Christian Romance Novels: A Wise Caution

Jim Elliff of Christian Communicators Worldwide, drew my attention to this article on Christian Romance Novels. I thought it was a wise caution and could be a help to all of us who enjoy fiction of any kind, but particularly this genre. I’ll post some excerpts and encourage you to read the whole article.

Christian Romance Novels: Are They Our Harmless Little Secret?
by Susan Verstraete

…If you are like most believing women I know, at some point you’ve read [a Christian Romance novel], too. Obviously someone is reading them. One major Christian bookseller has over 2,000 current titles listed in this category….

So, is this a harmless area of Christian liberty? I’ll let you decide. But it wouldn’t hurt to look more carefully at what we are reading and how it might””just might””be a problem for some of us.

Have you turned off your intellect? When researchers asked women why they read Christian romance, an overwhelming majority said they valued the books because they inspired an emotional response. That’s not necessarily wrong, but we need to be discerning even when reading fiction. For example, whole series of novels are written that are “Christian” in name only. The characters are practical atheists who may attend church, but their faith does not impact their decisions. We don’t want to passively accept this as normative Christian behavior….

Does it teach idolatry? I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out. If the heroine in your novels is always saved by a lover, that’s a false redemption. Christ is our Redeemer, and God is our ever-present help in time of trouble. Our hope is in Christ, not in Prince Charming. No mere man can fix all our problems….

Is it changing your expectations?… Do you think that God will always wrap up all the loose ends in your life in a timely manner? Do you expect your life to always be exciting, or your work always fulfilling? Should you always be the center of attention? Do you fantasize about being rescued by a man from a situation in which you feel helpless? If so, you may have been influenced by reading Christian romances….

Is it a steady diet? Finishing a Christian romance novel is a little like taking the last bite of a hot fudge sundae. We usually feel a little sad that it’s over. The fantasy has ended and we return to our comparatively boring, unglamorous, meat-and-potatoes lives. The temptation is, of course, to immediately pick up a new book and immerse ourselves in a new fantasy.

In the same way that we should not allow a steady diet of hot fudge sundaes, we should not allow ourselves a steady diet of popular fiction. If we do so, we miss the chance to read material that will teach us good theology, help us grow as believers, and develop realistic expectations about relationships and spirituality….

Be sure to read the whole thing, and let me know what you think. Am I way off base in thinking this is helpful? Or does she have a good point?

I should add that some of the escapism she brings out applies to guys like me who enjoy epic, Tolkien-like fantasy books as well. This isn’t an anti-women post, or anything….