Is there room for fiction in Christianity?

The recent Release of The Twilight Saga-New Moon has triggered some debate and controversy amongst Christians concerning the fictional world of vampires and its possible connection to Satan Worship. In an article titled Responding to Twilight ,found at Charismamag.com, it shows some of the concerns about the themes of of the book and movie series. There is no doubt that some of the activities and decisions of the characters leave much to be desired. That is common amongst all movies, including those rated "G." As I read the article I asked the question, "Is there room for fiction in Christianity?"

I ask this question because even movies like the Chronicles of Narnia, well known for its Christian themes, has come under fire by Christians. I remember hearing an interview where a respected Christian was critical of the books and movies because the themes did not fit 100% in alignment with systematic theology. I thought to myself, "It's not the Bible or a theology class. It's a tool, a type, a picture of the Christian faith!"

I am a major fan of the Chronicles and I find them to be quite moving in their portrayals of themes such as faith, trust, sacrifice, calling, and gifting. The depiction of Satan as the Ice Queen is powerful. I believe the bait and switch promises she presents are accurate in the ways of the world and Satan. Narnia is a masterpiece in both its book and movie forms. There was also criticism of the Lord of the Rings series as well. The Christian themes of the "Rings" book and movie series are far less pronounced.

Getting back to Twilight, I find it to be in line with the classic story of vampires and forbidden love. I have only seen the movie-never read the books. The theme of good vs. evil is present as in most movies. I thought the story was well written. There was little to no violence, zero nudity, few kisses, no profanity, and no blood or gore. It is a love story with a vampire as its foil. As movies go it is pretty vanilla. Yet, there is concern that such movies are leading people into the worship of Satan.

I don't believe this is a new phenomena. I remember growing up people who were fans of The Lost Boys wanted to be vampires. One of my cousins was one of these people. He didn't dive deep into Satan worship or sharpen his teeth. He simply pretended to be a vampire for a little while. I think every generation has a fictional work that makes people interested in the possibility of extra-human powers. These folks are hungry for more-hungry for God.

To be certain there are movies that directly threaten the Christian community. They are outright onslaughts against Christ and His Cross. Those movies should be confronted with great debate and the proclamation of the Gospel. However, we ought not be fearful of fiction as a whole even when it doesn't tell the story of the Gospel. Instead we should seek to use these stories as a starting point for presenting the Gospel. The movie Twilight includes the themes of good vs. evil, eternal life, love, sacrifice, and spirituality in general. Anyone of these points can be lifted and used to direct people toward the Cross. I am not endorsing the Twilight series. I am simply asking, "Is there room for fiction in Christianity?"