 122). This stuff doesn’t help. Fans rebelled anyway, insisting on seeing Dune on big screens (see ep. 87). Many critics and fans then began recalling, “Oh, yeah, big screens are great.” Then came Spider-Man: No Way Home, which all but ended the narrative. Top Gun: Maverick destroyed any old nonsense about theaters being dead. But Pixar movies (Lightyear?) and superhero movies still feel less special. Meanwhile, the cultural hype over streaming seems to have leveled off. New Warner CEO David Zaslav is literally cancelling made-for-TV movies. We will fully embrace theatrical. … We intend to maximize the value of that content through a broad distribution model that includes theatrical, streaming, linear cable, free-to-air, gaming, consumer products and experiences, and more, everywhere in the world. Zaslav’s emphasis on theaters and other traditions have drawn criticisms. One slide said HBO has “male skew,” “lean in” and “scripted” stories. But Discovery+ has “female skew,” “lean back” and “unscripted” stories! More pairings: “appointment viewing/fandoms” vs. “comfort/genredoms.” So at least one corporate boss is rejecting trends and embracing tradition. 3. Why do culture critics and corporations want to predict the future like this? There’s power in prediction. You gain cultural cachet as a “prophet.” We’ve used the word “gamble,” and that kind of risk is built into this game. It makes more sense for corporations to follow predictions by “the wise.” But “the wise” are often informed by less savory (religious?) agendas. For example, there’s a meme about “I will not live in a pod/eat the bugs.” It’s based on this stupid little media story about both of these weird trends. Related meme: these are efforts to impose some sort of future dystopia. But the fact is, some would-be taste-makers would be happy with exactly this. Our world has always been full of these bizarre little “futuristic” forecasts. Eliminating movie theaters and other cultural events fits right into it all. Two years ago, some folks literally thought we would “all” work from home. Whatever your views on the virus, this is dumb. No society can work that way. But apart from practicalities

We’re finding many Christian-made fantastical novels that want to appeal to Christian and secular readers. Many aspiring authors want to conjure a literary elixir that has evaded all but the most elite creators. They call this “crossing over,” not just reaching readers in evangelical markets, but finding a bigger fanbase in general markets. Should these stories try to help secular readers, such as by presenting nonbelievers with better views of Christians or churches? And if so, what’s the best way to do this, not just according to results, but according to the Bible? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio: titles by L. Frank Baum P. S. Patton’s The Withering Explore more at the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Concession stand Yes, we might be thinking of particular authors. No, we won’t name them. This is kinda about evangelism, but broader than that. Mainly it’s about rep. And this also does relate to rhetoric we see from some aspiring authors. We may see in fantastical stories a way to make things right in the real world. But if we come from sheltered worlds, well, sometimes we don’t see right. 1. How have Christian novels tried to “cross over” and help secular readers? 2. How do some aspiring Christian authors want to help secular readers? 3. How should Christian novels help secular readers by being more realistic? Be realistic about the world, including the evils of trendy sins. Be realistic about the church, including its great blessings from God. Be realistic about tragic backstories, including mixed motives for “fearing.” And be realistic about eternal destiny, including God’s righteous wrath and rewards. Com station Nina Slone on YouTube replied to our older episode 7: This gives one much to think about. I enjoyed it. I’m a little surprised that only 20 people watched it and no one left a comment. I just found it. Thank you. Meanwhile at Lorehaven Join our Lorehaven Guild book quest for N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards, ongoing in August. We also reviewed 100 Cupboards (2007) and we’re making more reviews. Elijah David releases a great article: Shasta’s Meeting with Aslan in ‘The Horse and His Boy’ Helped Me Embrace God’s Sovereignty. Look for our next article with a back to school book list for families! Next on Fantastical Truth Okay, we admit, in recent episodes we have sounded more negative about popular culture. That’s justified. At the same time, why have some pundits go even more negative about fine pop-culture traditions? For example, just a few years ago, some critics spoke like movie theaters and the whole cinematic experience were finished, passé, the end! Instead we’d all be sitting at home in lockdown with our streaming services, watching made-for-TV-movies and shows! Now that theater movies are roaring back, and some studio CEOs are taking hard looks at the flaws of streaming, how can Christians evaluate that strange impulse to spy trends ahead of time and predict our culture’s future?

Now that Zack and Stephen have returned from their separate summer road trips, we need to catch up on all the big news from the Realm Makers conference. This tenth annual gathering, from July 21–23, brought together fantastical creators and publishing pros at an Atlantic City hotel. Lorehaven was there too, sharing with new and existing fans how we explore fantastical stories for God’s glory. We also got to see the winners of the 2022 Realm Awards for best Christian-made fantasy in books, audio, short stories and beyond. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella from Enclave Publishing P. S. Patton’s The Withering (releasing July 26) Explore more at the complete Podcast Sponsors page. Chapter 1: What is the 2022 Realm Makers conference? Tenth Realm Makers Conference Will Celebrate the Best Christian-Made Fantastical Fiction, media release, July 20, 2022 Chapter 2: Whom did we meet at the Lorehaven booth? Chapter 3: Who won the 2022 Realm Awards in best book categories? Realm Makers Announces Winners of 2022 Realm Awards for Best Christian-Made Fantasy, media release, July 22, 2022 Fantastical Truth ep. 78: What If You Discovered Fairy Dust and Peter Pan Were Real? | The Heirs of Neverland series with Kara Swanson Fantastical Truth ep. 91: What If You Fought Astride Elemental Horses to Unify Your Kingdom? | Of Fire and Ash with Gillian Bronte Adams Fantastical Truth ep. 105: What If Planet Earth Was Invaded By Hostile Corporate Aliens? | Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney with Daniel Schwabauer Com station Lucas Kitchen cooked up some encouragement about episode 121: I loved this episode! I listened to it on the flight back from Realm Makers. […] I’ve noticed that a lot of the “Christian” Sci-Fi and Fantasy is only subtly Christian, or maybe even, not at all in content. That was my impression, leaving Realm Makers as well. There was a lot …. A LOT… of talk about writing for the “mass market.” […] I listened to your podcast, and it raised my spirits. Seriously, it was right at the right time that I listened. I then found your multiple articles about what makes Christian Spec-Fic “Christian.” I wished I had spent more time at the conference talking to you. (I’m the guy that asked you what you and your co-host debate about, and then sat and talked to you about UFO’s and aliens in the cosmos). (Our response references Fantastical Truth ep. 2: What Do We Mean By Saying ‘It’s A Christian Story’?.) Another listener shared this reply to episode 122: Personally, I stopped keeping up with [Star Wars] and Marvel after Disney acquired them and started churning out multiple movies a year + multiple tv/streamed series. Those franchises tie everything to everything else, and if you miss a single thing, suddenly the references and interactions in the next movie don’t make sense or leave a sense of being excluded from an inside joke. (Marvel especially is guilty of this.) I don’t have the time or energy to devote to every series and movie. Consequently, I lost interest in the franchises as a whole. Meanwhile at Lorehaven We’ve just started our most August book quest for N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards! Watch for Elijah David’s article on The Horse and His Boy and God’s sovereignty Subscribe free to Lorehaven for access to the Guild and custom updates. Next on Fantastical Truth At each Realm Makers conference and beyond, you will find Christian authors trying to do a thing that’s evaded all but the most elite cultural spies and celebrities: crossing over from evangelical markets to secular markets. That’s the goal, not just for many Christian fantastical fiction creators, but also Christian musicians and artists and influencers. But should these stories try to evangelize secular readers? And if so, what’s the best way to do this, not just according to results, but according to the Bible?

Last week Zack and Stephen left town and headed opposite ways.[1. Photo by Gregory Stewart on Unsplash.] Meanwhile, fans are separating from franchises once thought too big to fail. Star Wars, DC, Marvel, Amazon’s try at Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who—they’re all coming in for much criticism. Some call this “toxic fandom.” Others say this is fans keeping creators accountable for bad art or canon violations. As biblical Christians, how do we respond to these controversies with discernment? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella from Enclave Publishing P. S. Patton’s The Withering (releasing July 26) Concession stand As before, this is a Stephen solo show, while Zack and Stephen are both traveling. As usual, if we touch on politics, we try to make this means to greater ends. That includes some accusations of stories that have supposedly gone “woke.” Nope, we certainly don’t deny that secular agendas infest some stories. That includes what Stephen calls Sexualityism, culture’s fastest-growing religion. We do see, however, such battles as sadly necessary, not ultimate purposes. Fandom is about love for stories, and for that reason, this text may apply: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4–7) Chapter 1: What’s happening to our favorite fantasy franchises? The MCU is experimenting with multiverse, bad gods, flippancy, diversity. Doctor Who tried a female doctor and backstory, and now they’re kinda stuck. Star Wars? Well, fans are constantly fighting about that. (See Stephen’s article.) Amazon’s The Rings of Power TV show is so far marketing its modern virtues. DC is all over the place, and until they get a new studio head, they’re floundering. Star Trek is dividing fans, with the possible exception of Strange New Worlds. Chapter 2: How have fans responded to canon and character shifts? So far we’ve seen two extreme sides of fan responses to all of these changes. Positive: Fans accept the changes, defend them, and find any precedent. These seem to be some new fans, often prone to going along with trends. Others are old fans who try to keep an open mind even about big changes. For example, Star Trek has always leaned liberal humanist, and DC is diverse. Of course, the problem here is that fans may “support” non-excellent stories. Reference this July’s Josiah DeGraaf article about Christians doing the same! Negative: Fans bemoan the changes, hate-watch, and/or monetize criticisms. Stephen almost joins this camp. He no longer has Netflix, Disney+, Amazon. Yet some fans go further. They obey the Emperor and “embrace your anger.” On social media and YouTube, creators go full-time criticizing some shows. Stephen finds some of these videos guilty pleasures, and some are very informed. Yet like any critical-review formats, these carry many risks. More on this later. To reiterate, producers/creators often do make changes based on agendas. Usually these are not so much based on overt politics, but Sexualityism. This leads to a third fan response, which we address in our final chapter. Chapter 3: How should Christian fans react to franchise changes? Mixed: Fans really try to accept the changes, but often regret that they can’t. This is Stephen’s position, or rather the position he wants to have. That’s not just because it’s a “middle way” (these are not always right). After all, it’s just wrong, and often slander, to dismiss all criticism as “toxic.” In 2019, none other than actor Henry Cavill reframed one “toxic” question: “I understand what you’re saying, but when it comes to fans, it is a fan’s right to have whatever opinion they want to have. And people are going to be upset, especially when you’re talking about books or games, because you’re never going to be the exact person who they had in their head, or who they played on The Witcher 3, for example. I don’t necessarily consider that toxic, I just consider that passionate. And it’s something which I have obviously had to come to terms with over the years.” But later in May 2021, Cavill himself recognized the limits of fans’ “passion”: There has been lots of, let’s call it speculation for now, about my private life and professional partnerships. Now, while I do appreciate the passion and support by those very people who are “speculating”, It has come to such a point that I needed to say something, which in itself, is a bad thing. We are living in an age of social enlightenme

Here’s a topic we have been postponing for quite a while, and it’s summarized by a simple question: If we as Christians believe Jesus will come back to judge all people and rule the planet in person, what about any space travelers or colonies at that time? In other words, if our Lord returns to Earth, what happens to people who aren’t on Earth? Today we will explore these possible prophetic conundrums and speculate on some solutions. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella from Enclave Publishing Realm Makers 2022 conference (July 21–23, live and online) P. S. Patton’s The Withering (releasing July 26) Concession stand, full of space-age snacks We’ll talk about Christ’s return, but less about events preceding this. That means that, for today only, we’ll stay agnostic about the rapture. We focus on the promise in which all Christians share: his physical return. As Christians, we believe in a physical return to Earth before Christ will rule. We also assume that Jesus already reigns today, though not yet in Person. This time we’ll not talk about those aliens (we recently did this). Just people. We’ll refer to Scripture verses and try to cite them, including the following. Key verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. —1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (ESV) Stephen’s 2017 article summarized the problem: If people colonize the moon, Mars, or [other] planets, what happens when Jesus returns? . . . Whatever your end-times view, all Christians believe Jesus will physically return to Earth. The problem is, these biblical texts are entirely Earth-focused. For example, John writes: “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” [Revelation 1:7] This concept already causes some difficulties when you consider time zones. The final Left Behind novel, Glorious Appearing, tried to solve this by hinting that believers on the other side of the world (opposite Israel, naturally) somehow saw a vision of Jesus returning over there. But it causes even more difficulties to hypothetical residents of spheres that are not earth. —from “Will Christians Colonize the Cosmos?“, Feb. 23, 2017, on Speculative Faith Other articles we mention: “The Road Not Taken,” Randy Ingermanson, June 3, 2011, on Speculative Faith “Elon Musk Isn’t Religious Enough to Colonize Mars,” James Poulos, Oct. 10, 2016, ForeignPolicy.com “Let’s Colonize Titan,” Charles Wohlforth and Amanda R. Hendrix, Nov. 25, 2016, ScientificAmerican.com “Does Our Theology Allow for Martians?“, Zackary Russell, Feb. 11, 2018, ZackaryRussell.com “Is Interstellar Travel Impossible?“, June 22, 2022, PBS Spacetime on YouTube Option 1: Humans never colonize space before Jesus returns Option 2: Humans colonize space, yet everyone sees Jesus return Option 3: Humans colonize space, but retreat to Earth just in time Epilogue: In any case, after Christ’s return, we’ll likely colonize space I checked. Even if my little argument is true—that Jesus can’t return if some people aren’t on Earth for the event—I read nothing against space travel after Jesus returns. Jesus’s adopted daughters and sons are destined to rule under Him on New Heavens and New Earth. This is a physical paradise for physical, super-embodied (but embodied) people to live. New Earth is this planet, fire-purged of all sin, not replaced with some other existence mode, but renewed almost like our resurrected bodies will be renewed.10 And New Heavens will surely be this selfsame universe, melted down and made like new. Why then wouldn’t we explore New Heavens for the glory of their Creator and Savior? Why wouldn’t we use science and technology, good tools humans managed to create per God’s command in Genesis 1:28, to build better and faster ships and depart this Earth (only temporarily!) on journeys of wonder and discovery? Why not settle on the Moon? On Mars? Maybe ev

Freedom! We all say we believe in this. No one’s out there saying “down with that sort of thing.” But how does the Bible define freedom and how do Christian fantasy fans find this virtue reflected and challenged in our favorite fictions? With cohost Zack Russell taking to the free roads this July, Stephen takes over the studio, launching for a solo show about Galatians 5:13 and one truth all heroes must follow: with great freedom, comes great responsibility. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella from Enclave Publishing Realm Makers 2022 conference (July 21–23, live and online) P. S. Patton’s The Withering (releasing July 26) Prologue: Why explore freedom and fiction? Some of us think about freedom after July 4. But some want to define “freedom” a bit wrongly. What notions do we accidentally smuggle into “freedom”? How can we use “freedom” rightly to enjoy fantastic imagination? How can we misuse “freedom” to justify irresponsibility or even plain sin? Concession stand (with burgers, hot dogs, sausages, salads) Given that I’m solo-running the show, this one will likely feel more personal. This isn’t systematic theology or counseling. I’m just making observations. Part of me wants to engage secular philosophy about liberty, justice, et. al. I know a little about this on background, but won’t go into all of that here. I do assume parallels between biblical “feasting” and gifts like imagination. To sum up: God creates good gifts, like food and creativity, for his glory. You can’t have one without the other (or without seeing sin corrupting both). Yes, I apply this theme to imagination, yet this has broader applications. Finally, this may feel like “meddling”! I am challenging us all, including myself. Our key verse: 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. —Galatians 5:13 (ESV) 1. Let’s not ask about stories, ‘Why shouldn’t I enjoy this?’ This is where this gets the most personal. Because I see a lot of this thought. I’ll start with myself. There was a time when I sinfully read Harry Potter books. I may have sinned more than usual. I don’t want to be too unkind/kind to myself. Did I read them because of evangelical “mystique,” rebelling? Or from joy? To my memory, I started with mixed motives, but ended up with better ones. That’s why we rely on Christ’s grace to redeem corrupted joys for his glory. Lately I see some Christians fans (including authors) asking “why shouldn’t I.” They ask, “Why can’t I have this love scene? magic system? violence? belief?” I must insist these are the wrong questions to ask. It’s a subculture reaction. Similarly, when people angrily defend “rights,” they may act very defensively. Or they may assume that we all know the purpose of things (yet really don’t). If we accept the “true myth” of the Bible, we must ask more biblical questions. On issues of freedom and its purpose, we must let Scripture define our views. 2. Instead, let’s follow Paul’s wisdom about Christian freedom. The fuller context of Galatians: believers are being drawn deep into legalism. That meaning may resonate with many younger/other struggling Christians. Paul, however, does not insist on enjoying freedom apart from deeper goals. Freedom is powerful. God, being the most powerful of all, is the most free. We are made in God’s image, but our freedom is not, cannot, be absolute. Paul wants freedom, but, “With great [freedom] comes great responsibility.” Switching back to July 4 theme, people have always debated this in society. We want human freedom, but must also recognize human responsibility. If we debate these lines in society, it’s no surprise we do this in imagination. 3. Based on this truth, let’s ask, ‘Why should I enjoy this story?’ Note the switch from negative, “why shouldn’t I?” to positive, “why should I?” Please understand, you may need to go through the “why shouldn’t I” phase. But it is a phase. Like a child learning to probe deeper and practice rhetoric. Let’s go back to that point about power. We’ve all seen power being abused. Our response must not be fleshly use of our own power, a cycle of abuse. Our response is borne of powerful love, which is what Paul emphasizes here. You’re made for more: not to resist flawed authorities, but embrace your God. Isn’t this the point of the best fantastical stories anyway? To escape yourself? The point is also to join fellow-travelers in your feasting and storytelling. Again, you&#

Last month we heard some mighty and seemingly impossible news about human life. That means government leaders, especially in the United States, will probably focus more on human life. But what about supposed life that is not human? Yes, we’re talking about them aliens. This May the U.S. Congress held a hearing about evidence for UFOs, or lack thereof. They had expert witnesses and non-revelations and subtle revelations and everything. In the future, will national leaders give us the revelation that some science fiction assumes we’ll discover? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Oasis Audio Realm Makers 2022 conference P. S. Patton’s The Withering (releasing July 26) Reintroducing Colin Samul Reverend Colin Samul has been the pastor of Great Basin Reformed Presbyterian Church since April 2019. He is husband to Shanna, and the proud father of their four children: Mele, Evangeline, Leland, and Lilyanna. Follow him on Twitter @CMSamul, where he enjoys engaging the UFO news community. 1. How is Congress taking the UFO topic seriously? Sources mentioned: Congressional Hearing on UAPs Wanted: A Science of UFOs | Alexander Wendt | TEDxColumbus 2. What is the Admiral Wilson memo and how has it become central to UFO lore? Sources mentioned: Rep. Gallager enters the “Admiral Wilson memo” was into the congressional record. Richard Dolan’s Five Hour Deep Dive into the Wilson memo. NYT: No Longer in Shadows, Pentagon’s U.F.O. Unit Will Make Some Findings Public NYT: The Truth Has Not Always Been Out There Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) – 38 technical reports created under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) 3. What do our popular stories about aliens lead us to believe? Sources mentioned: Monsters of California – Official Trailer Legendary Lands Rights To ‘Sekret Machines’ UFO Novels For TV Series Adaptation Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney Com station DJ M-Pro commented on YouTube, Ep 63: You both haven’t watched any of the videos or looked up the case files where people have seen UFOs and had contact with aliens. Do the research. I’m a Christian and there are aliens living among us. Do the research. God created the universe. Aliens built the pyramids. Aliens are not Satanic or demonic. God created everything. Aliens included. Meanwhile at Lorehaven: Explore our continuous podcast series Armies of the Aliens. Hear episode 105 about Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney (2022). That sci-fi-meets-legal-thriller novel features corporate saboteur aliens. Subscribe for the Lorehaven Guild, articles, podcast, and review updates. Next on Fantastical Truth Freedom. We all say we believe in this. No one’s out there saying “down with that sort of thing.” But how does the Bible define freedom and how do Christian fantasy fans find this virtue reflected and challenged in our favorite fictions? With cohost Zack Russell taking to the free roads this July, Stephen takes over the studio, launching for a solo show about Galatians 5:13 and one truth all heroes must follow: with great freedom, comes great responsibility.

You might remember our promise to explore whether humans will colonize the cosmos before Christ returns. And we intend to fulfill that vow—at a future date. Really, we should have promised, “Unless, say, some big news happens between now and then.” Well, big news dropped on June 24. For more about that, see other podcasts! Today on Fantastical Truth, we will instead explore fantastical stories that celebrate human life. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Arena (20th anniversary edition) by Karen Hancock Realm Makers 2022 conference See all podcast sponsors Concession stand We still want to follow the spirit of the Lorehaven Guild code of conduct: Beware of political issues. Some books and their Quests may naturally explore moral issues that relate to political conflicts. We encourage gracious discussion of these ideas and themes, as specifically related to the books. But members must avoid active discussion of specific political leaders, parties, or public policy. This issue, however, is not mainly about politics (that is, public policy). It’s moral. Scripture encourages believers to celebrate moments when justice is done: When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. —Proverbs 21:15 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. —Proverbs 29:2 Some people have suffered trauma, abuse, or stress, and can’t (yet) celebrate. We also see Christians uncomfortable because some people still believe lies. Others try to be “more spiritual than God,” valuing evangelism over justice. In The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis imagined a conversation with George MacDonald. [Lewis’s character] “What some people say on earth is that the final loss of one soul gives the lie to all the joy of those who are saved.” “Ye see it does not.” “I feel in a way that it ought to.” “That sounds very merciful: but see what lurks behind it.” “What?” “The demand of the loveless and the self-imprisoned that they should be allowed to blackmail the universe: that till they consent to be happy (on their own terms) no one else shall taste joy: that theirs should be the final power; that Hell should be able to veto Heaven.” In any case, this episode may not be best for you. Yet we will be positive. Finally, we’ll point to Christian-made stories as well as some secular ones! Which fantastical stories best celebrate human life, unborn and beyond? 1. Christian-made fantasy, sci-fi, and supernatural stories Frank Peretti’s Tilly (1986) and Prophet (1992) A pregnancy plotline in the Left Behind series Cathy McCrumb’s Recorder (2021) Kerry Nietz’s Lost Bits (2022) 2. Secular-made fantasy and sci-fi Philip K. Dick’s short story “The Pre-Persons” Star Trek: The Next Generation: “The Child” (1988) and “The Measure of a Man” (1989) See also TNG: “The Inner Light,” and “The Quality of Life” (1992) Doctor Who: “The Rebel Flesh”/”The Almost People” (2011) and “Kill the Moon” (2014) 3. Honorable mentions Proxima and Ultima (2014) by Stephen Baxter The Island (2005 movie) Children of Men (2006 movie) The Terminator (1984) A Quiet Place (2018) Battlestar Galactica episode “The Captain’s Hand” (2006) The Dragon Prince (season 1, about preserving a dragon’s egg): Com station Yes, we’ll take letters about this topic. What stories help you celebrate life? Meanwhile at Lorehaven In the Guild, we’re finishing our June book quest into Lost Bits. We’ve announced our July book quest for George MacDonald’s Phantastes. As we’ve mentioned, see the site for retro reviews of Prophet and Tilly. We also reviewed Sara Ella’s new fantasy dystopian The Wonderland Trials. Next on Fantastical Truth In the months ahead, state leaders, especially in the United States, will probably focus more on human life. But what about supposed life that isn’t human? Yes, we’re talking about them aliens. Last May the U.S. Congress held a hearing about evidence for UFOs, or lack thereof. They had expert witnesses and non-revelations and subtle revelations and everything. In the future, will national leaders give us the revelation that popular science fiction assumes we’ll discover?

So many books. So little time. And often, so little space. You are mortal, with little control over time and space for your books. How then do you both store and creatively feature the fantastical stories you’ve collected? Lorehaven fans and staff creators have found many methods, and today we’re going to share some of our techniques for building your own fantastical lending library. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Shadow of Honor by Ronie Kendig Realm Makers 2022 conference See all podcast sponsors Reintroducing author L.G. McCary L. G. McCary is an old-school Whovian and a lifelong Trekkie. She has a bachelor’s in psychology which means she knows enough to mess with readers’ heads but not enough to diagnose their problems. She is the wife of an Army chaplain and the homeschooling mom of four rambunctious kids. She writes supernatural and dark science fiction on topics as diverse as artificial intelligence, ghosts, sentient snowmen, and space hotels. Her first novel, That Pale Host, released in October 2021. Her short story, “Rendering,” appears in Havok’s Rebirth anthology. Concession stand We don’t mean to negate our ongoing support of public libraries. In fact, Christians should get more active and involved in local libraries. This is about choosing a set of books you want to re-read and share with others. Nor do we mean to endorse hoarding. (Check your heart. Get rid of some books.) Chapter 1: Why create a personal library? Chapter 2: How do you fill and curate your home library? Chapter 3: Why and how make your personal library available to others? Com station Brave Sir Robin in the Lorehaven Guild replied to episode 116: I was beginning to think that science fiction was going to get short shrift in the podcast … I can’t say where or when the breakout is going to come, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out of the community of believers that grew up with modern communications technology AND are as comfortable with Biblical truth as these homeschooled youngsters. Next on Fantastical Truth Speaking of science fiction, here’s a topic we’ve been postponing for quite a while, and it’s summarized by a simple question: If we as Christians believe Jesus will come back to judge all people and rule the planet in person, what about any space travelers or colonies at that time? In other words, if our Lord returns to Earth, what happens to people who aren’t on Earth? We’ll explore these possible prophetic conundrums and speculate on some solutions!

Homeschoolers. We often talk of them at Lorehaven. That’s because so many homeschool families love Christian-made fantastical stories. But of course, this ’twas not always so. Like some Christians before and now, some families have not been so happy about fantasy and sci-fi, and others have been downright hostile about them. What changed? Why are these families flocking to Christian fantastical authors at homeschool events? One homeschool graduate, whose family helps organize one of the biggest homeschool conferences in the nation, joins us to explore these questions here on Fantastical Truth. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Realm Makers 2022 conference The Lorehaven Guild See all podcast sponsors Introducing Ethan Nunn As founder and Chief Creative Officer of Project 6:8, Ethan’s heartbeat is for equipping youth to use their passions along with the positions of leadership God has placed them in to influence their world for Christ. Ethan has been active in the arts from music to theatre for most of his life covering a range of characters and instruments. Along with this, he has a deep love of learning and and teaching that has led him to be a middle school teacher at his church. His love for public speaking has given him the honor of preaching at churches be a guest on podcasts, and speaking at the FPEA homeschool convention, and his passion for the written word has given him the chance to write for blogs, magazines, and he is in the process of writing his first book. Ethan wants to see the next generation of Christian leaders arise and refuse to do nothing. Ethan Nunn at FPEA Ethan Nunn on Instagram 1. When did you first discover biblical faith and fantastical stories? 2. How did homeschool families and groups view fantasy? What about now? Fantasy author Wayne Thomas Batson recently shared this: On a book tour with several Christian fantasy authors in the early 2000s, we attended a huge homeschool gathering that might have led to another, even more massive opportunity with a substantially larger homeschooling group. The authors had all FedExed copies of our flagship books to the president of the group. Unfortunately, this woman, a Christian leader, told us not to bother coming but that she was in fact, grateful to have screened our books, particularly my book, The Door Within. She called it a “tool of the devil” and promised to warn every other Christian homeschool association to avoid us and our evil books. Now, occasionally, I might accurately be described as a “tool.” But… “a tool of the devil?” Sheesh, I sure hope not. Josiah DeGraaf with Story Embers (and Lorehaven staff creator) told us: I definitely know that growing up, Harry Potter was a really controversial topic and a story many Christians I know were opposed to. I also know that these days, I don’t know a ton of people who are still opposed to it (most have mellowed out) and while there are still some, it doesn’t have the controversy it used to have when we talk about it in places like the Young Writer or Story Embers. I also just see an explosion in Christian young people who love fantasy (over at the Young Writer, where we currently have about 800 young writers in our program, I suspect a good 50 percent of them or so write fantasy), and most of them are homeschooled. So there are growing numbers here! 3. What hopes and trends do you expect among homeschool fantasy fans? Com station On Apple Podcasts, listener Katie.Briggs shared this review: Encouraging and Relevant Thank you for keeping us up to date on the industry, bringing us back to what matters, and interviewing awesome guests! Next on Fantastical Truth Ready for your summer reading? Zack and Stephen both enjoy building fantastical libraries in whatever home space they can find. We’d like to hear about yours, and share tips on how to use creativity, organization, and imagination to show our enjoyment for the best stories.

Stephen has returned from a busy and then restful weekend. Next time we will recap his Florida event with Realm Makers Bookstore. But first let’s open our Bibles and review the Lorehaven faith statement, which we updated at the turn of this year. In a world of confusion about reality and imagination, how do we at Lorehaven strive to uphold the holy Scripture? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Realm Makers 2022 conference The Lorehaven Guild See all podcast sponsors Concession stand for the confession stand Naturally this episode theme is more “truth” and less “fantastical”! This just seemed a good time to review what we believe and why. Not every faith statement can say everything true about biblical faith. We’ll explore those questions here and there as we explore this document. You may have questions but that doesn’t automatically mean you’re unsaved. Read our full Sacred Scrolls faith statement here. We’ve explored some doctrine topics, such as in our Epic Resurrection series. Finally, this is how we introduce the statement of faith : All Lorehaven staff creators and guest writers, as well as Quest Guides in the Lorehaven Guild, must agree with our Sacred Scrolls faith statement. (Christian authors whose novels we list or review may choose to affirm any comparable orthodox faith statement, though not necessarily this statement.) Lorehaven Sacred Scrolls faith statement 1. The Bible Scripture is our only inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient word of God. Men wrote the Bible by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Each book reflects its human author’s personality, language, and genre choices, yet flows into a single narrative called the Gospel. The Bible consists of sixty-six books in Old and New Testaments. (Good translations give us confidence to know God’s intent.) 2. God God is our Creator and our sovereign ruler of all things in Heaven and Earth. He eternally exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He alone has the right to define natural law and moral law; all beauty, goodness, and truth; and any virtues such as love, holiness, and wrath. 3. Creation God created and rules his universe as its ultimate authority. God’s creation can and does reflect certain divine attributes. All real beauty, goodness, and truth comes from God, even in a world that rejects him. 4. Humanity God created human beings in his own image, giving us creative abilities, a call to steward the Earth, and moral responsibility for our choices. The “chief end” of all people is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Adam and Eve, however, rejected this purpose and chose to rebel against God’s command. 5. Creation’s curse Adam’s and Eve’s choice brought God’s curse of death upon the world. This will lead to a person’s eternal separation from God in a place called Hell. God’s curse also affects his own creation and all of our creative works—including our storytelling and culture-making—with sin, idolatry, suffering, trauma, and death. Because we bear God’s image, our stories may reflect glimpses of God’s beauty, goodness, and truth, yet they often show these virtues broken and distorted. For now, we need discernment to best enjoy God’s world and human creations. 6. Jesus Christ God started his epic gospel redemption narrative in Genesis 3, then gave mankind a tutor in the Old Testament Law—a temporary guardian until Jesus arrived to fulfill this Law. We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life, worked real miracles, and recruited disciples. He fought false teaching and used sermons and stories alike to teach his followers about his Kingdom. Jesus surrendered his life to crucifixion, suffering real death as final atonement for sinners. Three days later he resurrected himself from death in a physical body. Later he ascended to Heaven to sit at his Father’s right hand, reigning and planning his return. 7. Salvation Jesus calls all people to repent of their sin and be “born again,” that is, spiritually regenerated and reconciled to our loving God. A person may see this conversion in a moment, early in life, or even over time. (Christians of good faith can debate the order or doctrinal priority of the salvation process.) Anyone is saved according to the Scripture alone, by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in the perfect work of Jesus Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. 8. The Church By the Holy Spirit, God organizes a Kingdom of redeemed saints. This is called the Church (capital C), consisting of many local churches (small C). A local church is defined by many requirements, among them biblical teaching, fellowship, worship, regular meetings, and membership limited to Christians. All biblical Christians must join a local church in some way, or else actively seek out qualifying local churches in their area. Good Christians may disagree wi

What if the government had a device that provided a vivid, dreamlike access to your memories? What if it allowed you to remove traumatic events from your past? How might such a device further the human condition, or corrupt it? Would you trust Uncle Sam with the deepest parts of your mind? Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Realm Makers 2022 conference The Lorehaven Guild See all podcast sponsors Introducing author Daniel Friend Daniel Friend is the writer and producer of The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, a novel to be published in Fall 2022 that he has first released as a theatrical podcast. His story was inspired by C.S. Lewis’s Abolition of Man as he worked with a group to write and publish A Compass for Deep Heaven: Navigating the C.S. Lewis Ransom Trilogy. He currently works as a reporter for The Texan in Austin. Listen to The Testimony of Calvin Lewis on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Chapter 1: How did C.S. Lewis weave the idea of the ‘tao’ into his own science fiction? Chapter 2: What does Calvin Lewis give a testimony about? Chapter 3: How does this story compare to other political dramas? Com station Regarding our previous episode 113 with Mike Nawrocki, one of the heroines of our Lorehaven Guild, Brielle, said this: VeggieTales was such a big part of my childhood that, though I have no memory of seeing Rack, Shack, and Benny or The Toy that Saved Christmas, I still know quotes from them. We should really try to get our hands on those missing titles. Next on Fantastical Truth We’ll get to hear Stephen’s full report on the FPEA conference and all the ways that Christian fiction is making inroads into the Florida homeschool community.

What if you had a water buffalo, like everybody’s got? But you couldn’t find your hairbrush? And your Swiss veterinarian wouldn’t stop yodeling, while you sang love songs to your cheeseburger? And then to jump universes, you found two salt-preserved squirrels in a cave by the Dead Sea, and tried to sneak them home, but then they came to life? One man has helped create all this faith-based, lesson-teaching lunacy, and he’s our guest today on Fantastical Truth. Subscribe to Lorehaven articles • news • library • reviews • podcast • gifts • guild Episode sponsors Realm Makers 2022 conference The Lorehaven Guild See all podcast sponsors Event update: Lorehaven with Realm Makers Bookstore in Orlando Next week, thousands of homeschool families will find fantastical Christian fiction at the 2022 Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) conference. Storytellers such as Mike Nawrocki (VeggieTales), Tim Shoemaker, and Catherine Jones Payne will help staff the Realm Makers Bookstore booth. Lorehaven publisher E. Stephen Burnett will join them, sharing the best Christian-made fantastical novels with eager readers of all ages. FPEA will return to the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort for this year’s three-day conference, Thursday, May 26–Saturday, May 28. Complete story: Realm Makers Bookstore Returns to Orlando for FPEA Conference, May 26–28 Introducing creator Mike Nawrocki As co-creator of VeggieTales and the voice of the beloved Larry The Cucumber, Mike Nawrocki has been making entertaining and wholesome content for kids since 1993. He created, wrote and directed most of the extremely popular “Silly Songs with Larry” segments, and lent his screenwriting and directing talents to VeggieTales episodes as well as their movies Jonah and The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. Mike also developed and wrote for 3-2-1 Penguins! and authored a number of VeggieTales books and CD projects. Today Mike is creating the popular young readers’ series The Dead Sea Squirrels. He also serves as assistant professor of film and animation at Lipscomb University and co-hosts the weekly podcast, “The Bible for Kids.” MikeNawrocki.com DeadSeaSquirrels.com On Facebook: @MikeNawrockiAuthor On Instagram: @Mike.Nawrocki 1. How did you discover biblical truth and fantastical stories? 2. What led you to help create the hit VeggieTales blockbuster franchise? 3. Why do kids love The Dead Sea Squirrels and what’s next for these critters? Com station One hero of the Guild enjoyed episode 112: Absolutely loved this episode and how you used story to wrestle with loving your enemy instead of philosophizing about it. D. T. Powell shared encouragement about our earlier episode 14: I know I’m about two years late on this one, but I was so glad to find this episode. A fictional character is the reason I’m sitting here right now. God used him to show me things about myself I never would otherwise have seen. That was 19 years ago, and that moment has had such an effect on my life that I would actually consider that character to be an old and cherished friend. … Next on Fantastical Truth As graduations loom, plus summer vacations, or mostly-working vacations, like Stephen is about to do, we’re planning the best topics and guests for a possible Summer Bookbuster season. We’ll likely start with our next episode’s recap of the Florida conference, and from there, we must check in with those Armies of the Aliens after a recent federal meeting.