With the last day of the calendar year, many of us start thinking about a fresh start. Even though the earth rotates on its axis unaware of the human-defined change to a new year, we somehow ascribe significance to this man-made observance. It would be sad indeed if we reflected on our lives, goals, and dreams only once a year.
As I get older, I notice I get more desperate for accomplishment and notoriety. I see the sand slipping through that glass and think in terms of years left. "If I can write two novels a year, I'll have twenty-five finished by age sixty." Stuff like that. I notice I push myself hard and it creates stress. I get depressed every day that goes by and my agents fail to call me with good news of a publishing contract. Why can't I take God's view of eternity and know that the gifts and talents I am developing and honing now will follow me into the new order? Part of me wants so badly to touch the world, to make a difference, to end my life with the ability to look back and say I've accomplished something important. That I helped change lives, led people to God, imparted some hope. I pray every day for God to use my gifts and talents to those ends. And I trust He will, in His time, in His way. but what am I to do? What should we all be doing?
I am reminded of Jesus' discussions of being entrusted with precious things. He spoke of those who are given much, and more is then given to them. Why? In another place he says "he who is faithful in little is faithful in much," and that when we are entrusted with a task and we are faithful in carrying it out, we are giving more responsibility. I try to ponder of this concept often. I try not to despise the days of small things, small accomplishments. I know God has given me some very precious gifts and I know He has called me to use them to the full for His glory. He has not called me to be successful; he has called me to be faithful. I also think of the widow who hounded the poor judge until she got what she wanted. So is it wrong for me to pray incessantly that I want these successes? I don't believe it is. But I do believe when we pray for something we really want, we need to take the "talent" God has given us and invest it wisely.
I've read numerous postings of fellow editors, and seen posts of writers' discussing the role of holy spirit in the lives of writers. Many, many authors claim they have been compelled to write their book, story, poem, by God's spirit. Not only that, they say God wrote their piece, so they don't dare edit it or touch it. Many editors reply, "If God wrote your book, why didn't he edit it, too?"
If God calls you to be a doctor, do you just assume he will perform your surgeries for you and you don't even have to go to med school? You will just be given this gift and then you let Him do all the work? We would be horrified to go under the knife of a surgeon who had never spent a minute studying medicine. So why do writers feel they can just write under Holy Spirit and produce a God-inspired, perfect work? Doesn't it make more sense that we first get the call, and then we take the talent and prove faithful in what has been given us? To me, that equates with hard study, practice, discipline, humility to ask for and act on advice in order to be a proficent writer that God can use.
It goes back to the adage: Act as if your life depends upon you; pray as if your life depends upon God. Maybe I have that wrong, but it makes sense to me. If I plow ahead, full steam, sowing day and night, not letting my hand rest--as if it depends upon me--then I am showing the faith I have in God. How? Because if I truly believe He has called me to task, then I want to be about doing it 100%. Putting every determined, faithful effort in that I can. But underneath it all I hear Jesus' words from John 15:5: "Apart from me you can do nothing." Not some things, not little things-NO things. Nothing. We don't know what on earth we are doing for heaven's sake; we only trust that Jesus is in control and he will give us things to do.
So, that's my resolution for the new year--oops--for each and every day until eternity: To be faithful with what I've been given. To not squander the gifts, however small and seemingly insignificant. To pray incessantly for what I want in accordance with God's will. And, lastly, to be alert and awake, so I will not miss the nudgings of God, so I will follow His lead and grab every task set before me so I can prove myself a faithful steward of what He has entrusted to me. May this be a resolve for us all. Susanne
http://www.cslakin.com/
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
12/31/2007
11/08/2007
Are Christian Writers Obligated to Christian Themes?
We've been having some interesting discussions in the Lost Genre Guild about what it means to be a Christian writer. Does it mean limiting your works to those that are purposely focused on the Lord and His Message? Or can we, like carpenters and electricians and even factory workers, still be following His will for us by simply honing our talents and keeping true to our convictions whether we're writing a Biblically-based romance or a techno-thriller that may or may not have obviously Christian characters or themes?
As you can imagine, the opinion varied according to one's experiences. It really is a personal choice, so my answer today is not a statement of how it should be, but how it seems to have worked for me.
My motto is "fiction, faith and fun," yet I never intended to be labeled as a Christian writer. For the first part of my career, my works were predominantly secular--and I still think of most of my writing that way. The fact that there are Christian or Catholic characters is not usually a conscious choice; and when it is, it's often because the character demands it or because it makes for an interesting twist.
My DragonEye, PI, character is a good example. I wanted a dragon character--and what's a dragon without a St. George? Well, wouldn't it be fun if instead of killing him, George converted him--or at least compelled his obedience… Before I knew it, Vern the dragon was not only attending Catholic Mass but had a nun for a partner. I've written several stories with them and have their first book, Magic, Mensa and Mayhem coming in early 2009 by Swimming Kangaroo.
Then there's the Rescue Sisters world my husband Rob and I created. We just thought it'd be fun to have nuns in space--no real message except the understanding that humankind won't outgrow religion. Those stories led us to create Leaps of Faith, a Christian sci-fi anthology; and Infinite Space, Infinite God--an anthology of thought provoking science fiction with a Catholic twist. ISIG came out in August by Twilight Times Books and Leaps of Faith is coming Summer 2008 from The Writers' Café Press.
The Writers' Café Press is a Christian publisher, but both ISIG and Magic, Mensa and Mayhem are being published by secular publishers. (In fact, the publishers at Swimming Kangaroo are atheists.) I'm neither proud of not surprised by this, really. I write for fantasy/sci fi readers. Well, not even that, really. I write for the characters and for me. And who it impresses, I leave to God.
What has surprised and impressed me, however, is how God has used my writing. I've been told both in reviews and personal letters how touched people are by the expressions of faith in the storesin Infinite Space, Infinite God. I've also been told how the stories have not only challenged people to think about their faith. One mother said every Christian teen should read this book because the stories examined issues they would face in the future, while a Catholic mom told me her daughter found answers to some of her faith questions in the stories. Rob and I compiled ISIG for fun; the only "educational" value we thought it had was in the introductions, but people are being touched--mind and soul--by the stories themselves.
So where do I stand on the "Christian writing" issue? I am a Catholic Christian. I am a writer. They are a part of my identity. They mix when they mix, but I won't limit my writing to only Catholic works any more than I'd limit my worship to only writing. I craft my words as well as I can, then get them to readers in whatever venue God brings my way. I trust that if I have done my best, God will make sure they get to the right hands--and He'll surprise me in the process.
As you can imagine, the opinion varied according to one's experiences. It really is a personal choice, so my answer today is not a statement of how it should be, but how it seems to have worked for me.
My motto is "fiction, faith and fun," yet I never intended to be labeled as a Christian writer. For the first part of my career, my works were predominantly secular--and I still think of most of my writing that way. The fact that there are Christian or Catholic characters is not usually a conscious choice; and when it is, it's often because the character demands it or because it makes for an interesting twist.
My DragonEye, PI, character is a good example. I wanted a dragon character--and what's a dragon without a St. George? Well, wouldn't it be fun if instead of killing him, George converted him--or at least compelled his obedience… Before I knew it, Vern the dragon was not only attending Catholic Mass but had a nun for a partner. I've written several stories with them and have their first book, Magic, Mensa and Mayhem coming in early 2009 by Swimming Kangaroo.
Then there's the Rescue Sisters world my husband Rob and I created. We just thought it'd be fun to have nuns in space--no real message except the understanding that humankind won't outgrow religion. Those stories led us to create Leaps of Faith, a Christian sci-fi anthology; and Infinite Space, Infinite God--an anthology of thought provoking science fiction with a Catholic twist. ISIG came out in August by Twilight Times Books and Leaps of Faith is coming Summer 2008 from The Writers' Café Press.
The Writers' Café Press is a Christian publisher, but both ISIG and Magic, Mensa and Mayhem are being published by secular publishers. (In fact, the publishers at Swimming Kangaroo are atheists.) I'm neither proud of not surprised by this, really. I write for fantasy/sci fi readers. Well, not even that, really. I write for the characters and for me. And who it impresses, I leave to God.
What has surprised and impressed me, however, is how God has used my writing. I've been told both in reviews and personal letters how touched people are by the expressions of faith in the storesin Infinite Space, Infinite God. I've also been told how the stories have not only challenged people to think about their faith. One mother said every Christian teen should read this book because the stories examined issues they would face in the future, while a Catholic mom told me her daughter found answers to some of her faith questions in the stories. Rob and I compiled ISIG for fun; the only "educational" value we thought it had was in the introductions, but people are being touched--mind and soul--by the stories themselves.
So where do I stand on the "Christian writing" issue? I am a Catholic Christian. I am a writer. They are a part of my identity. They mix when they mix, but I won't limit my writing to only Catholic works any more than I'd limit my worship to only writing. I craft my words as well as I can, then get them to readers in whatever venue God brings my way. I trust that if I have done my best, God will make sure they get to the right hands--and He'll surprise me in the process.
10/04/2007
Faith & Fiction
Hello LGG Readers,
My name is Lyn Perry, founder of Residential Aliens zine, and I was supposed to post a topic for discussion back in September. Sorry about my tardiness. I hope this entry will spark some interest.
At another forum I peruse, someone asked about the interplay between faith and fiction - with a bit of a query as to whether the two could even co-exist! Well, I replied there but thought I'd give the topic an airing here as well.
There seems, to me, to be three approaches to connecting faith and fiction (probably points on a continuum, but categorized here for clarity). My nomenclature, so these categories are not standardized, I'm sure. I'm thinking broadly here as well, but most of us will connect it to Christian faith fiction since this is a fairly recognizable sub-genre (as opposed to Baha'i literature, which I'm sure exists but isn't on most people's radars, lol).
So for what it's worth - and open to feedback...
1) Faith-infused writing is intentionally and recognizably religious oriented literature. The characters are identified as people of faith, they pray, they read their sacred texts, they make decisions based on their religious convictions. And the reader is usually of the same persuasion and likely shares the world view of the author. Since Frank Creed just released Flashpoint, I think this is a good example of a faith-infused novel. Grace Bridges' Faith Awakened as well.
In fact, most Christian fiction in the Christian bookstores today probably falls into this category. (I would also posit that some atheistic evolutionists and anti-religionists write from a "faith-infused" position - Philip Pullman for example. So in my view, there is no such thing as a simply secular book because secularism itself is a world view based on certain presuppositions that are arrived at by faith.)
2) Faith-based writing is intentionally founded upon a particular religious perspective but is typically written in such a way that the truths the author is trying to communicate are woven into a story that appeals to the broader reading audience. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are often mentioned as examples of authors who write from a Christian world view but don't put their characters into specifically religious situations.
Some great literature is found here. It "crossed over" before we even considered that to be an option. In other words, this type of fiction really arose first, before the faith-infused approach. Other examples include The Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina, or more recently works by Walker Percy or Madeleine L'Engle.
3) Faith-informed writing takes into account one's religious world-view which serves as a filter by which the story is told. But the author, in this case, isn't necessarily bound by the strictures of his or her faith perspective. That is, the message or story may or may not have religious themes - and that is more the function of the narrative than the author's intention.
Again, although all three categories might be gradations of a theme, I consider Orson Scott Card a faith-informed author. Although he doesn't purport to write from an evangelical Christian perspective, his religious world view shapes his fiction. I would also argue that most secular authors fit this category. Consciously or not, one's perspective on life will reveal itself in one's writing.
Well, that should be enough to get us thinking. What are your thoughts? Do you have any other examples or contra arguments? Thanks for reading and commenting.
Lyn Perry
My name is Lyn Perry, founder of Residential Aliens zine, and I was supposed to post a topic for discussion back in September. Sorry about my tardiness. I hope this entry will spark some interest.
At another forum I peruse, someone asked about the interplay between faith and fiction - with a bit of a query as to whether the two could even co-exist! Well, I replied there but thought I'd give the topic an airing here as well.
There seems, to me, to be three approaches to connecting faith and fiction (probably points on a continuum, but categorized here for clarity). My nomenclature, so these categories are not standardized, I'm sure. I'm thinking broadly here as well, but most of us will connect it to Christian faith fiction since this is a fairly recognizable sub-genre (as opposed to Baha'i literature, which I'm sure exists but isn't on most people's radars, lol).
So for what it's worth - and open to feedback...
1) Faith-infused writing is intentionally and recognizably religious oriented literature. The characters are identified as people of faith, they pray, they read their sacred texts, they make decisions based on their religious convictions. And the reader is usually of the same persuasion and likely shares the world view of the author. Since Frank Creed just released Flashpoint, I think this is a good example of a faith-infused novel. Grace Bridges' Faith Awakened as well.
In fact, most Christian fiction in the Christian bookstores today probably falls into this category. (I would also posit that some atheistic evolutionists and anti-religionists write from a "faith-infused" position - Philip Pullman for example. So in my view, there is no such thing as a simply secular book because secularism itself is a world view based on certain presuppositions that are arrived at by faith.)
2) Faith-based writing is intentionally founded upon a particular religious perspective but is typically written in such a way that the truths the author is trying to communicate are woven into a story that appeals to the broader reading audience. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are often mentioned as examples of authors who write from a Christian world view but don't put their characters into specifically religious situations.
Some great literature is found here. It "crossed over" before we even considered that to be an option. In other words, this type of fiction really arose first, before the faith-infused approach. Other examples include The Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina, or more recently works by Walker Percy or Madeleine L'Engle.
3) Faith-informed writing takes into account one's religious world-view which serves as a filter by which the story is told. But the author, in this case, isn't necessarily bound by the strictures of his or her faith perspective. That is, the message or story may or may not have religious themes - and that is more the function of the narrative than the author's intention.
Again, although all three categories might be gradations of a theme, I consider Orson Scott Card a faith-informed author. Although he doesn't purport to write from an evangelical Christian perspective, his religious world view shapes his fiction. I would also argue that most secular authors fit this category. Consciously or not, one's perspective on life will reveal itself in one's writing.
Well, that should be enough to get us thinking. What are your thoughts? Do you have any other examples or contra arguments? Thanks for reading and commenting.
Lyn Perry
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