That’s a good question, and not sufficiently answering it is part of why I haven’t been happy enough with anything to hit “publish.” I’m a fairly practiced preacher - and that’s the muscles that naturally flexes when I write. But preaching in fiction isn’t generally effective. So my goal with short stories is to clearly illustrate a particular principle or point.
Well, my specific statement was that it isn't *generally* effective. That comes, I suppose, primarily from having authors lose me when they start preaching through their characters instead of having the story speak for itself. It's not that there isn't a place for it. For a positive biblical example (obviously not fictional, but narrative storytelling nonetheless), in the books of 1-2 Samuel we read vast tracts of story without getting a direct word as to "what does God think about this" - and then you read 2 Samuel 11:27 (after Uriah's murder), and we read that "the thing David had done displeased the Lord." It feels so out of place (because the author *hasn't* been giving those notes) that it is shocking in its effectiveness.
Or to illustrate negatively from CS Lewis: I love the Ransom trilogy, but in That Hideous Strength the most boring parts are when Ransom is speaking. He is an essentially perfect character just giving info from "on high", and it simply doesn't stick the way the rest of the book does when you are in the midst of wrestling with Mark and Jane and their desires for the Inner Ring and independence.
Anyway, I think it can work. I've just read more failed attempts than successful ones. But, reading that sentence also reminds me of the line from Chesterton that anything worth doing is worth doing badly.
As to what points...that really depends on the story. I have one file open right now on the topic of MAID. The basic story outline is a young evangelical pastor in Oregon who finds out he has inoperable brain cancer. He attended a squishy-left seminary and is sympathetic to the arguments for MAID, and decides along with his wife that this is the route to go. But as the time for his appointment draws near he has a dream wherein his pre-teen daughter finds out what he's done, and understands that he's committing legally-sanctioned suicide. He is able in the dream to see her life play out as a young woman who feels unloved and abandoned by her father. This changes his decision. What happens afterward? I'm not sure yet.
On of the things I love about reading fiction is getting into the characters shoes. I think that is evangelistically/apologetically one of the great uses of story: to create plausibility structures into which Christian content fits.
I haven’t heard the term ‘MAID” before… I am rather appalled that any evangelical would think it was the ‘way to go’. Certainly physician assisted suicide is a real issue that the church needs to confront.
So, what would be the great issues that you would like to deal with in your stories. Mine obviously mostly revolve around marriage and family.
Marriage and family would be up there - specifically stories of redeeming grace in broken family situations.
Questions of ethics (like the above) are also really important to me, and as I noted, I think fiction is a way in that might make more of a dent than rational argument alone.
The third bucket would be concerning the value, importance, and dignity of work.
Name: Will Dole
Stack: Stopping to Think
Confession: Remsen Bible Statement of Faith (Calvinistic Evangelical) https://www.remsenbible.com/about-our-church/statement-of-faith
Fiction: I've dabbled in short stories, but haven't published any yet.
Goals: Communicate biblical principles and teaching in the most effective manner possible.
Bio: Husband, father of four, church planter/pastor, small business owner, former postal worker, reader.
Well, glad to see you, @Will Dole . Maybe we can get this group off the ground :)
How are you using your short stories to communicate the gospel and other Biblical teachings?
That’s a good question, and not sufficiently answering it is part of why I haven’t been happy enough with anything to hit “publish.” I’m a fairly practiced preacher - and that’s the muscles that naturally flexes when I write. But preaching in fiction isn’t generally effective. So my goal with short stories is to clearly illustrate a particular principle or point.
So, what makes you say that preaching in fiction isn’t effective?
And what kind of points are you trying to make?
Well, my specific statement was that it isn't *generally* effective. That comes, I suppose, primarily from having authors lose me when they start preaching through their characters instead of having the story speak for itself. It's not that there isn't a place for it. For a positive biblical example (obviously not fictional, but narrative storytelling nonetheless), in the books of 1-2 Samuel we read vast tracts of story without getting a direct word as to "what does God think about this" - and then you read 2 Samuel 11:27 (after Uriah's murder), and we read that "the thing David had done displeased the Lord." It feels so out of place (because the author *hasn't* been giving those notes) that it is shocking in its effectiveness.
Or to illustrate negatively from CS Lewis: I love the Ransom trilogy, but in That Hideous Strength the most boring parts are when Ransom is speaking. He is an essentially perfect character just giving info from "on high", and it simply doesn't stick the way the rest of the book does when you are in the midst of wrestling with Mark and Jane and their desires for the Inner Ring and independence.
Anyway, I think it can work. I've just read more failed attempts than successful ones. But, reading that sentence also reminds me of the line from Chesterton that anything worth doing is worth doing badly.
As to what points...that really depends on the story. I have one file open right now on the topic of MAID. The basic story outline is a young evangelical pastor in Oregon who finds out he has inoperable brain cancer. He attended a squishy-left seminary and is sympathetic to the arguments for MAID, and decides along with his wife that this is the route to go. But as the time for his appointment draws near he has a dream wherein his pre-teen daughter finds out what he's done, and understands that he's committing legally-sanctioned suicide. He is able in the dream to see her life play out as a young woman who feels unloved and abandoned by her father. This changes his decision. What happens afterward? I'm not sure yet.
On of the things I love about reading fiction is getting into the characters shoes. I think that is evangelistically/apologetically one of the great uses of story: to create plausibility structures into which Christian content fits.
I haven’t heard the term ‘MAID” before… I am rather appalled that any evangelical would think it was the ‘way to go’. Certainly physician assisted suicide is a real issue that the church needs to confront.
So, what would be the great issues that you would like to deal with in your stories. Mine obviously mostly revolve around marriage and family.
Marriage and family would be up there - specifically stories of redeeming grace in broken family situations.
Questions of ethics (like the above) are also really important to me, and as I noted, I think fiction is a way in that might make more of a dent than rational argument alone.
The third bucket would be concerning the value, importance, and dignity of work.