Fictional “truths” and truthful Fiction

This is a strange time for writing fiction. We are living in an era in which many of our political leaders  promote as true what is actually fiction, and deride as fake what is actually true. Even sworn testimony, given under oath, is sometimes empty fiction.

Furthermore, when we are engaged with so many deeply troubling national and global issues, might not writing fiction be regarded as an irresponsible escape from reality. Surely, now is the time for facts, for non-fiction, for well-documented truths. As much as we need all of that, I believe now more than ever we need what could be called truthful fiction. We need fantasy writers to be our revealers, countering deception by opening up our awareness to reliable, enduring truth. Kerry Dearborn writes of the Spirit baptizing our imagination to “smuggle truth” past the defenses of our prejudices and preconceptions. 

In response to this call, I’ve made my own attempt at “smuggling truth,” writing what I hope is truthful fiction and revealing fantasy, “Nomad and the Lost Stories.” This has been a fascinating, five-year process. I have written over a dozen works of non-fiction in theology, spirituality, ethics, and mission–but writing fiction is a very different art, and I am definitely an amateur.

In the story, I weave together fictionalized versions of experiences, encounters with people and dreams from my own life, with the hope that it will encourage others, and especially young adults, to explore the wonder of life with Christ. My desire is to create a resource people would enjoy sharing with their children and (older) grandchildren, friends and family, as a slightly indirect way to invite them into the wonder of God‘s great love. I’m compelled by the “mission statement” for elders given by the Psalmist: “Declare the mighty acts of God and God’s steadfast love to the next generations, so that even those yet to be born will have solid reasons for hope.”