Fantastical Truth

Does the wardrobe equal the Bible, the White Witch equal Satan, and Peter equal—well, Peter? Some people read C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series as if only its “allegories” matter. Should you? That’s one of our four myths we explore in this episode to conclude our Narnia’s Top Seven Myths series. 4. Queen Susan “fell away” and will never return to Narnia again. This myth arises near The Last Battle‘s end, when Aslan is making all things new. Much virtual and real ink has been spilled asking what happened to Susan? Some feminists and many atheists really hate this part. Phillip Pullman says (source): This seems to me on the part of Lewis to reveal very weird unconscious feelings about sexuality. … It’s a filthy thing to do. Susan is shut out from salvation because she is doing what every other child who has ever been born has done – she is beginning to sense the developing changes in her body and its effect on the opposite sex. Emily Wilson in the New Republic says: poor Susan cannot get into heaven because she starts wearing lipstick … “I don’t know, therefore aliens,” seems to become, “I don’t know, therefore, sex.” From reading the text, we actually see it’s not really about makeup or sex. How absurd. Lewis is all about the original goodness of God’s created gifts. It’s not about “growing up.” It’s about the vanity we claim is “growing up.” Only if you assume one is “grown up” at this age would you reject Lewis here. Lewis himself answered the question. In 1960 a reader named Pauline Bannister asked Lewis about Susan. He replied: Dear Pauline Bannister I could not write that story [about Susan’s future?] myself. Not that I have no hope of Susan’s ever getting to Aslan’s country, but because I have a feeling that the story of her journey would be longer and more like a grown-up novel than I wanted to write. But I may be mistaken. Why not try it yourself? —from The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy, pages 1,135–1,136 Lewis literally asks his reader to consider fanfiction. “Why not try it yourself?” Of course, he suggests this long before fanfiction became a huge “industry.” But it’s very clear Lewis believes Susan will someday return to true Narnia. 3. Emeth in The Last Battle reveals that C. S. Lewis was a universalist. This one gets complex. Again, we could have a whole episode here. It deals with Emeth, a Calormene (not a Narnian) in The Last Battle. Near Narnia’s end, Emeth enters a stable and a kind of in-between afterlife. Emeth served a false god all his life, but then Aslan welcomed him and his services. Some Christians say, “This means C. S. Lewis was a universalist.” This is refuted by comparing this with Lewis’s nonfiction (examples here). Lewis defended the doctrine of Hell in Mere Christianity and elsewhere. He acknowledged it’s tough, but said in The Problem of Pain it’s still biblical. There’s no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than the doctrine of hell, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and especially of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom and it has the support of reason. Where there is a “contradiction,” Lewis’s nonfiction interprets his fiction. At least one other book explores Heaven vs. Hell: The Great Divorce. In this book, people leave “hell” and tour heaven, revealing their evil. Lewis says he doesn’t make afterlife speculations. It’s about today’s choices. What’s going on in The Last Battle anyway? Emeth may fall into a category in some Christian traditions: a “noble pagan.” There’s an idea that good non-Christian people have a chance somehow. In 2008 during a forum discussion, Phillip Pugh summarized Lewis like this: One has to remember when reading Lewis that he is at heart a Medievalist even if his theology is basically Anglican. When reading Medieval works like Dante’s Divine Comedy (which had a profound effect on Lewis) we find that the “Noble pagans” like Socrates, Plato, and Virgil, are placed in a sort of limbo where they are not suffering and yet there is no light. I think Lewis has something of this in mind, taking some cues from George MacDonald to embellish it (though not taking it to MacDonald’s universalist extreme). He is saying that Emeth had Tash and Aslan confused because of his cultural background. I disagree, but it’s not as bad as many would think. That’s not an idea Scripture teaches. But it’s not the same as universalism. Lewis liked to speculate, and he did speculate about “inclusivism.” That is, what if God gave you some kind of chance to repent after death? We can’t make this a tota

Which Christian-made fantastical novels won big at the 2020 Realm Awards hosted at Realm Makers conference, just this past weekend? Also, guess who’s coming to dinner at the 2021 Realm Makers conference, hosted (pandemic approval pending) again in St. Louis, Missouri? Realm Makers Pandemic Edition wrapped just this past weekend Stephen and Zack attended, and did a lot of work during this “staycation.” Next year’s speaker will be Frank E. Peretti. (Last seen in this review and this Fantastical Truth episode.) Realm Makers equips Christian writers of fantasy, sci-fi, beyond. Yearly membership gets you access to ongoing material. Annual conferences are scheduled for July, and usually in real life. This year’s conference was of course different, held entirely online. So was the 2020 Realm Awards ceremony, broadcast to everyone. Realm Awards: complete list of winners Alliance Award winner, chosen by reader vote Brand of Light, by Ronie Kendig from Enclave Publishing Get the full review, with “best for” and “discern” notes, from Lorehaven. Heart of the Curiosity, H. L. Burke, with 2020 Parable Award-winning cover by designer Austin Lord Parable Award winner for best book cover designs Heart of the Curiosity, by H. L. Burke with cover by Austin Lord Realm Award, children’s Hello Ninja, by N. D. Wilson from HarperCollins Realm Award, middle grade Iggy & Oz: The Plastic Dinos of Doom, by J. J. Johnson from Dark Side Geeks Realm Award, fantasy Seventh City, by Emily Hayse from Hayse Publishing Realm Award, science fiction Brand of Light, by Ronie Kendig from Enclave Publishing Realm Award, young adult To Best the Boys, by Mary Weber from Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Realm Award, debut Fyrian’s Fire, by Emily Jeffries from Sheepgate Press Realm Award, horror/other Amish Werewolves of Space, by Kerry Nietz from Freeheads Realm Award, supernatural/paranormal Mercury on Guard, Steve Rzasa, independently published 2020 Realm Award Book of the Year winner Seventh City by Emily Hayse Realm Award, Book of the Year, chosen from all winners Seventh City, by Emily Hayse from Hayse Publishing Fantastic fans This time we’re showing some feedback from first-year Realm Makers guests. See even more exclusive praise at this article on SpecFaith. L. G. McCary It was a bit of a miracle that I was able to attend Realm Makers 2020 (Thank you, Havok for that scholarship!). It was an incredible experience! I felt old trying to figure out Discord, but it turned out to be such a blessing! Video chat in the Mermaid room was definitely better than sitting in socially distanced circles and wearing uncomfortable masks for hours, trying to find a way to socialize safely. Best of all, I still got to celebrate with new friends when good things happened! That’s one of the best parts of conferences: comforting each other through failures and celebrating victories together. Realmies are the best at both! I can’t wait for next year and I’m already planning my costume! Philip Wilder I loved attending Realm Makers 2020. The people were very welcoming, friendly, and down to earth. I made many new friends, despite the fact that the entire conference was online. I also got the chance to play several games with others online. I even regained my passion for writing fiction and was able to get some great feedback on a new novel idea I’ve been rolling around in my head. Attending the conference online made me much more excited to attend an in-person Realm Makers conference. Perhaps one day Corona will stop trolling us all. Kristen Aguilar I heard about the Realm Makers Conference last minute when a friend invited me to go. Held virtually this year, I was able to register right before the conference started and I never looked back. Realm Makers is in a class all by itself. The people were friendly, fascinating and fun. Even virtually, Realm Makers went above and beyond to foster community and to encourage engagement with an immersive, positive experience. Whether it was branding, marketing, how to conduct media interviews, or how to take your writing or screenwriting to the next level, there was a plethora of incredible speakers and events packed into three days. I learned a ton. Plus, I went into the conference with one new friend and left with many more. Overall, a great experience! Robert Sloan My first experience at a Realm Makers conference was this year’s “Pandemic Edition,” and I’m very pleased with it. The quality of the panels, the keynote addresses, and the “pitch“ and mentoring sessions were excellent; and after years of going to various kinds of professional conferences, I confess they were truly better than I expected. By a lot. Every session had something of substance to offer, with well prepared presenters, and significant opportunities to develop new relationships and networks. The people were very forthcoming and honest and I’ve benefited from each one. The te

Is Man A Myth? asks a book belonging to Mr. Tumnus, a Faun from C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series. Yet Christians have our own myths about Narnia. Today we begin to explore a total of seven myths about Lewis’s famed fantasy world. Myth 7: “The Chronicles show random myths.” This is a more academic idea, and it goes something like this: “C. S. Lewis, unlike Tolkien, was mostly messing around in his world-making.” “He throws in all Greek creatures, plus other fantasy elements, at random.” “And then, lo, Father Christmas comes bounding in besides.” Scholars say: “Yeah, this isn’t like Tolkien. It’s just random. Fun, but random.” Michael Ward in Planet Narnia engages a lot with this idea. Ward has a grand awesome theory about each of the seven Chronicles. He believes Lewis, a medieval scholar, was “influenced” by overarching myths. These myths were about the seven worlds or spheres of medieval cosmology. Each planet (including Sol or sun, and Luna/moon) has ideas, images, and colors. Medieval literature and worldview all supported these cosmological associations. For instance, The Lion … is very “Jovian,” about joy, kingliness, and summer. The Horse and His Boy is very “Mercurian,” with speed and images of silver. Lewis wasn’t a random person. Not at all. Not even when he seems to be. Ward does a lot of academic wrangling to support his theory (which is plausible). Some challenges: “By Jove!” occurs in all Chronicles. Each one influences the other. Ward accepts this broad influence, but says each story has its own planetary theme. Stephen believes he’s right, because of Lewis’s (as creator’s) own subconscious. As a writer, your knowledge will get into your stories before you even know it. Later, perhaps, Lewis started to get more organized about developing these themes. After all, Lewis did end up with seven books, the exact number of medieval “spheres.” The best proof? The Last Battle is “Saturnine.” Draft had Saturn, not Father Time. Even apart from the Planet Narnia idea, Narnia isn’t just random myths. The whole Narnian idea is that all these myths somehow “leaked” into the real world. (You have to bend time a bit, though. Greek myths predate Narnia’s creation!) But if the big idea is that Aslan is lord of all myths, and all serve him … ? Well then, that’s the greatest idea: before Christ, all myths say “hail the King.” It seems this may be lost on some scholars who don’t get Aslan’s central role. Especially given the stories’ first audience, children, this is a fantastic approach. Myth 6: “The Chronicles are just children’s stories.” This myth is more based on the little phrases Christians and other readers say. Too often we minimize this series as, “C. S. Lewis’s children’s stories.” We might presume fantasy altogether is foremost for children. This leaves open a silly “grown-up” idea that adults must be Realistic. Lewis, of course, not only implicitly but explicitly rejected this myth: Critics who treat ‘adult’ as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up. —C. S. Lewis, found in “On Three Ways of Writing for Children,” collected in Of Other Worlds This isn’t just a Lewis idea but a biblical idea. Jesus endorsed childlike faith. He didn’t endorse childlike thought, but childlike “faith.” We must have mature minds like adults, but keep the faith and heart of a child! Childlike faith and reception to wonder are essential to our growing as Christians. So for anyone who says, “I read Narnia as a kid”? Read it again. Be blessed! Myth 5: “There’s only one best reading order (chronological).” Note this box set’s chronological order, with The Magician’s Nephew being book 1, and The Horse and His Boy being book 3. Among Narnia nerds (and some scholars), it’s funny how controversial this debate can be. This myth says, “Well, Lewis originally wrote the Chronicles this way. &#823

Lorehaven magazine has reviewed the complete Weaver Trilogy fantasy series, so Stephen and Zack invite author Lindsay A. Franklin to explore her fantasy series about Tanwen, the girl who literally weaves stories. Lorehaven’s reviews of The Weaver Trilogy This story spins a perfect array of delightful characters living with complex magical abilities in a truly unique world. —The Story Peddler review More adventure, higher stakes, and betrayal at every turn make The Story Raider a sequel that exceeds expectations . . . —The Story Raider review No tapestry is complete while loose ends remain. The Story Hunter is the final book in Lindsay A. Franklin’s Weaver Trilogy series, sequel to The Story Peddler and The Story Raider. The country of Tir is in turmoil. Queen Braith has been kidnapped and supplanted by a figurehead in thrall to an evil force. Famine and riots leave the people in unrest. Tanwen and the Corsyth Weavers set out on a quest to rescue the queen in order to restore peace to Tir, guided by the one person they know they cannot trust. Worse, not everyone is as they seem, and some people in their own party may betray them at any turn. Danger, intrigue, and unforeseen twists make The Story Hunter an entirely satisfying conclusion to the Weaver Trilogy series. —The Story Hunter review Weaving stories with Lindsay A. Franklin Lindsay A. Franklin would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. She writes books, edits words, and homeschools her three geeklings. Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious offspring, three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed marsupial named Wombatman. Learn more at her website as well as by following LinzyAFranklin on Instagram, on Twitter, and on Facebook. Among our questions: How did you first discover faith and fantastical stories? Before fiction, you wrote two devotional books, starting with Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women. What’s your heart behind this nonfiction work? We love to explore how nonfiction truth and fantastic imagination are interwoven in God’s universe. How does this motivate your creative process? What images drove the creation of Tanwen, Tir, and its turmoil? Creators writing about creators can get pretty meta! Without spoilers, how might these themes be interwoven with the Weaver Trilogy? How’s homeschooling going? Any thoughts on the unique appeal of fantasy to homeschoolers? How have readers responded to the Weaver Trilogy? What’s your work with Realm Makers Pandemic Edition this year? What’s next for you, and where can people follow your own “weaving”? Fantastic fans From The Zignal, responding to episode 22 (the one about UFOs): Nothing but applause! This was a fantastic discussion from an interesting perspective. Thank you for sharing! From David Mock @DavidMock1, also about episode 22: @EStephenBurnett thank you for the latest podcast! It helped me think biblically, realistically, and compassionately about UFO sightings. If aliens do exist, we may find ourselves in a Acts 11:18 place if they repent and believe including the imputation of Adam’s sin to them. Slightly unrelated, it’s encouraging to trace the Bible’s idea of aliens – alien to God’s covenant from Gen to Rev, incl. resident aliens in Israel and when “to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance”, and the cosmic scale shift described in Eph 2:11-22. Straight after listening to the podcast I knew I needed some healthy Christian music and was encouraged by A Mighty Fortress is our God and It Is Well With My Soul, the eternal truths in every unsure situation 🙂 Next on Fantastical Truth Lord willing, we will explore seven top myths about The Chronicles of Narnia! These are myths that Narnia readers, including many Christians, has often believed about the series. Have you ever heard about any of these, like “C. S. Lewis was a universalist,” or “Narnia is mainly an allegory about the Christian life”? We will explore all seven of these myths.

Aliens. Oh snap. Audiences love aliens. Aliens! Aliens, from space. Ancient aliens. I don’t know, therefore: aliens. Zack and Stephen launch this latest fantastical truth-finding with clips from U. S. Navy pilots who encountered UFOs. We’ll explore those reports, other alien stories, and how Christians can respond to the very notion of life and even sentient life beyond our planet. People tend to take two sides on UFOs. Denial. This side unites materialists like Bill Nye with creationists like Ken Ham, although they dismiss the alien explanation for entirely different reasons. Belief. On this side, folks will teach you how to communicate with aliens (for a small fee), as well as Christians who say they would gladly baptize an alien. Here’s why we’re talking about this. The issue of whether aliens exist and visiting Earth is becoming a huge topic. The Pentagon has released some absolutely bonkers press releases about UFOs. President Trump has been asked about UFOs multiple times and he’s given some interesting answers. Scientists have discovered over 4,000 exoplanets. Soon our telescopes will tell us what might be located on these worlds. Christians should take the forefront of these discussions. Let’s closely survey these issues, using our imaginations and thinking biblically. Our own perspectives differ. Zack is a fan of stories about aliens and UFOs, and has been researching the nonfiction accounts about UFO sightings. Zack doesn’t have strong beliefs about whether aliens exist. Zack enjoys this topic because of its weirdness and mystery. Stephen is UFO-agnostic, and enjoys aliens as just another essential element of fantasy and science fiction. Stephen believes sentient alien life would contradict Scripture’s emphasis on the earth, humankind, and Christ’s incarnation. Stephen also enjoys this topic, partly because of wishful thinking that people have developed better space-faring technology. Concession stand: hazards of UFO exploration. Many UFO theories directly contradict Scripture, such as the “ancient aliens” idea. A lot of paranormal interests coincide with UFO research about which most Christians are rightly wary. We must be careful when exploring this entire cottage industry built around UFO research or experiences. We explore three big topics. UFOs are real and under investigation. UFOs and the idea of alien invasions (or alien saviors) reveal our deepest fears and dreams about human society. We get clearer glimpses of our own humanity and eternal issues through stories about aliens. Watch Zack’s playlist about military UFO-sightings. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcCfUv9OlClNwWH351BtDI4o1glxth10d Take action on aliens. Read more SpecFaith blog articles about aliens, such as this one from Shannon McDermott. Read the original New York Times article that broke the story about the Pentagon’s UFO program. Read the newer Popular Mechanics article by Tim McMillan that takes a deep dive into the AATIP program. Follow Zack on Twitter @ztrussell. He posts a lot of UFO news and other fun things about astronomy. Visit the Lorehaven store to get our special t-shirt that celebrates God as the Creator of the cosmos: “He made the stars.” Read Christian books about aliens. Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis For Us Humans, by Steve Rzasa The Façade, by Michael Heiser Alien Intrusion, by Gary Bates Fantastic fans From Sheri, listening to Episode 20: I got to the Fantastical Truth podcast through Kerry Nietz’s post on Facebook about the episode about his book. I have been [binge]-listening to the podcast while sorting papers in my office–you have made a task I don’t enjoy much more enjoyable. Thanks! I look forward to reading the magazine. Next on Fantastical Truth We’ll explore The Weaver Trilogy with fantasy novelist Lindsay A. Franklin, whose heroine, Tanwen, has the ability to turn stories into scupltures.

Stephen and Zack are joined by W. A. Fulkerson, whose novel For Whom the Sun Sings just released this spring. Our new summer 2020 issue of Lorehaven magazine shares even more from this story: our full review and a preview chapter. Plus we ask W. A., or Wes, more about the images and themes behind this story. Go to Lorehaven.com and subscribe for free. You’ll get your digital copy of the new issue and access to all our reviews and articles. Story sponsor: C. S. Wachter’s The Light Unbound In The Light Unbound, the fourth and final installment in C. S. Wachter’s The Seven Words series, Rayne Kierkengaard faces his greatest trial yet. Cast into the decrepit frame of an obscure old man, his spirit at last rebels against the path of sorrows charted for him by the One—the Creator Father—ever since his sixth birthday. For Sigmund, that sorcerous demon who stole his childhood has returned from defeat to steal everything Rayne regained through blood and tears—his power, his family, his very identity. All but his faith in a God who views death as but a portal to victory. Ambitious in scope and relentless in speed, this novel concludes Wachter’s saga on a high note. For Whom the Sun Sings, back cover The world is blind. . . then one boy is born with sight. Nestled in a mountain haven, the remaining people of the world live in a village that is ordinary but strict. A severe peace must be kept severely, as they say. It’s all that keeps them from descending into the chaos that claimed the world a hundred years ago. Led by the Prophet Valdas and his Regents, the villagers work, play, marry, and have families. They gather in ceremony once a year to celebrate their Day of Remembrance. Life is planned, precise, and predictable until the special abilities of eleven-year-old Andrius threaten to undermine it all. From Lorehaven magazine’s review W. A. Fulkerson constructs For Whom the Sun Sings on an ingenious premise. He carefully builds a society without sight, working out the idea to consequences both obvious and unexpected. Interview questions How did you first discover fantastic stories? How did this novel For Whom the Sun Sings come to you? What thoughts have you about novels for grown-ups, or at least older readers, that just happen to feature heroes who are children? What is your purpose as a biblical Christian who creates fantastical stories? What other stories might lie ahead for you? Next on Fantastical Truth Barring any abductions or invasions predicted for 2020 by internet memes, we will explore aliens. So much aliens. Audiences love aliens. Ancient aliens! In this case, we’ll delve semi-deep into all the good stuff: UFOs, conspiracies, and possible demonic deceptions—all from as biblical a vantage as we can muster.

For this episode, we’re sharing our very first audiobook excerpt. It’s from the new audiobook version of Amish Zombies from Space, book 2 of Kerry Nietz’s sci-fi series Peril in Plain Space. Nietz started this series when he took a “joke” title for a book, and turned it into a fun-yet-serious exploration: Amish Vampires in Space. It went pretty viral, based on that title alone. At one point even late-night host Jimmy Fallon held up a copy of the book on national TV. Those Amish in space not only fought vampires, but then had to undergo a zombie plague. And now, lately, they face werewolves. Why not? Here in this excerpt, narrated by Randy Streu, we catch up with the Amish on their new planet. It’s where a certain undead-type plague is about to begin. Our thanks to Kerry Nietz for sharing this excerpt from chapter 8 of Amish Zombies from Space. Next on Fantastical Truth In our next episode, W. A. Fulkerson himself will join us to share more about For Whom the Sun Sings, which follows the tale of the one person who can see in a world of blind people. This will be a fascinating and in-depth conversation, and we’ll also preview our book review.

This week, you can hear how bestselling fantasy novelists (including many Christians) wrestle with challenging fiction content. This is a special panel discussion from the 2019 Realm Makers conference. You’ll hear novelists Terry Brooks, Brent Weeks, Robert Liparulo, and C. W. Briar—plus our own E. Stephen Burnett—explore character swears, violence, sexual content and all the rest of it. What is Realm Makers? Realm Makers is a professional organization for Christian writers of fantasy, sci-fi, other fantastical genres. They have a membership program, online community, and monthly webinars Realm Makers hosts summer conferences every July. This year’s conference is a special Pandemic Edition. Authors can meet virtually and get training in writing craft and trade. For more information, go to RealmMakers.com. This year’s faculty include Thomas Locke, N. D. Wilson, C. J. Redwine, and Steven James. Stephen is actually doing mentor sessions, too. Slots have filled up but reply to us here if you want to learn more. Lorehaven will be there, with a virtual booth in the virtual marketplace. ‘Grittier Than PG-13: Writing and the Christian Author’ This panel’s original audience was authors, but readers and fans can benefit just as much. It may help to hear authors working through these issues. Many of these authors are professing Christians. The moderator is Randy Streu. He has the deepest voice. Next on Fantastical Truth Our next episode features an audiobook excerpt from Amish Zombies from Space. That’s book 2 in sci-fi author Kerry Nietz’s Perils in Plain Space series. Narrated by Randy Streu (the same as the Realm Makers panel moderator), this excerpt catches readers up with the spacefaring Amish, and just possibly a zombie. Or more zombies. From space, no less.

Superhero fans know the Bible is full of heroic characters. But today’s guest, Chase Replogle, points out the plot twist: Scripture rarely presents them as truly role models. Chase Replogle pastors Bent Oak Church in Springfield, Missouri. He hosts the Pastor Writer Podcast, interviewing pastors and authors such as Max Lucado, Philip Yancey, and Karen Swallow Prior. His podcast has been featured by The Gospel Coalition and his writings have appeared in Christianity Today. A native of the Ozark woods, he enjoys being outdoors with his wife and two kids. With Chase Replogle, we explore questions like: Why do we love superheroes who are drawn to reveal our deepest desires? What are our favorite superheroes and/or superhero stories? Why are we so fascinated with these stories? What does Samson’s story reveal about our own flawed view of heroism? What “heroes” in our culture exemplify our unique notions about identity and self-fulfillment? Quotes and notes From Chase’s article “Why Every Millennial Man Should Reread The Samson Story”: We’ve been told our entire lives that you can be anything you want to be, but by thirty the truth has finally started to set in. It’s not entirely true, at least not the way we imagined it would be. . . . We think we can choose our way to discovering our identity. We think we can keep choosing and continue to refine our destiny. The great enemy of our day is any restriction on our free choosing. . . . Individuality and the pursuit of your own way have become the new hero’s journey. There is no calling higher than self-discovery. There is no greater adventure than the pursuit of originality. . . . The pursuit of who you uniquely are is the American dream. . . . Samson is everything a man might imagine becoming. I like to imagine him in Ray-Bans, a man bun, and a CrossFit t-shirt, hiking through some remote red stone canyon, documenting his adventurous life on Instagram. He is the model man, driven by passion and restless for adventure and romance. . . . His ultimate destination was the furthest imaginable experience from the ideal that drove him to pursue it. His desire cost him the very thing that compelled him.” Next on Fantastical Truth We’re asking a big question: what about “PG-13 content” in fantastical fiction? This time we have a different sort of episode, thanks to friends and allies at Realm Makers. That organization and annual conference for Christian authors had a panel last year about this topic. Stephen was on that panel along with several novelists, including Brent Weeks and Terry Brooks (yes, that one). So we all got to explore this together, and now, courtesy of Realm Makers, so can you.

On May 20, director Zack Snyder announced that in 2021, DC fans calling to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut for the superhero film Justice League will get their wish. How do Christians see this fandom, and any other fandom joys, as biblical Christians? Stephen and Zack survey the now-successful #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, talk about DC heroes, and explore the movie controversies. Our questions include: What is the #ReleaseTheSnyderCutMovement? How did the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement start? Didn’t most fans hate Snyder’s DC movies, especially Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Why is Stephen so passionate about this fan movement? So what did the Snyders and WB announce on May 20? What happens now as we move toward releasing Justice League? What do you think Christian fans can learn from this? How can Christian fans reject “inevitability” pressures about this and even more significant cultural trends? How can Christian fans accept the fact they may look crazy? Why must we reject the “binary rating” system of review and criticism? Quotes and notes Stephen, Kerry Nietz, and Austin Gunderson versus Justice League (2017): After the originally relased film version in November 2017, we couldn’t help critique it and call for Snyder’s version to be released someday: Stephen: The characters are great. I love each and every one of them. But this rushed story and world around them felt shallow and empty. Sometimes literally. … Cities around them had no life. It needed another full hour. It needed Snyder’s deft hand in the editing and post-production. Austin Gunderson: Steppenwolf was no match for Superman. That’s been the key strength of the previous films to me: that Superman wasn’t boring. I thought this movie managed to Make Superman Boring Again. Not because he was unlikable, but because he won so much I got tired of winning. Kerry Nietz: If I had to name a fault, it would be in the stakes. They needed to create more of a sense of global peril. That could have been easily done with more small scenes in different locations. Possibly those are the types of things that were left on the cutting room floor. Later we reunited to call more directly for Warner Bros. to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut: Austin Gunderson: Justice League was in another league entirely. As the third in a series of dark, somber, mythopoetic examinations of superhero sociology, it needed to maintain a continuity of tone while upping the stakes. Whedon wouldn’t have been capable of doing that even if WB had prohibited him from straying from Snyder’s vision. The strength of Man of Steel and Batman v Superman comes from their sincerity: Snyder really felt that he was making something epic and important, and he had sufficient skill to convey that sense instead of coming across as pretentious. But no one—no matter how skilled—can pull that off unless he himself has the degree of sincerity (innocence? faith?) he’s seeking to elicit in his audience. People say that comedy is the hardest kind of writing because laughter is an objective metric. But I actually think that mythopoeia is dang hard, too, because of the degree of sincerity involved. Even the tiniest bit of cynicism—Whedon’s calling card—will kill it dead. Stephen versus potential fandom idolatry: On the Pop Culture Coram Deo podcast, Stephen and Snyder critic Jeff Wright sparred graciously. We also explored the graces and potential idols of fandoms like this one: I think if we were to reboot our perception of the whole thing, then we could probably avoid seeing stories as either “yes or no,” absolute good/absolute bad, thumbs up/thumbs down, or the nastiness that fans have if they’re for or against The Last Jedi or for or against The Rise of Skywalker. . . . To spread it beyond the Snyder Cut or Justice League fandom: this happens with a lot of fandoms, particularly when the story choices that the creators make are not pleasing to everybody. Or if they’re perceived as subverting the old stories. . . . C. S. Lewis versus making “clever marks” about things: In The Screwtape Letters and in his other works, C. S. Lewis decried this trend-chasing purpose of enjoying anything. Instead, he recommends we try to enjoy a thing “for its own sake,” for the simple (and maybe even godly) reason of finding pleasure in it. His satirical demon Screwtape wrote this about bad reasons for liking books: And now for your blunders. On your own showing you first of all allowed the patient to read a book he really enjoyed, because he enjoyed it and not in order to make clever remarks about it to his new friends. Stephen versus “objective rankings” for good or bad stories: When Stephen reviewed Justice League (Joss Whedon version) for Christianity Today’s website, he accidentally “set a trap” for Rotten Tomatoes. Read the whole “plot” here. He concluded with this: First, we must recall that movies, like any stories, are a hig

“The earth is healing; we are the virus.”[1. Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash.] Not long ago, that slogan itself went viral. Some made fun of it. A few took it seriously. But under the slogan lies this faint suspicion: maybe humanity is bad somehow. Something is wrong with us. We don’t belong here. How do Christians engage with this idea in our nonfiction and in fiction? Three worldviews about the Earth The Earth belongs to people. Result: exploitative pollution that harms people. The Earth belongs to itself. Result: anti-human attitudes and policies that harm people. The Earth belongs to the Lord. It’s for his glory and given over to our care. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Psalm 24:1–2 The real infection Humans are infected with a virus that’s called sin. Sin affects the Earth in many ways, including viruses, disasters, violence. Call this by any other name, and that’s a distraction from our biggest issue. People who blame “humanity” are just trying to “expiate” their guilt their way. Exploring ecologism Ecologism is a new political ideology based on the position that the non-human world is worthy of moral consideration, and that this should be taken into account in social, economic, and political systems. (Source) Preachy-green movies? The Matrix (1999) (not actually preachy-green, because a villain says that humans are like a virus) Lost in Space (1998) The Day After Tomorrow (2004) The Happening (2008) Avatar (2009) Better stories to explore sin versus creation stewardship We mention at least two: C. S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy or Cosmic Trilogy (a.k.a. Space Trilogy) J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Fantastic fans Emily S. shares her fantastical reader origin story: the Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe. Or the Snow Queen. Micah Harris of Minor Profit Press engages with our Epic Resurrection series: Thanks so much for this extended discussion on the redeemed physical creation. Something that irritates me is when mentioning some earthly pleasure, a fellow Christian responds, “But we’ll be beyond all that” in eternity. I’m sure they don’t realize how Eastern, even Gnostic , that sounds. God made nothing “common or unclean,” pronounced it all good, in fact, and “generously gives us all things to enjoy,” so there is nothing in the physical world, and our physical existence, that shouldn’t be redeemed for us to enjoy simply on the basis of “it gives you pleasure.” Not sure whether we’ll teleport into different locations (such as Jesus appearing in the closed room with the apostles) since the scriptural passage itself doesn’t differentiate that activity in his glorified body from his physicality and his eating. Regarding the latter, I love what someone pointed out. Jesus had just invited them to verify with their eyes and hands what they could see and touch, but then verified by eating what they couldn’t see: the resurrected existence of his internal organs. Micah Harris further writes: Much of our faith is speculative indeed when it comes to eternity. God has given us some roman numeral outline headings such as “no tears, no pain, etc.” but hasn’t narrowed it down much to the sub-headings or specifics. As you guys put it so well, unless the Bible says it’s not going to be there, the burden on anyone is to prove why any good thing that God himself made wouldn’t be. God would not arbitrarily rule out pleasures he made. Jesus’ words on marriage, for instance, focus simply on a society of immortals no longer having the need to reproduce. It’s reproduction, not loving each other intimately, that’s the focus of that discussion. I think marriage in the present age is like scaffolding that will no longer be needed in a world of perfect and holy individuals. Of course, I’m speculating. But we can be confident that God is not going to withhold any good thing from us. ON the reading list, I’d also highly recommend the chapters on heaven and eternity in Clay Jones’ book “Why Does God Allow Evil.” There, he argues for the eternal continuation of pleasure, of which God is the creator, in the life beyond. And certainly God created aesthetic pleasure, so there’s no reason to think it would be excluded anymore than sweet aromas or a loving embrace. Also, you guys might enjoy N.T. Wright’s “Surprised by Hope” which focuses on redeemed physical reality as our future, and Wright’s work of not only readable but enjoyable scholarship, a massive tome titled “The Resurrection of the Son of God.” Thanks again for this great three part discussion that has boldly gone where few Christians have gone before! Share any of your feedback in the comments section or feedback form at Lorehaven.com. Next on Fan

Last week’s interview with Randy Ingermanson about Oxygen went into overtime. That’s because we had to ask him about his most recent release: Son of Mary. It’s book 1 of his new four-book Crown of Thorns series. Now in this special bonus episode, we ask Randy (who uses the initials R. S. for this new series) questions like these: Click to explore more at Amazon.com. How did you begin writing your City of God series, including Transgression, Premonition, and Retribution? What kind of “gritty” content helps portray the rigors of first-century life? How long has your new Crown of Thorns series been in the making? How does biblical fiction work, exploring extra-biblical speculation? What occurs in the book, as Jesus’s messianic mission grows clear? Also on Fantastical Truth Episode 15: We explore Randy’s original foray into sci-fi with Oxygen, which follows a sabotaged mission to Mars. Episode 7: We explore how Jesus defines and redeems his gift of imagination, with biblical fiction author Brian Godawa. Episode 1: We review Patrick W. Carr’s The End of the Magi, which follows the wise men’s original quest to crown a king. Future episodes: We will explore the popular biblical fiction series The Chosen as well as Christians’ common challenges for biblical fiction. Next on Fantastical Truth A virtual-reality enemy once said that humans are a virus. Lately we’ve heard similar statements during the pandemic. By contrast, some people (even a certain leader of the Catholic church!) has spoken about the earth in very personal terms. How should Christians view The Environment, and discern stories that want us to view creation in particular and even mystical ways?

This time we’re going sub-orbital: Randy Ingermanson joins us to explore his foray into sci-fi with his 2001 novel Oxygen (co-written with John B. Olson). We also spoke with Randy about his return to his aspiration to write Tom Clancy–style thrillers set in first-century Jerusalem. This year he launched his new Crown of Thorns series. Book 1, Son of Mary, released in April. It follows the biblical quest of the greatest Hero of all time. Randy Ingermanson is the award-winning author of six novels, all written at the intersection of Science Avenue and Faith Boulevard. He earned a PhD in theoretical physics from UC Berkeley and would love to travel back in time to first-century Jerusalem. So far, the closest he’s come has been working on an archaeological dig on Mount Zion, right in the heart of the City of God. Connect with him at Ingermanson.com. Exploring Oxygen Lorehaven magazine reviewed Oxygen in our last issue‘s “The Best of Christian Fantasy” article: Once every two years, Mars veers closer to Earth, and at about the same rate the red planet orbits back into the news. Usually this happens when NASA launches another probe, or SpaceX founder Elon Musk insists his latest rocket-related antics really will someday send humans to colonize other worlds. For Christian speculative fans, however, a minor Martian invasion occurred in 2001 with the publication of Oxygen. This sci-fi thriller from John B. Olson and Randall Ingermanson followed the first human mission to Mars, starting in the year 2012. In this now-alternate history, there was no Curiosity probe, no Olympic Games or presidential election hogging the headlines, and no grand promises for amazing NASA missions followed only by budget cuts. Instead, readers join the Ares program, in progress, to send a four-member team of actual people to Mars. . . . Despite Oxygen’s then-futuristic starting year, the books don’t feel like sci-fi. That’s by design, the authors conclude. For humans to reach Mars, “technology is not an issue. Most of what we need exists right now, and the rest is well within our grasp” (page 366). Still, plenty of factors prevent this journey. Christians wanting to explore harder science fiction, set in our own world, might empathize. In theory, we have all we need to explore more Christian-made sci-fi realms for God’s glory. Yet until our crafts get faster and better, Oxygen (and The Fifth Man) will help satisfy this yearning. We asked Randy questions like these: What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color? How did you discover fantastical stories? And how did you start writing them? What’s the origin of Oxygen and its sequel, The Fifth Man? How do “extraterrestrial life” themes play a role in this series? In the last 20 years, what has changed in the world of Christian-made sci-fi? Fantastic fans L. G. M. shares a story about discovering fantastical stories: My first taste of fantastical fiction was when my dad and I read The Hobbit together when I was in third grade. I finished The Lord of the Rings in high school and re-read it for a college course where our final was to go see Return of the King opening weekend. I will never lose my love for Tolkien even though I’m more of a sci-fi fan now. L. G. names other stories, A Wrinkle in Time and two Star Trek series. Then: Arena by Karen Hancock. I read it over the summer of my freshman year of college and couldn’t believe Christians wrote GOOD sci-fi. Arena gave me hope that I could write Christian sci-fi, and it would find an audience. I recently sent the author an email thanking her for such a cool story that I’m convinced will stick with me until I die. L. G. also left us this five-star review on Apple Podcasts: I love Lorehaven in general … And this podcast is just one more reason to love it! So many cool topics that no one else is talking about! Jesse R. shares his testimony about finding fantasy: My earliest fantastical story that blew me away. happened when I was 9 ish years old. A now well-known movie came out called Jurassic Park and to a young boy with a very very active and well-used imagination, it was the greatest movie that ever was and will be. I saw it in the theater with my best friend for his birthday. (my parents didn’t know). Seeing dinosaurs come to life and having the thrill of interacting with them and escaping from their jaws blew me away. They truly did bring dinosaurs to life and did it in a really believable way. this movie helped stretch my imagination and greatly helped influence my curiosity toward visual storytelling. Next on Fantastical Truth A virtual-reality enemy once said that humans are a virus. Lately we’ve heard similar statements during the pandemic. By contrast, some people (even a certain leader of the Catholic church!) has spoken about the earth in very personal terms. How should Christians view The Environment, and discern stories that want us to

Let’s finish our series by exploring some big questions about the Bible’s promises of epic resurrection. Will the very idea of stories and books last into the eternity ruled by King Jesus? What about other human cultural works? Could even specific books and other human culture end up lasting into the prophesied New Heavens and New Earth? Epic Resurrection series Ep. 12: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just Our Souls but Our Bodies? Ep. 13: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just His People But His Creation? Ep. 14: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just People and Creation But Also Fantastic Stories? Scriptures we cite “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. … They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Isaiah 65:17–18, 21–22 (emphasis added) “Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” ‭ Luke‬ ‭12:3‬, CSB‬‬ Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25 (emphasis added) According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 (emphasis added) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation 20:11–12 (emphasis added) And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. Revelation 21:22–26 (emphasis added) Intro and questions Some folks get nervous here: because we’re talking about eternal stories. Not just classic books, but actual TV, games, internet, memes, and beyond. What about stuff like R-rated movies? shows? comic-book antiheroes? Concession stand We make other concessions in part 1 and part 2 of this topic series. We can’t go deep into things like Isaiah 65:17, “the former things were not remembered.” When it comes to flawed human art (not animals, etc.) we do speculate more. We’ve got to be really careful here. God takes sin seriously. So do we. But if any kind of stories/art have no eternal worth, let’s ditch them now! 1. Why did God give us the gift of making culture (including stories and art)? As we’ve seen, Christians often catch a “meme” that it’s inferior to be human. But it was God’s idea that we should worship him in human ways. In Genesis 1:28 (the cultural mandate), God commands people to make culture. 2. After humans turned evil, why did they still go on making things? Sin corrupts our stories, just like creation (which groans) and us, decaying. But Scripture has examples of people still making stuff./ Not just Israel (records, poetry, songs) but other nations (Jubal in Gen. 4:21). 3. When Jesus redeems us, how does this change the stuff we make? Christians have insider info. We know why we’re meant to enjoy stories. Sometimes we forget, of course. But even then, Jesus is good to us. Even the idea of stories as “vehicles” for truth > “art for art’s sake.” 4. What about stories made by nonbelievers? Even today, we know plenty of non-Christian-made stories that a

After we explored the resurrection of the saints, we continue our Epic Resurrection series and anticipate the future renewal of planet Earth. In our last episode: Epic Resurrection series Ep. 12: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just Our Souls but Our Bodies? Ep. 13: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just His People But His Creation? Ep. 14: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just People and Creation But Also Fantastic Stories? Part 1: Jesus redeems not just human souls but human bodies. We made a few concessions, about our biblical basis, materialism, etc. We explored the definition of “resurrection,” biblical and otherwise. We saw in Scripture how “spiritual body” still means “material” body. Fact: any afterlife speculations must start with creation’s goodness. Now let’s keep going: Presuming this eternal reality, where do we live? What do we do? Do we go to Heaven? What happens then? What is “New Heavens and New Earth”? This classic Betty Lukens flannelgraph scene is surprisingly biblical (with the disclaimer that New Earth will include more variety in skin tones and garment choice). Scriptures we cite The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:8–9, NIV For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of him who subjected it — in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. Romans 8:18-21, CSB But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3:10, NIV Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1–5, ESV Concession stand Some verses may apply to a literal millennial kingdom. But why stop there? Again, we’re going to stay out of the “end times” debates. What’s after that? Why start by emphasizing New Earth’s “normalcy”? Because miracles start here. All other concessions (materialism, freedom to explore) are in episode 12. We will explore: Scripture promises the future, literal renewal (not replacement) of creation. Let’s start talking about the “normal world,” and only then speculate further. Always stay Scriptural and focused on King Jesus, architect of the Afterworld. Why New Earth isn’t a non-Earth 2 Peter 3:10’s reference to judgement fire purifies, not obliterates Earth. Much (accidental) ill has done by old translation phrase “burned up.” Prophecies in OT and NT emphasize continuity: natural wonders and cultures! “New Earth” does not mean “non-Earth,” just as “new body” doesn’t mean “non-body.” “Well, we can’t know so it’s best not to imagine.” Scripture never offers such warnings. “This world is not my home.” If world means age: true. If world means planet: false! If God wanted to replace his creation with an alt-universe, he’d have said so. Why it’s good to dream of New Earth Like with resurrection, it’s good to practice biblical imagination of New Earth! This biblical imagination “lights up” normal life on this Earth. Instead of seeing our world as disposable, we start to see it as God’s. Instead of seeing our world as boring, we start to see more everyday delights. “The Earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). That fact does not “expire”! Any sin that lasts forever (such as greed, lust, or selfishness) would end up destroying a person. Only eternal happiness in holy, adventurous service to Jesus makes sense for eternity. Jesus Christ is the center of the afterlife, and the Afterworld that comes after that. Everythi

To celebrate Easter or Resurrection Sunday this month, we’ve started a new series: Epic Resurrection. E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell explore how Jesus’s resurrection will affect our bodies, the whole Earth, and the stories we love. In this episode, part 1, we focus on what Scripture says about Christians’ resurrected bodies. Epic Resurrection series Ep. 12: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just Our Souls but Our Bodies? Ep. 13: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just His People But His Creation? Ep. 14: What if Jesus Promised to Redeem Not Just People and Creation But Also Fantastic Stories? Concession stand Of course, this series will be a very brief survey of the topic. We’ll include lots of verses, references, and books in the show notes. We do presume you’re familiar with words like “soul,” “resurrection,” etc. We know this is part of a bigger conversation about all Jesus’s promises. Does this sound “materialistic”? It might. So let’s be clear: materialism’s bad. Also, we’ll strive to base any speculation on what the Bible actually says. Scriptures cited For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:22–23 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:1–4 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9–10 (often misquoted to “shut down” biblical prophecy or biblical speculation about the resurrection) “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17 (regarding our banter about getting new names) Exploring the resurrection of our bodies What does resurrection mean to us? Do Christians believe resurrection is physical? How is resurrection is a process, first spiritual, then ending when our bodies are made new? What verses (such as 1 Corinthians 15:44, 50) are used to deny the material nature of resurrection? How does our speculation about our resurrected bodies start with the clear promises Jesus has given in his word? Explore more Resurrection, Part 1: Prelude (first of this Resurrection article series) In ‘Heaven’, Randy Alcorn Explores Biblical Imaginations of New Earth The Rapture Is Fun, But Resurrection Is Better Heaven Will Be the Happiest Place on Earth https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/resurrection-part-1-prelude/ https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/reviews/heaven-biblical-imaginations-of-new-earth https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/rapture-fun-resurrection-better https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/heaven-will-be-the-happiest-place-on-earth/ Fantastic fans David H. shares his fantastic origin story: For me it was Tom Swift. He was like a young early McGuiver except sci fi. exploration and invention, and he did it with his Dad – a very family adventure, kind of like lost in space. Kaylena shares her fantastic origin story: I remember very clearly picking up my first copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in the basement of a friend’s house when I was around 8 or 9. I read half the book while I was there. It was all over for me after that- I read the series as fast as I could and it jump started my life-long passion for reading and writing fantastical fiction. If I had to put a finger on why the Chronicles of Narnia (in particular) left such an impression on me, I think it’s because even as a child, I could locate the thread of the divine throughout and hang onto it like a lifeline. I grew up in the church and knew God’s Word well, but my home life was a mess. In the inst

Come aboard the good ship Fantastical Truth for our first interview with space opera’s Kathy Tyers. E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell start by exploring the Firebird series, which first launched in 1987. Lorehaven magazine reviewed this series in our spring 2020 issue’s cover story, “The Best of Christian Fantasy“: Our review of Kathy Tyers’ Firebird series Lady Firebird Angelo has grown up knowing she might someday die for her people. As the thirdborn daughter of the royal family of the planet Netaia, she has trained for combat as a “wastling,” destined for suicide. Unfortunately, during her first engagement in space, she fails. Firebird is captured alive by the enemy. This galactic Federacy employs Firebird’s new captor, Field General Brennen Caldwell, who is both intriguing and supernaturally telepathic. Their encounter leads to the first of Lady Firebird’s drastic life changes in Firebird, book 1 of Kathy Tyers’s Firebird series. Tyers described Firebird’s original version, from Bantam Books, as a “cultural conversion story.” Yet since then, newer versions from Christian publishers enhanced Brennen’s commitment to an Eternal Speaker. That unseen entity has promised a divine messiah who hasn’t yet arrived. … Tyers deftly describes other worlds, adding color to landscapes and intensity to emotions, especially in those my-mind-to-your-mind entanglements. Firebird’s musical talent adds even more atmosphere, not often seen in fiction, much less space opera. This trilogy—continued years later in books 4 and 5, Wind and Shadow and Daystar—marks a fantastic find for Christian fans and beyond. Interview with Kathy Tyers Kathy Tyers created the Firebird series along with many other space-opera and science fiction novels, such as the Christy Award–winning Shivering World and Crystal Witness, which Enclave Publishing re-releases this summer. She wrote two novels in the original Star Wars Expanded Universe series (now called Star Wars Legends) Our questions include: What’s your origin story? How did you jump into operatic space? From a Firebird fan: “I want a full history of Brennen Caldwell. I still want to know what went down, that mission that won him a reprimand and a commendation.” What happened with Brennen before? From a Shivering World fan: “[What happened to everyone?! Did] they all survive? Is the little wildcat kitten okay?” After the first Firebird trilogy, what brought you back for two more books? How did your time at Regent College “reboot” your biblical creative engines? What are the big “what if” questions that led to the Firebird universe’s alternate history and future for human space exploration? What’s your view of Christian imagination? What can sci-fi/space opera (or fantasy) do that other genres can’t? What’s the story of the now re-releasing Crystal Witness? What comes next in your creative timeline? Hint: Kathy Tyers is returning to her Crystal Witness universe for a new trilogy, The Sunstone Saga. This series will begin with The Long Silence, which may release in 2021. Explore more Exploring Doctrine Through Fiction, With Kathy Tyers Secrets Of The ‘Firebird’ Story Kathy Tyers: Defeating Gnostic Forces In Fantasy Fiction https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/exploring-doctrine-through-fiction-with-kathy-tyers/ https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/secrets-of-the-firebird-story/ https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/kathy-tyers-defeating-gnostic-forces-in-fantasy-fiction/ Fantastic fans Azalea D. writes on SpecFaith about episode 10: I really appreciated your podcast. A lot of good points and food for thought. Your points about “how you are feeding your imagination, what are you enjoying, and how is it magnifying your desires” struck a bell, since I’ve been thinking along these lines concerning reading fantasy and how to tell good from bad. As well as how to relate that “good and bad” to others in a way they can understand. This is a subject close to my heart. I feel our Christian reading family needs to gain discernment in this area, since we are supposed to at least be trying to see truth, and to see what is false. If we do not see it, we may swallow it whole, with ramifications we don’t realize at first. Jason V. writes about episode 9: You guys are incredible, dredging up all these half-forgotten memories of my youth. First Psalty the Singing Songbook, now This Present Darkness! This book was the talk of my junior high youth group in 1987-88. I remember reading it then as a 7th grader, but can’t recall many specific reactions or thoughts I had at the time other than that it was a good, scary read. Thankfully, our leaders didn’t go so far as to use the book as a literal spiritual warfare manual. I did meet Frank Peretti years later when he was touring with his country/folk/bluegrass band Northern Cross. A very nice guy, great storyteller, and a talented banjo player to boot. Thanks for t

Fantastical Truth returns with another tricky topic: people’s “deconversion” from, or “deconstruction” of, the biblical Christian faith. In the last year we’ve heard these accounts from at least one popular Christian leader, and from a popular comedy duo from an evangelical background. Of course, you likely have many friends or even family members who say they were once Christians, but aren’t any more. In this episode, E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell won’t try to refute their points with logic and apologetics. (Others have been doing this well.) Instead we hope to explore why some professing Christians reject their faith, and not others. And we’ll ask a very cautious question: can excellent Christian-made stories help give young believers a stronger faith? Concession stand We won’t go through everyone’s professed “deconversion” story. Also, we might touch on the whole issue of whether someone who “deconverts” was ever truly saved. We still hope these folks are/will be believers as they once professed to be. People can profess doubt in Jesus only to return to him later. We view these accounts sympathetically, but not above criticism; they’re just as much subject to graciously skeptical “deconstruction.” Finally, we don’t mean to offer some Method to keep you strong in the faith, impervious to doubts or competing religions. We don’t say, “Here, read better Christian fiction and you’ll always keep your faith!” But we can look at our own accounts and see common factors. Our big questions Do people who “deconvert” from Christianity “evangelize” for their view using the language of only “rational thought”? Do “deconstructing” non-believers recognize the significant role of human imagination in their change of mind/heart? Also, do they recognize that they are not simply “deconverting” from Christianity but also converting to the default religion of Selfism? In the deconverters’ past, what kinds of stories did they grow up with and enjoy for recreation? Which images, songs, movies, books, pictures took “shortcuts” to their brains, zooming past all the “rational thoughts”? In the deconverters’ present, what kinds of stories have reflected and shaped their dreams, ideas, and deep internal longings? What cultural forces have given them these stories, and aren’t these cultural forces also subject to skepticism and “deconstruction”? How do great stories shape our beliefs? Great stories shape our deepest desires. We don’t mean these stories give us desires. Based on our deepest dreams and wants, we will prefer stories that reflect and shape these desires. The stories we love, past and present, reveal what people we truly are. Great stories shape our view of the world. For example, some “former Christians” say they met wonderful, moral nonbelievers in the world, who challenged their beliefs just by existing. But if you grew up with excellent Christian-made stories that already included likeable and moral yet non-Christian heroes, then this “groundbreaking” idea shouldn’t have taken you by surprise. Great stories prepare us for hard truths about God. Maybe you grew up learning complex apologetics arguments and nonfiction teaching about how/why a good God allows sin and suffering. But you need to experience these things to fully understand them. Scripture itself presents not just abstract teachings, but narratives in which even God’s heroes undergo suffering and other hard realities. Other stories, including stories made by Christians, should be doing the same, so that we are better prepared for this reality. Examples of belief-shaping stories The Left Behind series is oft-maligned for its potboiler-meets-prophecy stance, but also reflects real hardship and missional heart. In Mary Doria Russell’s novels The Sparrow and Children of God, Jesuit missionaries face aliens and trauma in space. Nonfiction biographies are true stories that seem “unbelievable,” and help Christians experience the suffering of other saints. Applications Prepare your mind and imagination for suffering and doubts, especially during the good times. Christian parents: make sure your kids get good, solid stories! These can actually be the means of helping children mature. We should read every “deconversion” story through the lens of Scripture, and not our own experiences of doubt or harm by others. Scriptures … Avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. —2 Timothy 2:16–18 Therefore let us

Plot twist: Christians have always believed in evil, unseen agents, and in the far greater power of the Lord to whom we pray. This is the theme of Frank E. Peretti’s classic spiritual-warfare thriller This Present Darkness (1986). Lorehaven’s own review chief, Austin Gunderson, joins E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell to explore this classic tale of good, evil, and praying saints versus the New Age movement. Pitching This Present Darkness Ashton is just a typical small town. But when a skeptical reporter and a prayerful, hardworking pastor begin to investigate mysterious events, they suddenly find themselves caught up in a hideous New Age plot to enslave the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race. Not since “The Screwtape Letters” has there been a novel with as much insight into spiritual warfare and the power of prayer. Fast-moving, riveting reading ranking with the best thrillers on the bookshelf. From Austin Gunderson’s article In the early 1980s, “Christian speculative fiction” wasn’t a thing. Sure, Pilgrim’s Progress and Ben-Hur were staples in Christian libraries, and J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis were giants. But fantastical fiction targeted specifically at a Christian audience hadn’t come into its own. That all changed when struggling former pastor Frank E. Peretti’s This Present Darkness was published in 1986. Peretti’s supernatural thriller begins in Ashton, a small college town on the northwestern plains. One wouldn’t consider this place as ground zero for a demonic conspiracy to dominate the globe. But the essential conceit of Peretti’s story is that human action affects the spiritual plane, and vice-versa. Lorehaven is our free quarterly digital magazine. Go to Lorehaven.com to subscribe, and you’ll get each free issue linked in your inbox. Our spring issue has our cover story, “The Best of Christian Fantasy.” This features our well-read review team whose members chose their favorite Christian-made fantastic stories to review. Why did Peretti stop writing Darkness novels? In an October 1997 issue of WORLD Magazine, Gene Edward Veith interviewed Peretti. The story was called “This Present (and Future) Peretti.” There readers learned why the author wrote only two novels in his Darkness-verse. What many of his readers took from the book, however, was not just that the culture wars have a spiritual significance. They took the Darkness books as combat manuals for fighting devils. In prayer groups across the country, people were binding demons named after specific sins (Envy, Despair, Lust) and calling on angels to beat down devils in charge of particular cities and nations. “That really alarmed me,” Mr. Peretti told WORLD. People were taking his fiction literally, as if it were fact. Conversely, other Christians were taking theological issue with episodes in his book, as if his attempts to dramatize the importance of prayer meant that God is actually dependent on “prayer warriors.” Though he went on the speaking circuit to discuss spiritual warfare, he stressed that his books were symbolic, and that theological conclusions need to come out of the Bible rather than a work of fiction. Part of the problem may have been that evangelicals simply are not used to fiction. As a result, some confuse fiction with reality. This problem is compounded today, Mr. Peretti points out, by Christian novels—such as the rash of Apocalyptic end-of-the-world novels with their Anti-Christ conspiracy theories—that do purport to be factual. Mr. Peretti resolved not to write any more demons vs. angels books. Other links Travis Perry’s What’s the Deal with the Devil? series on SpecFaith Fantastical feedback I very much enjoy the exposure to new stories I’ve not heard of before but even more, I appreciate the balanced approach our hosts bring to the varying degrees of theology and fantastical powers (and license) in their discussions of some pretty delicate issues. It is both freeing and cautionary at the same time and that is a tough needle to thread. —Apple Podcasts review from “Flindee” Mine would’ve probably been a picture book, but I’m not really sure which one. I just know I was always drawn to stories where something extraordinary or weird or unbelievable happened, and I remember getting disappointed when picture books didn’t have those elements and getting excited when I found one that did have those elements. So there wasn’t a clear line for me. I remember reading Narnia and The Hobbit and Lloyd Alexander in middle school and “My Father’s Dragon” before that, but I was honestly always seeking that magic. Like I read any Nancy Drew that looked like it had a ghost element first and was always disappointed when it was a Scooby Do-esque “fake ghost” trick. —fantastical origin story from Heidi B. Have you read This Present Darkness or other Peret

In episode 7, we promised our next episode would focus on Frank E. Peretti’s This Present Darkness. But first, a word from our biggest news of 2020. In this episode, E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell share a few “favorite” pandemic stories, including the recent Planet of the Apes film trilogy and Tosca Lee’s 2019 novel The Line Between. These stories can actually help Christians prepare our imaginations for these trials—or even worse suffering. Lorehaven reviews The Line Between These truth glimpses give The Line Between surprising heart-warmth amongst the chill, while its road-trip quest drives fast through mad territory and never once feels bogged down in snowbanks. Even by the finale, we get hints that our heroes have learned that yes, sometimes you must stay preserved from a world gone mad, but for the greater mission of helping others in that world. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote, you can’t simply separate from evil people—not even cultists—in order to avoid evil. That very line between evil and good cuts through every human heart. Read the full review in Lorehaven magazine’s spring 2019 issue. Read our interview with bestselling novelist Tosca Lee. Subscribe free to get every issue. Quotes and notes In 2017, Mark Carver wrote at Speculative Faith, “It’s interesting how the biggest threat to human existence rarely gets news coverage. It’s not North Korea or global warming or white privilege; it’s disease.” (Down With the Sickness, Sept. 20, 2017) Big lessons of pandemics: we’re not in control. These events challenge us to ask ourselves, “Where is my hope?” We blame politicians or countries or each other, or downplay the problem versus panicking, and/or buy into conspiracy theories—all because doing so gives us a sense of control. Christians may be material “preppers,” but we must always be preppers for times of suffering. Most of us don’t give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. This forces us to formulate perspective on the fly, at a time when our thinking is muddled and we’re exhausted and consumed by pressing issues. Readers who have “been there” will attest that it’s far better to think through suffering in advance. —Randy Alcorn, If God is Good, page 14 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. —Romans 8:18–25 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. —Revelation 6:7–8 (emphasis added) Action points Worship: we follow a Savior who touched the sick but didn’t get sick. Serve: help your neighbors who cannot take care of themselves, or shouldn’t go out in public. Who do you know who is at high risk if they get infected? How can you serve them? Pray: for revival, not just a cure. Evangelism: share the Power Over Fear tool. Next on Fantastical Truth This month we’re releasing our next Lorehaven issue. Its cover story explores our favorite Christian-made fantastical novels. This includes that classic of the 1980s, Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness, a classic (especially for Christians!) supernatural thriller that asks: What If the Armies of Hell Tried to Invade Your Hometown? Lorehaven’s review chief, Austin Gunderson, will join the podcast to explore the Peretti-verse with us.