Are we lying to our children when we read them Biblical fiction?

When we retell Bible stories to children, how important is it to stick exactly to the facts or is there room for some imaginative ‘filling in the gaps’, when it serves a purpose? And how much?

You’re fictionalising Jesus! 

A friend of mine won’t use the song Jesus You’re my Superhero in her children’s ministry because she says it puts Jesus into a category with a whole host of fictional characters. Surely, she argues, that is telling children that Jesus is fictional, too. 

For the same reason, some people won’t have anything to do with shows like The Chosen or read any kind of ‘Biblical fiction’. And at first, this does sound like a good reason to avoid mixing Biblical truth with any amount of fiction. 

Except for all the reasons why I think it’s actually a fantastic idea, as long as it’s pointing towards the truth, not overshadowing it. 

Because historical fiction works 

Blending fact and fiction into a story is a powerful way to inform and influence a person’s beliefs. For example: Sir Walter Scott is widely credited as the founder of the ‘historical fiction’ genre. However, Scott was inspired by an even earlier book called Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth. Her book was the first English-language book written in and about Ireland and it dramatically changed the way English people perceived their Irish neighbours – for the better. In fact, it was so influential, that Sir Walter Scott decided he would do the same for Scotland using this powerful medium of historical fiction novels. 

I love historical fiction because I love history, but I am terrible at remembering details, dates and names. So historical fiction novels had opened the door to worlds that traditional history books were unable to open. But crucially, the first thing I do after reading (or watching) historical fiction is to research which parts were true.

I love to find the truth, but it’s the fictional setting that motivates me to search for it.

Because of Tolkein & Lewis 

There was a time in my life when I was throwing away everything that I thought didn’t ‘glorify God’, which for some reason included any Mr Men book that featured a wizard. I finally stopped when I got to the works of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. Did I really believe that these two Christians had written works of fiction that would point people away from God? 

It was a breath of fresh air to read Surprised by Joy by CS Lewis, in which he describes a conversation with Tolkien who gave Lewis permission to use his imagination as well as his rational thought to find faith in God. Tolkien believed that fiction – or more specifically, myth – conveyed truth in a way that no other genre is able because all myth points towards the great longing within us that this world cannot satisfy. 

I believe that fiction allows us to safely explore possibilities that our rational mind would reject. For our non-believing neighbours, this is an opportunity too good to pass up.

Because it’s impossible not to blend fact and fiction

Every time we retell the Christmas story, unless we simply read directly from the Bible, we add a little bit of imagination to the known facts. When we combine the magi and the shepherds into the same scene, we have just created a work of fiction. When we give the impression Jesus was born in winter, we have just added a little bit of fiction. In fact, as soon as you put words of English into the mouths of any Biblical character, you’ve just added a bit of fiction. Does this point children away from God? 

In my experience, it actually points people towards the Bible. Who hasn’t had a conversation that includes the words: “Did you know the Bible doesn’t actually mention a donkey carrying Mary the Bethlehem?” 

Because historical fiction is honest

In contrast, historical fiction doesn’t pretend to be 100% factual. It admits that fact has been blended with fiction, which reminds us that there is a purpose for doing so. 

The purpose might be to make the story more memorable or give us a fresh perspective to an over-told story. It might be to help us understand what it felt like to live through the story or maybe to break down the barriers for those who might consider the topic irrelevant or boring. 

Because of a diamond ring 

I believe a fictional story that contains Biblical truth is like this proverb: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Proverbs 25:11 (ESV)

Imagine a beautiful gold ring with a huge, sparkling diamond. When you look at the ring, which do you admire more, the gold band or the diamond? Usually it’s the diamond, but it’s even more beautiful because of the gold band.

I see fiction as the gold band that provides a setting in which the diamond can shine in all its glory. The gold band should not compete against the diamond or try to overwhelm its beauty.

So a fictional story can highlight a truth more brightly than you can imagine. 

Because of my daughter 

I’ve written a book for Christmas about a fictional Robin who has lost his song and, as he travels the world, he listens to the songs sung by Mary, Zechariah, the angels and Simeon in response to the coming of Jesus Christ, and his own life and world is transformed! 

I have worried some might see it as fictionalising the entire story of Jesus’ birth by blending it with a story of songbirds. My hope is that I’m offering a fresh perspective on a much-told story, but I thought I’d better check with the only child who has read it so far – my eight-year-old daughter:

Me: “You know that book I’ve written, Robin’s Christmas Song? Is it fact or fiction?”

Her: “It’s a bit of fact and a bit of fiction.”

Me: “Which bit is which?”

Her: “The bit about God is fact and the bit about the birds losing their song is fiction.”

Me: “Can you tell the difference?”

Her: “Yes.”

Me: “How?”

Her: “Because the God bit is the same as the Bible and the Bible is always true.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.