Christian Fiction

Before I became a book editor, I worked for about a year and a half at a local Christian bookseller. It was an interesting job, and I learned a great deal that has helped me in my current job as an editor. I had an opportunity to learn about current popular Christian authors, Christian book publishers, Christian music--and a lot about the consumers of it all who came into the bookstore.

One of the perks of working in the store is that we were able to borrow books to read so that we could familiarize ourselves with the product. I had never developed a favorable impression of Christian fiction--being an English major who studied Shakespeare, Milton, Hawthorne, and Twain--but since I had access to shelf after shelf of Christian fiction material, I made it my goal to find a well written Christian novel during my time there. One reason was that fiction was the overwhelming favorite of many of the customers, and they often asked for a recommendation. I always steered them to C. S. Lewis but had a feeling they'd be disappointed when they got home. Why take days to read a Lewis novel when you could whip through a Karen Kingsbury series in a week?

Frequently ladies would tell me that there was one novel that I just had to read--Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Those who loved the book just couldn't say enough good things about it. Many said that it was one of the best books they had ever read. Finally, I broke down and read it. To that point in my life, I could honestly say I had never read a Harlequin romance. But with Francine I discovered a new genre: Christian Harlequin romance fiction. And I was shocked. And it takes quite a lot to shock me.

The well-written jacket copy tells the reader that this is a "powerful retelling of the book of Hosea . . . a life-changing story of God's unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love." The story is set in California's gold country in 1850, and the main characters are Michael Hosea (get it?) and Angel, a bitter young woman who was sold into prostitution as a child. God tells Michael to marry Angel and love her unconditionally. Being a handsome, godly, near-perfect man with the patience and sensitivity of a Christian fiction main male character, Michael does just that. Angel, following in Gomer's footsteps, puts up a barrier to deflect Michael's love and runs away several times during the course of the novel. Michael always goes after her and brings her back.

It all sounds very Christian and very spiritual, and yet as I read the novel I sensed that there was something driving the plot that wasn't quite appealing to the "whatever is pure" part of my thought processes. Rivers makes it very clear from the beginning of the story that Michael--despite his handsome, manly appearance and character--is a virgin. Angel--beautiful, mystifying, distant, and a prostitute--is not. Although the couple marry, Michael--again with the patience of an uber-Job, waits for Angel to put her guard down, to love and be loved--before consummating the marriage.

There are many wistful glances, lips brushing, longing gazes, suggestive conversations, and skin brushing against skin incidents that occur long before Michael and Angel physically become man and wife. In fact, I finally discovered why all those ladies were so in love with this novel. I have to confess that I've watched R rated movies with their nudity, groping, clothes flying, clutching, and panting, but I don't think I've ever encountered much in any media form that compares with page 156 of Redeeming Love, the page where Michael finally meets Angel on the "marriage bed." It finally dawned on me why all those ladies were so excited about this novel. And it also reminded me that words can be more powerful than visual images in stirring the imagination.

And so I have more questions than answers as recent life events force me to once again consider this genre of Christian fiction. What makes a Karen Kingsbury or Amish fiction novel or Francine Rivers story Christian? A plot line that leads to the unregenerate main character "getting saved" in the final paragraphs in the book? The fact that there are no "bad words" in the text? Is a writer writing Christianly when she describes sexual activity (between a man and wife, of course) in a sensual way that could potentially arouse emotions in readers in a less than pure way? Does basing a story on a biblical account like Hosea necessarily make it Christian?

I've long had a concern for readers who fill their minds with Christian fiction to the exclusion of anything else. I'm not convinced it's much healthier than a constant diet of soap operas or chick lit. And while I admittedly found some enjoyable reads in the Christian fiction section, my craving for quality craftsmanship would not be met there. The question we must ask of Christian fiction, just like any other media/art form we encounter, is does it stir thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy? Or does it just present worldly notions in a seemingly more acceptable package?