Spiritual warfare. Say those words and you get multiple reactions. Some dismiss it as hype and alarmism; others “see a devil behind every bush” as my friend likes to put it. The reality is somewhere between those two extremes.

         Incidentally, this reaction is common with every issue, every doctrine, everything where anyone can have an opinion. The extremes are the easiest to see and where many congregate. But usually a subject has multiple facets that makes it an effort to develop an intelligent opinion. And each of us must wrestle our opinion out of those facets. Unless I am somehow responsible for a person’s opinion (teaching a child, counseling a friend, discussing a policy decision), I’m perfectly happy to let them discover and form their own. I know some disagree, but again, like Paul said in Philippians 3:15b, God is able to make everything clear to each person He interacts with.

         One of the reasons I began this site, though, was to put my opinion out there in the hope of encouraging and helping others find theirs. I’ve come to realize (I hope with humility) that I have an ability to see multiple sides of an issue or topic. As a younger person, that made me easy to confuse and lead astray. Over the years, though, I’ve become intimate with God’s Word and that has given me a solid grounding from which to evaluate issues, doctrines or even frivolous topics.

         Spiritual warfare is so much more than a frivolous issue. It is a fact of life for the Christian. It is important to be informed on this issue. It is even more important to be prepared for the battle. Ephesians 6:12 is clear on this issue. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

         Without more information, that knowledge can be frightening. It does not need to be so. 2Ti 1:7 reminds us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Knowing that and the rest of the Ephesians passage gives us all we need for protection and victory in the war that is happening all around us.

         Ephesians 6:12-18 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

         This issue is important to me. So important that I urge you to search and study and solidify your own knowledge so that you can stand in the battle. Do not cower in fear. You have been given a spirit of power. When you “Resist the devil, he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) if you will search and study the Scriptures, I am confident that even if you think differently on this matter, God will make it clear to you.

          “Sabriel”, ISBN 0-06-27322-4, was written by Garth Nix and published by Harper Collins Publisher, Australia in 1995. Nix has published at least two other titles in this series, “Lariel” and “Abhorsen.”

         “Sabriel” is a story of a young girl, just graduating from a boarding school in Ancelstierre, a fantasy land similar to ours, but with some major differences. At the beginning of the book, Sabriel is confronted by the disappearance of her father. In order to save him, she must venture into the Old Kingdom, a land totally different from Ancelstierre, ruled by magic and rampant fear. The two kingdoms are separated by The Wall, a border guarded and protected by soldiers and magicians.

         As a citizen of the Old Kingdom, Sabriel crosses The Wall and is thrust into a life and death struggle with forces almost beyond her understanding. Although trained by her father in the lessons of an Abhorsen, she is largely unaware of what that title means. In fact, until well into the story, she thought the title was actually her father’s name. In the course of searching for her father, Sabriel uncovers an ancient mystery, gathers allies and confronts an evil bent on such total destruction it even threatens Ancelstierre.

         Sabriel’s father, Abhorsen, is sort of a reverse-necromancer. An Abhorsen’s most important task in to bind to death those souls who would attempt to leave Death, usually by inhabiting a dead body. When a soul enters Death, it must past through seven gates to The Other Side. A necromancer can contact a soul before it passes the last gate. (This is useful for determining cause of death or when other information is needed from the dead.) Sometimes a soul refuses to walk the path through the seven gates. Sometimes evil necromancers force souls out of the Realm of the Dead to animate corpses or effect other tasks. An Abhorsen’s job is to stop these things from happening.

         At first glance, this would seem a story no Christian should read. Scripture clearly forbids trying to contact the dead. While each person must make his own decision, there are some things that a Christian could find interesting, even intriguing in this story. The writing is good, with character and places coming alive as the story progresses at a fast clip through lots of action and adventure. The struggle to do right and to protect the innocent is clear. The danger of experimenting with forbidden arts is brought out in the development of the main villain. The battle between good and evil is obvious.

         One exception to that would be the Abhorsen’s enchanted imprisonment of an evil being. From the context of the story, it seems this is the only way a creature such as this can be confined. However, in its enchanted state it is a helper-companion of the Abhorsen. As long as the collar remains on the creature, this helper-companion remains controlled, even friendly and helpful. Even when the collar is removed, as is done when the extreme power of the creature is needed for some task, the possession of a ring ensures the creature will be confined immediately after the task is finished. This seems to be a blurring of the lines between good and evil. This creature is malevolent evil, but under the enchantment, transforms into an almost kind creature who perhaps regrets its evilness. There is no sign of that regret, though, when the enchantment is lifted, even after centuries. For those predisposed to see underlying truths in stories, this could be seen as an object lesson on the power of sin over a person. Sin is our master. No matter how much we regret what we do, we are controlled by sin unless we have the power of the Holy Spirit (an enchantment, if you will) confining and destroying the power of our sinful nature.

         As with all books, each Christian must determine and chose for himself to read or reject this story.

         Today’s blog is essentially a continuation of my Friday review of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series Friday, with some personal observations of merit or concern for the Christian. Warning: While there are no true spoilers, some of my comments might reveal enough that major points of plot can be discerned.

         Twilight is essentially a romance between a human and a vampire. On first glance, that might seem inappropriate reading material for a Christian. I was surprised, though, to see many truths illustrated and mirrored in the Twilight series.

         One of significant import to a Christian is the Cullens’ choices in regard to their vampire nature. The Cullens have a clear sense that killing humans is wrong. They separated themselves from others of their kind in order to live according to their conscience. This is a vivid picture of the constant struggle that is (or should be!) evident in each Christian. We are to put off the sinful nature and be controlled by the Spirit. In real life, that means there are many times when we chose to resist the pull of “our old nature”, whatever that may mean to each individual Christian, and chose to live in a way that is hard, but right. In a very real sense, the Cullens’ way of life illustrates that dynamic that should be evident in every Christian’s life. This is seen most vividly in the last book, when we get more intimate glimpses into the vampires’ way of life and daily struggles.

         Another, less “weighty” reason I see value in this series is Bella. Bella is portrayed as a regular down-to-earth teenager. Not angry or rebellious, not extreme or radical, just a normal teen with a slightly above normal maturity, or at least life-awareness. This attribute seems appropriate for this story. A flighty, never-a-serious-thought type of girl would never have been attracted to an 80+ year old vampire. In order for that relationship be believable, Bella needs that maturity, that awareness of human nature and that intellectual and emotional honesty with which she observes the world around her. But even with all that maturity, it is obvious that she is essentially a teenager. A teenager experiencing life changes and emotions and dilemmas. A teenager who, even with her maturity, is still floundering and making less-than-stellar choices.

         Whether designed by the author or not, many things about Bella’s circumstances create a rapport with readers that allow for subtle lessons and observations. In fact, the entire story, the little details as well as major plot circumstances, serve as unobtrusive but clear illustrations of truth. By making Bella a supposedly awkward outcast, she forges a bond with the majority of teens everywhere. Bella’s surprise at the ease in which she is accepted into the school and community life is yet another subtle lesson to all those awkward teens that their perception of themselves might be based on old history and not current fact.

         Some would say the fact that Bella’s parents are divorced and her mother remarried are reasons not to read this book. I disagree. I think Bella’s situation actually allows insights that could not be seen if her parents were still together. In this culture marriages are dissolved. It is not right but it is a fact of life. We could write stories that ignore this fact, but should we? As Christians, we are to impact the world for our King. We are to reveal Him to those we see everyday, to those we talk to, to those we come to love and to those we barely know. This is as true for us who are writers as it is for every Christian. If we ignore the true nature of society and create stories based on that supposed ideal, can we really reach those living in the not-so-ideal?

         Yes, Bella’s mom and dad should not have divorced. If they hadn’t, the events of Twilight would have been different, but probably not by much. The Cullens would still have moved back to Forks. Edward would still have had been blindsided by the way Bella’s blood “sang” to him. Most likely, they would still have fallen in love and Bella would have been put in danger. Stephenie Meyer could have written the book with Bella’s parents still married. But that is not story of Twilight. By making Bella the daughter of divorced parents, she has immediately forged a connection with every teen impacted by divorce. And she shows some of the consequences of that divorce: a child too-soon dealing with issues too big, a child torn between two people she loves, a child forced, albeit by her own choice, to choose which parent needs her more.

         The physical attraction between Bella and Edward is handled well. It is there, but it is held in check. Because Edward is 80+ years old, and he has spent most of his vampire life exercising immense control of his desires in other areas, it is believable that he is the one to set the tenor of their level of intimacy. It is commendable that both are virgins when they finally marry, but it concerns me that Edward routinely spends the night with Bella. While it may seem the epitome of romance for a boy to hold the girl he loves while she sleeps, it is not something to be encouraged. Edward might have honed his self-discipline by the years spent resisting his vampire impulse to feed on humans, but it is unlikely any other teenaged boy has the same level of control.

         While I think Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn make a great series, I recognize that many things in these stories may seem “messy” to Christians. Even if we ignore the vampire aspect of the book, there are still those choices and actions and opinions expressed that are at least slightly off what is pleasing to God. For the most part, though, I think those events and choices make for a compelling and gripping story.

         The truth is, real life, real emotion IS messy. Real life experiences teach us and cause us to mature. Real life experiences engender messy emotions and risk messy choices. Real life experiences give us ample opportunities to choose rightly or wrongly. The emotions we feel may be right or not; they may be fueled by right causes or not; they may motivate right actions or not. That is the nature of the human condition.

         It also seems to be a theme the runs through this entire series. That we all have choices and many times we have to force ourselves to choose the hard thing because it is right. This constant tension, that everlasting struggle to find the best, wisest, most perfect choice, whether in action or emotion or opinion, is a fact of life in this world. And Stephenie Meyer illustrates that well through the “messy” choices made by each of the characters throughout the series.

         Twilight (ISBN 978-0-316-16017-9 (hardcover) 978-0-316-01584-4 (paperback) Copyright 2005 Published by Hachette Book Group USA) is the first book in a 4-book series. Each book has a prologue that is really a brief (1 page or less) snapshot of what appears to be A Black Moment, when all is lost. The half-page prologue in Twilight begins with “I’d never given much thought to how I would die-” and mentions, “if I’d not moved to Forks, I wouldn’t be facing death now.” On the next page, Bella Swan tells us of her arrival to Forks, Washington.

         Bella has left Phoenix, where she has lived most of her life. She’s come to live with her father, Sheriff Charlie Swan, in the small northern Washington community of Forks. Bella is an unusually mature and introspective 16-year-old. In Phoenix she has always been a bit of an outcast. She expects the same here and is surprised to find herself eagerly accepted into the Forks High School community. Her classmates seem to like her, going out of their way to make her feel welcome.

         Except for one. Edward Cullen, the boy she is paired with in chemistry. He reacts to her with what appears to be disgust and anger. Then he surprises her by saving her life when a runaway van skids on ice in her direction. His dislike alternates with politeness and coolness over the next few weeks, leaving Bella confused and irritated. Finally, he offers friendship, even while warning her it isn’t wise. She should stay away from him. He is dangerous.

         Unable to stop her fascination, she puzzles over him and his family. They are all different. Graceful, beautiful, aloof. As she asks questions and googles hunches, she discovers more mysteries that lead her to a shocking possibility. Edward, his foster parents and all his foster siblings are vampires. Finally, unable to resist his attraction to her, he confirms her suspicions and offers a tentative friendship. He explains that he is one of a small group of vampires who have chosen to resist their thirst for human blood. They feed on animals, but never humans.

         Danger arrives with some human-feeding vampires who decide they want Bella. Bella flees Forks with Edward’s foster sister and brother. The rest of the Cullens attempt to lead the hunting vampires in the opposite direction. The ensuing events lead to a confrontation that brings us to the moment in time seen in the prologue. Bella faces death.
Twilight is a compelling well-told story. It is written for young adults and might be not appeal to adults, but this adult enjoyed it. The places and people of Forks come alive as Bella tells her story, revealing layers of her personality with every word. The ending is satisfying even as it creates the desire to know more of Bella and Edward.

         Bella and Edward’s story continues in the subsequent books (New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn). Edward remains concerned that he is putting Bella in danger every time he is with her. In New Moon, the 2nd book in the series, he decides he must leave Forks, giving her a chance at a normal life. Bella is devastated. It takes months for her to show an interest in anything. Slowly she renews old friendships and forges new ones. The next two books continue the story, with the relationships and repercussions of previous events colliding with dangerous new developments.

         On first glance, Twilight seems like a book totally inappropriate for a Christian. After all, it is about falling love with a vampire. In the typical folklore vampires are cursed creatures. In recent years, though, vampires have become fascinating, seductive fantasies, many which can cause Christians to cringe and shudder. So why would I give Twilight a positive rating? Why do I rate the series as one of my favorites?

         To answer that question will take more time and space than I have today. I’ll give specific details in Tuesday’s blog. For now, I’ll just say that I do not see anything that challenges Scriptural principles and much that reflects them.

         We first meet God as our Creator. The very first glimpse we get of God in His Word is in Genesis 1. But He’s not just our Creator, He’s the Creator of all things. He took nothing and with a power and creativity we cannot even begin to imagine, He created the earth and everything in it.

         And then He made us. In His image. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;” (Genesis 1:27a) The meaning of this verse has been debated for centuries by theologians and philosophers and those much wiser than me. I wouldn’t dream of suggesting I completely understand this concept, but I do have a few thoughts on the matter.

         The Creator of the universe made me (and you!) to be like Him. (And the rest of the Bible reveals our rejection of His plan and His persistence to see that dream of His accomplished.) Being created in God’s image has more meanings that I could possibly enumerate. I think at the very least that means we are creative. Not that we should be creative. Not that we could be creative. But that we ARE creative. Every person in every land, in every century. Every one of us is creative.

         It doesn’t matter if we paint, mold clay, write, lay tile, cook dinner, read a story to a child, file taxes and keep accounts, or write computer programs. We are creative. It is at once exciting and sobering to think that when I create a new story, I’m emulating my Father and Creator. And when I create a whole new world, as all fantasy writers do, I take that imitation to a new level. I’m not creating from nothing as He did, but then I’m not God. I’m a fantasy writer created to be like God, not to be God.

         Isn’t that thought awesome? Awe-inspiring. Mind-boggling. When I write, I imitate the God I love. And not just in my writing. The very expression of my daily life reveals the creativity endowed by my God. The way I clean house (or don’t clean it LOL) has levels of creativity. My neat and orderly husband has been stretched to his limits at times, but I’ve also benefited from his creativeness in finding storage and cleaning solutions.

         I have a friend who swears she’s not creative. She can’t draw. She can’t paint. She can’t write. But she can orchestrate a loosely connected group of people together to accomplish a common task and do it in such a way that every person knows they were important to the process. I know her husband gets frustrated that she takes a bazillion pictures. That’s probably why he bought a digital camera. But picture-taking and scrapbook-making are just one of the ways she makes the people who matter to her feel accepted and loved and remembered. She daily exhibits the creativity of her Creator. And she does it often in the way He intended. With love and grace and style.

         That is true for you too. You are created in His image. You are creative. Go create!

         In appearance “Till We Have Faces” is a letter of accusation written by Orual, the unattractive eldest daughter of a selfish king in a barbaric land. This “letter” chronicles her life and the seeming injustices of it. She accuses “the gods” of being cruel and capricious; of taking profane glee in giving then destroying love and happiness. As she reaches the end of the letter, and her solitary life, she is brought face to face with the awareness that much of her bitterness stems from choices of her own making.

         This story is set in a pagan society, using pagan rituals and symbolism. In that sense it is not even remotely Christian. C. S. Lewis wrote “Til We Have Faces” as a rewrite of a Greek myth. As such, attributing Christian themes to it is probably not wise. It is, however, a compelling illustration of the twisted mess a life of angst and bitterness can become. Orual believes it is the gods who have betrayed her, when in actuality, her own selfishness and fear of abandonment have brought about the loneliness of her life.

         Although “Til We Have Faces” was not written until later in his life, he mentally rewrote this myth several times. It is worthy of note that, by his own admission, the ending changed after his conversion to Christianity. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was certain the gods would be condemned and Orual stand justified. In the end, though, Orual discovers truth and honesty. A truth and honesty that is consistent with Christianity, even though it is presented amongst the trappings of paganism.

         How can we really come before God until we are honest with ourselves, ie til we have faces? And once we see ourselves in true honesty, our “complaint against God” is silenced. The struggles Orual went through taught her honesty, but at a great price. The thing that made her bitter and compelled her to “protect” herself, was the very thing that should have wooed her to “the god.” Had she made different choices at numerous times throughout her history, her life would have been radically different.

         This is certainly not a story for children, like his Narnia tales, nor a treatise of the Christian faith, as in Mere Christianity, or even a Christian adult fiction, such as his space trilogy (“Out of the Silent Planet,” “Perelandra,” and “That Hideous Strength”). The fact that Lewis uses the pagan setting, with its references to gods and sacrifices and its disdainful, but twisted love for that way of life might turn away some Christians. After all, we know there is one true God, not multiple gods. We know He is merciful and righteous, not capricious and cruel. We know He will be found by any who seek Him, not hide from them and trick them, as Orual accuses. It is, however, this very use of what Christians would call profane that illustrates the irrefutable truths of the story. If you can look past the pagan trappings and see a greater truth, you might enjoy this book. If you just want an entertaining read, however, this is certainly not a book for you.

         Like I said in an earlier post, I looked for sites that reviewed fantasy from a Christian perspective. Last year I found none. This year, though, I’ve found several.

         Guide to Christian Fantasy has a wealth of information. I have not read everything on the GCF, but what I have read is impressive. There are thoughtful essays on types of magic in fantasy, the value of fantasy to a Christian and reviews of many, many books. I’m intrigued by the ranking system. Each book is judged for literary quality, Christian morality and age appropriateness. It appears as though the owner is no longer adding to the site, but there is plenty to read and peruse. I found several books and authors I’ve not read among the list of reviews.

         Another site, recommended by CGF is Refracted Light. This site has many authors and books reviewed. Books on this site are judged, using a common A-F grading system, based on morality and writing.

         I’m pleased there are other Christians on the Web reviewing fantasy. There are stories written that will uplift and encourage, that will illustrate truth and dispel deception, that will fire the imagination and ignite a passion for all that is best. Together we will find them. And together we will share them with you.

         Today is a “guest reviewer day.” That’s when I send you to read another’s review of something I’ve read. Enjoy!

         Several months ago I made a remark to someone that I thought the Harry Potter series was one of the most Christian stories I’ve ever read. In terms of illustrating truth in an emotionally powerful way, it succeeds better than many books written specifically for the Christian reader. The themes of good vs evil, of redemption and forgiveness, of sacrifice and honor and the power of love are threads throughout the series. The last book brings them all to a very satisfying conclusion.

         One day I will expound on that, but for now I’ll refer you to another reviewer who says something similar. (You might also want to follow the links that reveal her growth of opinion.)

         Let me know what you think!

         I’ve been reading a YA adult series (I’ll post a review soon), The Ranger’s Apprentice. The main character is a boy chosen to be a ranger’s apprentice. A ranger, in the land of this story, is part of an elite group of men who provide information and advice to the king about what is happening throughout the kingdom. They are an intelligence force and, if necessary execute justice. Their primary allegiance is to the king, even though they are each attached to a different fiefdom as that noble’s advisor. For the most part, they live solitary lives. They cannot afford to become entangled in relationships and concerns that are not in the king’s best interest. And there is the natural tendency of others to shun them for that same reason.

         As I’ve read, I can’t help but see parallels to the Christian life. In 2 Timothy, Paul reminds Timothy “No-one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”

         If we call ourselves disciples of the Lord Jesus, our actions should reveal Him and His vision. Our lives should be spent attending to those things we know are important to Him. And, yes, sometimes our devotion to Him will cause others to shun us. That is the lot of one called Christian.

         But it is also the lot of a Christian to be a part of a family, a family comprised of those redeemed into the kingdom of God’s Son. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3), we have been set free (Gal 5:1) and we are to walk in the grace and power of His Spirit (Gal 6:18-25). We chose and have been chosen to be part of an elite group of followers of a King worthy of our loyalty. And the amazing thing? He extends the invitation to join that elite group to each and every person of this world. Are you His apprentice? Won’t you join me as we learn His ways?