This feels like a confession.
When asked what they hope to accomplish with their writing, Christian writers are fond of saying that they want to “glorify God.” They want to magnify, exalt, honor, give witness of and uphold God in the stories they tell.
Which leads to my confession: I have no idea what they’re talking about.
Of course, I realize that Christians are to glorify God in everything they do.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Cor. 10:31).
But doesn’t this render the Christian writer’s response moot? I mean, if you’re supposed to do EVERYTHING to the glory of God, why must you single out your writing?
- Do you glorify God in how you eat?
- Do you glorify God in your TV habits?
- Do you glorify God in how you manage your money?
- Do you glorify God in how you treat your boss?
- Do you glorify God in how much you serve others?
- Do you glorify God in your online presence?
- Do you glorify God in how you market your book?
“Do ALL to the glory of God.”
If this is assumed, then why are Christians writers so concerned to point out that their literary mission is to “glorify God”? That should be a given. In fact, if you’re not glorifying Him with your whole life now, why should it matter that you stick references to Him in your stories?
And, sadly, that’s what many folks mean by glorifying God in their writing. For most Christian writers, glorifying God is all about their message. It means not backing away from the Gospel and not avoiding references to Christ in their novel. It means developing content that is virtuous, redemptive, and spiritually uplifting.
Which leads me to ask: Can only writers of explicit “Christian content” glorify God in their writing? Can a Christian sportswriter glorify God in his writing? Can a Christian textbook maker glorify God in her writing? Can a Christian dog trainer glorify God in their writing? Can a Christian op-ed columnist glorify God in their writing? Can a Christian scriptwriter for Nickelodeon glorify God in their writing?
IF NOT — if only Christian writers can glorify God in Christian stories — then how can a Christian ever hope to “do all to the glory of God”?
IF SO — if Christians can glorify God in whatever kind of story they write (or task, service, job they perform) — then how is glorifying God in a Christian story any different than glorifying God in a “secular” story?
Call me a stickler, a wet blanket if you like. But glorifying God seems to be a lot more than just going to church, quoting Scripture, referencing God, and distributing Bible tracts. Glorifying God is a lot bigger than just our message.
So why must our novels be any different?
Writers are among the best missionaries in the current world and which ever they do must always praise our GOD.
While I agree that a work does not need to be blatently christian themed, preachy, and laced with scripture, there is a line which should not be crossed by an author who is a christian.
I’ve read several books lately by authors who are christians where paragraphs and pages are used to describe sexual encounters that are definitely not glorifying to God. I understand that as part of a story, these types of encounters might be important, but does an author who is striving to glorify God in everything he does really need to tell us “her silk robe fell gently to the floor revealing…”
I think any writing that is going to encourage blatant lustful thoughts, cannot glorify be glorifying God at the smae time–even when the details shared are mild by the worlds standard. This is not the same as writing about the sexual encounter without going into graphic detail because reading it, is not going to encourage sinful behavior. All christians needs to realize that their GOAL is not to strive to have better standards than the world, but to “be holy as I am holy”(live up to Gods standards).
Interesting discussion. I think if we are truly trying to bring glory to God in all aspects of our lives doing so in whatever work we do will simply happen, without effort, without the proverbial Bible thumping. I entered a secular poetry contest once, just for fun. When it took the top prize the judge, who is not a believer, said the most powerful aspect of the piece was the “under-lying presence of God.” I hadn’t mentioned Him. Or so I thought.
I was stunned, humbled, praised God.
Write the words. Let Him do the rest.
Write the words. Let Him do the rest.
This. Yes.
I’m told my books are not “preachy” — I can’t determine that for myself, it takes a reader to do that. I believe we can tell stories that range along a continuum from very sweet and low-key to edgy and challenging. If we do it as unto the Lord, there’s room in His house for all these types of fiction. I just wish there were more acceptance of the Christian world-view in the general publishing industry, though. We’re not hiding our light under a bushel, but if we write Christian and sell only to Christians — how does that get His message across?
IF only Christians can glorify God does that not negate common grace at some point? Christians need to do everything for God’s glory but if it’s all about the mentioning the gospel in your writing then it misses the point. Flannery O’Connor wrote with Christian themes but sometimes not explicitly.
I’m not sure if anyone’s still paying attention to this discussion, but I thought this post was very interesting, and I wanted to add my thoughts.
I agree that, as Christian writers, glorifying God should be a given. But very often it isn’t. Even though God has already redeemed us, and “we delight in God’s law”, the “law of sin is at work within” us and will as long as we are living here in our earthly. Paul talks about this in Romans 7:14-25.
I believe that since we are to do everything to the glory of God, then it is all the more reason to be intentional about it. Not that we should be less intentional about glorifying Him through our writing, but that we should be more intentional about Glorifying Him through everything. And since it’s a command, better to overdo it than not enough, right? Besides, if our hearts are right, and our true motives are to glorify Him, then I doubt that we could ever ‘overdo it’.
As for what it means to “glorify God” “in the stories they tell”, I would say that it means to write about God’s character in a way that points the reader to Him and makes them think “Wow, what a great and awesome God I serve!” or “He is so loving, I want to know Him more!” Of course, the way we understand what it means to glorify Him through our writing will influence how we go about it.
And like Mike said at the end of his first comment, the message should come naturally if our hearts are right before God. But once in a while, we would do well to review our message and ask if the message is glorifying to God. By the fruit, you can recognize the heart.
Anyway, just a few thoughts. Thank you for this post. It’s great that you’re encouraging writers to think about why they do what they do and to examine their motives.
Jordy,
Thanks for the encouragement. I just heard Dallas Willard talk about Francis of Assissi–It was actually an aside in his talk.
Dallas said that Francis sent his men out two by two so the world would see them loving each other and be drawn to God. This relates loosely to writing, I know. It spoke to me because I teach at writing conferences and have been praying about adding a partner. Francis’s policy seemed to make a good argument for team-teaching to writers. Let us do all to the glory of God.
Amen to that last sentence, Terasa!
Seeking Practical Definitions, probably by Genre
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Mike;
You do like to mix it up don’t you? You ask some of the most engaging, thought provoking and argument inciting questions of any Fb poster that I’ve seen. Bravo, bro.
As with many things Theological I find myself thinking, “Wow, those big words like a really important thing; I wonder what they mean practically? What’s the practical essence of it and how can I accomplish it? I find this phrase “Glorify God” to be part of that shadowy class of phrases and words.
I didn’t have time to read all the responses, the ones I sampled looked quite thoughtful; but I did notice one thing that I found a bit troubling. Everyone wrote about “Glorifying God” as if it was a well understood term that most everyone knew the meaning of. (Some did try to define it functionally, and I commend them for adding their Extensive definitions to the discussion) However even with this Glorifying God seemed like a secret password that everyone “in the club” uses but to which there wasn’t one clear “Consensus” meaning.
I read Rebecca Millers thoughtful attempt to address this topic in her blog (your links below); but even there I don’t see the kind of clear “consensus” answer I’d like to see.
I know some Theological terms in scriptures are obscure like that because they are untranslated Latin words and they have no meaning in English, other than what the preacher or commentator fills them with (which IMHO is where many theological wars originate, but I digress); but Glorifying God or Bringing Glory to God are fine English words which should have a plain, practical meaning.
I know a number of new Christian Writers who write Christian Fiction about Zombies, Vampires and other Occult subjects. I’ve asked them and they all have a rationale for their choice of Genre’s outside the typical pale for Christian writing. I confess though that in the absence of a clear meaning for Glorifying God (and I know that in real life God does a whole lot of stuff that falls way outside that typical, dare I say Orthodox, pale Himself) I’m at a loss to know if their rationale makes sense spiritually.
More importantly, I find that without a clear standard of Appropriate and Practical Excellence, to apply to these non-standard Christian Genre’s, when I’m asked to critique their work for Style, Substance and Thematic Consistency it’s hard to know what to say and what suggestions for improvement to give. Mere Stylistic critiques are relatively easy, Substance and Thematic Consistency are the hard part absent a clear standard of what Glorifies God.
My experience in the Writing world has taught me that a good editor / critique partner who knows the genre and market that you are writing for is essential to turning out a good literary / entertainment product. Since the Spiritual Goal of Glorifying God is not defined by Elements of Style or by the Marketplace it seems we need some consensus on what is the essence of Glorifying God. As a Critique partner I want to know how to recognize it when I see it, and as an Author I need to know how to shape my Themes and Plots to do it.
It seems to me that if we could define, Intensively and Extensively, what “Glorifying God” means it would be much easier to determine whether we’d got the job done or not when we evaluate the writing of others and do our own writing.
God is glorified by fruit bearing
John 14-16