BIBLICAL FICTION
Most writers who have explored this category are not an "exegesist"
(a scholarly person expert in the explanation and interpretation of the
Bible).
Writers who write Biblical Fiction, in my opinion tend to bring
a personal slant to their assumptions about the storied text presented
within the many pages of these extraordinary books. Please, understand
that I don't intent to criticize or critique any author in this category.
My intent is to praise their work.
Biblical mystery stories, a genre of literature which I was particularly
fond of in my youth, provide these authors a useful analogy.
The many bibles present enormous puzzles with their many parables and
passages. The compelling, and yes, persuasive eternal stories of these
bibles probably could have baffled the great fictional detective, Sherlock
Holmes.
When one reads the various bibles, the understanding of the passages
being read can have many interpretations. For example: the famous Beatitude:
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5.5).
One could safely assume " nice guys finish last" and the "last will be
first".
If you believe that I got a bridge that I want to sell you. No, just
kidding.
This well known beatitude statement is from the Sermon on the Mount.
To some meekness is weakness! Yet, to others, being humble is pure
strength.
My pointing out the above comparison is to show that written words can
have different meanings to some writers and readers, which could alter
the original writer's intention. Especially in the gnarly written verses
of the many bibles.
Having expressed my thoughts in the above paragraphs, I would like for
you to get acquainted with some of the best-known biblical writers.
Below, I've attempted to list the current writers in this genre so that
you can read some of their work and form your own opinion.
- Orson Scott Card
- Orson Scott Card is an American author, English professor, critic and
public speaker. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for
his science fiction. In one of his works,
Stone
Tables, a 432-page novel about Moses published by Shadow
Mountain in 1977, Card shows you Moses' life through his own eyes.
His novels include:
Lost
Boys,
Treasure
Base,
Enchantment
and the novelization of the well-known film,
The Abyss.
Card has used seven pseudonyms: Fredrich Bliss, P.Q. Grump, Byron Walley,
Brian Green, Dinah Kirkham, Noam D. Pellume and Scott Richards. His literary
awards number fifteen.
- Anita Diamant
- Anita Diamant is known for her New York Times bestseller,
The
Red Tent, a 358-page novel published by Picador in 1998 and then
re-published by St Martin's Press in 2007. Her work in this novel explores
the lives of biblical women.
Her career began in 1975 as a freelance journalist writing a variety of articles
covering many different topics for several magazines. She has also written seven
nonfiction books pertaining to the Jewish way of life.
Her 1997 novel, The Red Tent. has been distributed in 25 countries.
Other works of fiction include:
The Last
Harbor in 2001,
Stone
Days of Dog Town in 2005 and
Day
After Night in 2007.
- Liz Curtis Higgs
- Liz Curtis Higgs has had success in broadcasting, public speaking, nonfiction
and many works of fiction. She is the creator of the best-selling series of the
Bad Girls of
the Bible. In these books Higgs explores: Jezebel, Delilah, Mary
Magdalene, Rahab, the infamous women in biblical history.
Her books are filled with humor and heartfelt encouragement for all women
looking to handle life's many changes. Liz's contemporary fictional
retelling of the stories of their lives presents to the reader a clear
difference between a life of sin or one living within the embrace of God's
grace.
Higgs has 26 books to her credit consisting of two contemporary novels, four
historical novels and five books for children. Her latest work
Bookends
(September, 2007) is an inspirational romantic comedy published by Multnomah.
- Francine Rivers
- Francine Rivers has done some extraordinary work in Christian themes and
inspirational romance. Her entry into writing was in 1979 with a historical
romance novel,
Kathleen,
which was not a bestseller. Finding the guiding light, Rivers became a born-again
Christian in 1986. After three years of bible research, she penned
Redeeming
Love, which was released in 1991. It's the story of a prostitute named
Angel, who converts to Christianity with the help of a frontier farmer. The
novel is profoundly explicit and moralistic. Rivers'
Mark
of the Lion series (1993-1995) sold over a half million copies.
Her success continued and in 2000 she penned the
Lineage
of Grace series, which was followed by the
Sons
of Encouragement series. Then, in 2007,
The
Last Sin Eater was made into a feature film directed by Michael
Landon's son and distributed by Fox Faith Publishers.
There are many more writers who have entered into the biblical genre
because of the endless stories in the Aramaic Bible, The Catholic Bible and
the writings of Matthew, Luke and John, along with the many other religious Bibles.
When one explores these works they reveal some unique characters and key
differences between gospels. Still, to further enhance one's research, the
study of the Synoptic and Apocryphal Gospels are a must.
In closing, entering into this genre one best be ready to devote
a great many hours, perhaps years, to research.
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