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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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Seven Ways to Find Truth in Fantastic Stories

Finding truth in fantastic stories starts with, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
E. Stephen Burnett on Apr 26, 2019
4 comments

This weekend I’m sharing Lorehaven magazine with Realm Makers Bookstore in Cincinnati.

I’m also sharing these bookmarks with folks who visit the booth.

Here’s the complete text.

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”

— Scotch catechism

Seven ways to find truth in fantastic stories…

1. Explore the story itself.

Who does what, and why? What happens in the plot?

2. Discover this story-world.

What place is this? What styles and images do we find?

3. Find the common grace.

What is beautiful, good, and true?

4. Discerning idols.

What may the story exalt for “worship” apart from God?

5. Behold the gospel!

Idols always fail, so how does Jesus fulfill the story’s broken promises?

6. How can this story help Jesus’s people glorify Him?

7. How can this story help me better enjoy God forever?

E. Stephen Burnett
E. Stephen Burnett creates sci-fi and fantasy novels as well as nonfiction, exploring fantastical stories for God’s glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and cohost of the Fantastical Truth podcast. As the oldest of six, he enjoys connecting with his homeschool roots by speaking at conferences for Christian families and creators. Stephen is coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ from New Growth Press (2020, with Ted Turnau and Dr. Jared Moore). Stephen and his wife, Lacy, live in the Austin area, where they help with foster parenting and serve as members of Southern Hills Baptist Church.
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  1. Ticia says:
    April 27, 2019 at 4:01 pm

    Now I must look to see if I have this bookmark amongst my stuff from the convention.

    Reply
    • E. Stephen Burnett says:
      May 8, 2019 at 6:44 pm

      This bookmark is new since then, actually! We began using it at the Cincinnati convention.

      Reply
  2. Speculative Faith | Mission Report, April 25–27, Realm Makers Bookstore in Cincinnati says:
    April 30, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    […] Seven Ways to Find Truth in Fantastic Stories | E. Stephen Burnett, Apr 26 […]

    Reply
  3. E. Stephen Burnett | Join My Livestream This Thursday: Seven Ways to Find Truth in Fantastic Stories says:
    October 6, 2020 at 5:24 pm

    […] Originally I posted these questions last spring, back when we had actual live events, etc., etc. ↩ […]

    Reply

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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