Why Read Christian Fiction?
Both are legitimate areas of discussion and should be answered. Why read fiction? Some have made the argument that all fiction is ultimately pointless. Shouldn’t we as Christians be studying just the Truth? Shouldn’t we be spending our time spreading the Truth? This can be answered in two ways. First, I contend that leisure itself has a divine purpose, and second, that fiction can be used for more than just leisure. The central theme of the book of Exodus is God’s deliverance of His people so that they can rest. God set aside the weekly Sabbath (which literally means rest) for his people. Yes, the Sabbath was primarily a time of worship, but it also establishes that “time out” from work is an important and God-ordained part of our lives. But the Sabbath is based on more than just Exodus: it’s based on Creation. Israel was commanded to rest because God Himself rested on the seventh day of creation week (Exodus 20:4). God’s rest followed His determination of His creation as “very good” (
