New!
Author resources • Lorehaven Guild
Podcast sponsors • Subscribe for free
Crew manifest Faith statement FAQs
All author resources Lorehaven Guild Subscribe for free

Into the Darkness
Reviews, Feb 3, 2023

The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail
Jenneth Dyck in Articles, Feb 2, 2023

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, Feb 1, 2023

Library

Find fantastical Christian novels

fantasy · sci-fi · and beyond
middle grade · young adult · grown-ups
All novels Search Add a novel
Silver Bounty, Victoria McCombs
A Sword for the Immerland King, F. W. Faller
Calor, J. J. Fisher
Once Upon A Ren Faire, A. C. Castillo
The Genesis 6 Project, Michael Ferguson
Exile, Loren G. Warnemuende
Aberration, Cathy McCrumb
The Truth Beyond the Lies, Kathleen Bird
Frost, Winter's Lonely Guardian, E. E. Rawls
Dream of Kings, Sharon Hinck
The Change, Bradley Caffee
Quest of Fire: Desperation, Brett Armstrong
Wishtress, Nadine Brandes
Flight, Kristen Young
Podcast

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast

Podcast sponsors | Subscribe links
Archives Feedback

147. Why Can Christians Celebrate Stories about Merlin and King Arthur? | with Robert Treskillard
Fantastical Truth, Jan 31, 2023

146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango
Fantastical Truth, Jan 24, 2023

145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds
Fantastical Truth, Jan 17, 2023

144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 10, 2023

143. Which Top Ten Lorehaven Stories Proved Most Popular in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 6, 2023

142. What Christmas Gift ‘Tools, Not Toys’ Helped You Grow As a Person?
Fantastical Truth, Dec 20, 2022

Quests

Join our monthly digital book quests.

Lorehaven Guild Faith statement FAQs

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, February 2023

Prince Caspian
Book Quests, January 2023

Dream of Kings
Book Quests, December 2022

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book Quests, November 2022

Reviews

Find fantastical Christian reviews

All reviews Request review

Into the Darkness
“Charles Hack’s Into the Darkness summons a close-range science fiction story, focusing on the personal challenges of space warfare among alien cultures with a steady pace and serious tone.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 3, 2023

A Crown of Chains
“A Crown of Chains creatively retells a biblical tale to explore themes of providence, racism, faith, and fidelity.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2023

Lander’s Legacy
“Lander’s Legacy stacks modern thrills and complex characters on a foundation of biblical what-ifs.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 20, 2023

Prince Caspian
“Pacing starts slow but creature lore grows in C. S. Lewis’s sequel, introducing practical tyrants and talking-beast politics into a Narnian resistance.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 13, 2023

Gifts

Find new gifts for Christian fans

Archives

The original SpecFaith: est. 2006

Speculative Faith | archives

Lorehaven issues (2018–2020)

Order back issues online!
New
Library
Podcast
Quests
Reviews
Gifts
Archives
Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Subscribe free to Lorehaven
/ SpecFaith /

Why I Believe in Jesus and Love Fantasy Fiction

Novelist Daley Downing: The Bible asks us to believe in the miraculous, and that’s why I love imagining the impossible.
Daley Downing on Aug 14, 2018
5 comments

For pretty much my entire life, I have been fascinated by fairy tales, folklore, and mythology from cultures that have long since ceased to exist on this Earth.

Even after my childhood, I continued to dream and muse about prehistoric worlds, the civilizations that left us with little more than speculation on how they raised their great architectural structures, and their legends that have survived the ages.

As I grew older, and more involved in church activities, however, the more I received the message that holding an interest in such things as fantasy and speculative fiction was not an acceptable way for Christians to expend their energy.

This week we feature Daley Downing and her novel Masters and Beginners in Lorehaven Book Clubs. Stop by the flagship book club on Facebook to learn more about this story.

Subscribe to Lorehaven Magazine for free to download our new summer 2018 issue.

Frankly, this frame of mind puzzled me. What was so wrong, I wondered, with spending a few enjoyable hours a week reading about unicorns and mermaids and dragons? I know very well that epic fantasy worlds like Middle Earth and Narnia aren’t real. (Though, if we’re being perfectly honest, I sometimes wish they were.)

And, actually, why is this such a bad wish? Aren’t we told in the New Testament that Earth is merely our temporary habitat, and our true, forever home is in Heaven? And that this realm is something we can merely imagine while in our terrestrial bodies and minds?

So why would it be wrong for someone who’s looking forward to eternity with Jesus the Messiah to dream of worlds not yet seen?

Numerous passages in the Bible describe events and beings that many modern humans consider ridiculous and impossible.

  • The parting of the Red Sea so that the ancient Hebrews could cross to safety, escaping slavery in Egypt.
  • A land inhabited by giants fifty feet tall, with massive trees and plants growing enormous fruits.
  • Prophecies that warn of fire and brimstone raining down from the skies … and later this occurs.
  • Flaming chariots sweeping mortals off the ground to their eternal rest.
  • Healing miracles performed by the mere laying on of hands.
  • Angels descending through the clouds to rescue people from certain doom.

“Diverse elements are skillfully woven into a convincing world, leavened with magical quirkiness and textured with political maneuverings.”
— Lorehaven Magazine

The Church thinks nothing of asking us to believe that all of these incredible things actually happened. But, somehow, it’s not all right to contemplate talking animals, fairies, or long-forgotten creatures hiding on the edges of our towns and cities?

One of the biggest sticking points for modern Christians and the majority opinion of fantasy fiction (that it’s “bad”) seems to be the word “magic.” This word has gotten a reputation of being the source of some very sinful actions and trains of thought in the past few centuries. It’s true that we are commanded to stay away from witchcraft and sorcery (and we should).

But there is also another, healthier way to refer to and think of “magic.”

Ancient cultures saw magic in everything from the rising and setting of the sun, to the falling of rain and snow, the change of seasons, and the growth, decline, and rebirth of life all across the planet. They viewed the continuation of these cycles as completely divine. They didn’t dismiss the wonders of every day as “merely scientific” or “coincidence” or “superstition.”

When I read about angels swooping in to rescue people from certain doom, the apostles driving out fatal illnesses with a mere touch of their hands, the Red Sea parting against all its natural wiring, I feel that we’re witnessing some of God’s magic.

Jesus of Nazareth walking on water, casting demons into swine, turning water into wine, and raising the dead are all miraculous, divine, and, yes, magical things. But these were no illusions, like the sorcerers in Pharaoh’s court (Exodus 7: 10–13). Moses, Christ and his disciples, and the angels carried out their amazing works through the divine power of Jehovah.

To me, that makes miracles, prophecies, and visions or dreams that cross into another plane of existence, far less fantastical or improbable, but just as worthy of awe and reverence.

Do we ruminate on dragons and unicorns and fairies because they were—like dinosaurs and the dodo—once real? Has God left an imprint on our hearts for a world that once was and perhaps will be again?

My unicorn-and-Jesus-loving soul hopes so.





Subscribe to Lorehaven

“Diverse elements are skillfully woven into a convincing world, leavened with magical quirkiness and textured with political maneuverings.”
— Lorehaven Magazine

Explore Daley Downing’s novel Masters and Beginners in the Lorehaven Library.

Read our full review exclusively from the summer 2018 issue of Lorehaven Magazine!

Daley Downing
Bio: Daley Downing is an autistic adult, stay at home parent to special needs children, and cat whisperer. She spends her days wrangling her charges, and attempting to write more than she did the day before. Since early 2017, she has been immersed in crafting her YA fantasy series, The Order of the Twelve Tribes, the most recent release (Volume 3: Healers and Warriors) arriving in June 2018. All her titles are available from Barnes & Noble. You can visit her at DaleyDowning.Wordpress.com, and at Goodreads.
Website · Twitter
  1. RACHEL NICHOLS says:
    August 14, 2018 at 9:23 am

    I find the sub genre of “Magical Realism” fascinating. Despite its name it does not (necessarily) promote witchcraft/sorcery. The South Americans and a few Germans have written some good magical realism stories.

    Reply
    • notleia says:
      August 14, 2018 at 7:38 pm

      BTW, to those not in the know, magical realism is not the same thing as urban fantasy. The magical stuff is not actually the point in magical realism, it’s all about the ~~~~symbolism~~~~

      Reply
      • Travis Perry says:
        August 15, 2018 at 5:38 am

        Notleia…yes, Magical Realism isn’t the same as Urban Fantasy, but you could do a story in which the reader is uncertain which genre you’re in…

        Reply
        • notleia says:
          August 15, 2018 at 10:40 am

          I approve this idea

          Reply
  2. Deborah says:
    August 19, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    I love this post! 🙂

    Reply

What do you think? Cancel reply

Lorehaven magazine, spring 2020

Wear the wonder:
Get exclusive shirts and beyond

Listen to Lorehaven’s podcast

Authors and publishers:
Reach new fans with Lorehaven

Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Website · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter