Thursday, March 19, 2009

Christian Fiction: A Necessary Evil?

In reading agents' websites and blogs, I've noticed that there are a few that represent Christian fiction, or specifically call out that they hate it. My question is....why do we need a separate catagory for "Christian fiction?" If you're a Christian and you write fiction, can't you just write what you want? Can't Christians read what they want, too, and then decide whether or not it matches their world view? What's so great about this section of the bookstore?

For example, I love classics like BRAVE NEW WORLD by Huxley because I feel like they show me something about humanity. Why, then, am I pressured as a follower of Christ to only read "Christian fiction"? Will reading about all the sex and drugs in this book make me a bad person? Or will looking into a dystopian future help me grasp something about the world that I can apply to my life?

I have to admit, I am a little bitter over the fact that some have looked down on me for choosing to listen to "secular" music like AC/DC or read secular books with riskier themes just because it doesn't have the Christian label. However, doesn't it seem like most books or music made just for the Christian market tend to be far crappier than the secular counterparts? Is it just a way to get a captive audience for a less-than-competitive product?

What do you guys think? Christian fiction; cop-out or lifesaver?

1 comment:

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

This is an interesting post, with a lot to think about. I don't know that I've ever read any Christian fiction, and I guess that is in part to my feeling that it is going to be preachy.

That being said I believe that every genre has good and bad books, and if someone was to highly recommend a Christian novel to me I would definitely give it a try.