This year I have had the good fortune of meeting and getting to know Joshua Lake, an elvish young man with a love for God, others, and (naturally) Tolkien’s writings. At his eirenic blog, Quieted Waters, he asks,

    “What are the obligations of a Christian writer?”

This is a very good question and one I feel quite ill-equipped to answer. Hopefully other online Christian writers (especially those who have written professionaly) will offer their own thoughts and feelings about this most important question. But there is no need to impose artificial limitations: all Christian bloggers would do well to consider the question since we are producing writings, whether ultimately Christian or not.

Not surprisingly, my own thinking on this issue has been influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien, the greatest Christian writer I have yet to read. I will lean on his wisdom (and that of others) as I attempt to answer Joshua’s question; without question, though, my answering will be as much for myself as for him. Thus, the reader should understand that my views represent a work in progress and not a definitive, dogmatic, final proclamation on the matter.

To consider the obligations of a Christian writer is to simultaneously discuss factors that distinguish Christian writing from all other writings. There is, to my mind, one essential to Christian writing: a worldview consistent with biblical truth. Gerald Wilson, writing about wisdom in the Old Testament, sheds much light on the Christian view of truth. Speaking of wisdom as a worldview, he says that

. . . wisdom in the OT also describes a more formal way of looking at the world, based on a set of principles and assumptions and approximating what we might call a philosophical stance. Such a worldview is the result of considered reflection on how the world works and how humans can conduct themselves most fruitfully within its constraints.” – “Theology of Wisdom,” New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis

Particularly, Christian writing represents a biblical worldview concerning what is true about Creation, Corruption, and Redemption; Christian writing must be involved in or reflect one or more of the preceding dimensions of truth. This post will emphasize Creation more than the other two – not because it is more important but – because it is the starting point from which the other two emerge.

Creation

To speak of Creation is to examine the nature of reality, experience, and history. For the Christian, reality is both seen and unseen: the supernatural exists alongside the natural; indeed, the supernatural for the Christian is more real than the natural, though the latter is not denigrated or diminished by this fact. Christian writing understands and builds upon the biblical fact that there is a spiritual realm that is the substance of reality; the visible realm is but a shadow or representative of the unseen.

Rather than devalue the physical, however, this understanding elevates the significance of the physical. Since that which is seen is representative of the unseen, it should be the Christian’s goal to preserve and redeem the visible creation. This includes environmentalism, ecology, social justice, and a host of other so-called “worldly” concerns. The invisible Kingdom of God is to be made manifest in the visible realm.

Wilson notes,

In its basic assumptions, wisdom thinking is closely related to and strongly influed by Israel’s creation theology. The sages understood that the world was created by God and played a part in God’s divine purpose. God’s divine wisdom was active in the creative process and continues to influence the progress of worldly affairs . . .

“The presence of wisdom in all of creation imbues life with an orderly, divine purpose that takes it out of the endless, chaotic cycle characteristic of most [Ancient Near East] polytheism and places it on a linear, journey of pilgrimage toward the culminating purposes of God.” – “ToW” NIDOTTE

Christian writing often reminds people of that which they may already know: that it is God who is in control, regardless of anything else to which they might attribute cause. This is clearly brought out in Tolkien’s works:

Could it be the case that Gandalf has some sort of wisdom or knowledge that penetrates beyond what is visible to everybody else . . . and enables the wizard to take hope and joy in something invisible that is nonetheless real and true? This . . . possibility, of course, is the correct one, as Tolkien shows us. Gandalf is aware that there is both a seen world and an unseen world; reality includes both a material plane and a spiritual plane. Furthermore, these two planes touch upon each other and affect each other . . .

[We must recognize} Tolkien's belief that the reality of the universe involves both spiritual and physical planes: both the seen and unseen dimensions. Tolkien was challenging his readers to look beyond the temporal values of the moment to see the eternal values where the spiritual and physical planes come together: at eternity." - Dickerson, Following Gandalf, pp 12, 17

Creation also includes the experience of people in the world. Given the truth of the supernatural-natural makeup of reality, Christian writing must not only present an eternal, heavenly perspective on reality, but must go further to include the providential actions of God within reality. Christian writing assumes and displays the presence and activities of God in Creation. The God of the Bible is not detached and passive but imminent and active, and it is the obligation of Christian writing to demonstrate this truth.

The truth of the twofold nature of reality – natural and supernatural – also means that the supernatural influences the natural. That is, the supernatural invades and intervenes in the natural world through spiritual beings and powers. This includes the work of the Holy Spirit, of course, but also the influence of angels and the efficacy of prayer. Christian writing not only allows for this interaction but expects it and sees it as common.

As Duriez explains, the author of The Lord of the Rings illustrates this supernatural understanding of life:

For Tolkien, the moral and spiritual world is as real as the physical world – indeed, each is part of one creation . . .

“In Tolkien’s invented mythology, he grapples with the relationship between fate and free will. His solution is a Christian one which sees the hand of God, or providence, behind human history and the natural world.” – ” – Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings, pp xv, 215

Thirdly, Christian writing understands that life and history are purposeful: God has an established end to history and a particular means to accomplish that end. The purpose of history is the glory of God; the goal is the summing up of all things in Christ Jesus, and the means by which all is accomplished is the Holy Spirit.

Corruption

Christian writing also understands the reason for the problems in the world: the rebellion of mankind, first in its representative, Adam, and always in the lives of people who fail to live as God had originally intended. Christian writing, and the worldview that undergirds it, knows that no aspect of natural life has escaped the consequences of the supernatural rebellion against God.

This does not mean, thankfully, that Christian writing simply declares that sin has ruined everything. It does mean, however, that Christian writing recognizes that there is something terribly wrong with the world at every level. Such a worldview also locates the blame for such corruption where it belongs: on the collective and individual rebellion of all people against God.

Corruption, understood from a Christian worldview, is a manifestation of spiritual reality. The world is not as it was meant to be because it has been cursed because of us. Paul personifies creation when he writes,

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly 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 also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” – Rom 8.19-22

Redemption

The most obvious truth of redemption in Christian writing is that accomplished by Jesus Christ. But a gospel presentation is not required in every piece of writing to make it Christian in nature.

The hope of redemption at some level – spiritual, psychological, relationally, ecologically, or any other way – is also evidence of the hope of redemption which is essential to a Christian worldview. In The Lord of the Rings, for example, there are examples of redemption (Boromir), attempts at redemption (Gollum), and refused redemption (Saruman). There is redemption of The Shire at the close of the book and a partial redemption of Middle-earth in the defeat of Sauron. The theme of redemption, which is an essential of a Christian worldview, is part of what makes LOTR a Christian work.

Redemption of people is the primary focus of evangelicalism, but our stewardship extends to all of creation. Being a “tree-hugger” or a friends of endangered species may not be popular with Republican dogma, but it is the responsibility to care for all of creation nevertheless.

Christian writing, then, is concerned with some demonstration or examination of a Christian worldview. It will touch upon at least one of the three essentials of Christian truth: Creation, Corruption, and Redemption. As mentioned previously, a proper understanding of creation is fundamental for a proper understanding of the other two. The Christian writer must be biblical at this point or inevitably be wrong at all others.



Namárië.