About the Name
"Fandom" refers to 1) the state of being a fan, and 2) the community formed by fans. Both of these definitions are reflected in Finding Faith in Fandoms, where Christian artists come together to discuss their favorite stories. Storytelling is itself a form of communication, fostering connection and community between people. Stories and community are also key components of Christianity.
About the ProjectFinding Faith in Fandoms was born out of the realization that all stories are, to different extents, reflections of the greatest, truest story: the Gospel, the "Good News" that God sent His Son to redeem the world and restore our relationship with Him.
On the podcast, Christian artists and storytellers discuss their favorite stories, how they reflect aspects of the Gospel, and the role of faith in art. Each episode is meant to have at least one corresponding article or blog post. |
All good stories are about conversion. The theologian gives us an abstract idea of the sinner. I give him flesh and blood. We must not be ashamed of the mythical radiance resting on our theology. We must not be nervous about "parallels" and "pagan Christs": they ought to be there-it would be a stumbling block if they weren't. We must not, in false spirituality, withhold our imaginative welcome. |
The Gospels contain a fairystory, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. They contain many marvels—peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: “mythical” in their perfect, selfcontained significance; and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe. But this story has entered History and the primary world; the desire and aspiration of sub-creation has been raised to the fulfillment of Creation. The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. It has pre-eminently the “inner consistency of reality.” There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many sceptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. For the Art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary Art, that is, of Creation.
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy Stories"