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Christian Literature Shouldn't Be So Bad
Are you a Christian who loves great literature? Has the state of modern Christian pop culture left you wondering if Christian Literature is an oxymoron? Well, forget the didactic, "safe for the whole family" also-rans you find in family bookstores today.
This lens points to Christians who are successfully combining their walk in the faith with intelligent, culturally relevant literature. I've thrown in some other useful resources, as well, to add a little kick to the flavor. I hope this helps you discover the familiar in unfamiliar ways.
This lens points to Christians who are successfully combining their walk in the faith with intelligent, culturally relevant literature. I've thrown in some other useful resources, as well, to add a little kick to the flavor. I hope this helps you discover the familiar in unfamiliar ways.
Christian Lit Journals
The following are respected journals that effectively explore the relationship of faith and culture. Whether you write poetry, essays or fiction, you should be able find a place that meets your interests.
- Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion
- Among my favorite journals, Image is respected among internationally established journals for its quality and relevance.
- Mars Hill Review
- Mars Hill Review is no longer active. However, past issues can be obtained and enjoyed.
- Relief Journal: A Quarterly Christian Expression
- For authors who cry out for a venue and readers who long for stories that don't make them gag.
- Rock & Sling: A Journal of Literature, Art and Faith
- Rock & Sling seeks to be a forum for writers and artists to forage the vistas, abysses and near misses of spirituality
- Ruminate: Faith in Literature & Art
- Ruminate was created by a few fellow writers and believers who wanted to develop a space for the thoughtful expressions of those who are nudged forward, backward, and sideways by a faith in God.
- First Things: A Journal of Religion, Culture and Public Life
- First Things is published by The Institute on Religion and Public Life, an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education institute whose purpose is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.
- The Christian Century
- The Christian Century magazine examines issues of politics and culture as well as theology, and pays attention to the challenges of faith that arise in our everyday lives as parents, friends, spouses and citizens.
- Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
- Sojourners mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.
Articles and Essays of Interest
I'll continue to add links to articles that relate to the intersection of Christianity, culture and literature.
- The Way We Live Now: God's Country by Walter Kirn
- Author Walter Kirn's perspective what Great Awakenings in the U.S.
- In God's Image: Do Good People Make Good Art?
- Gregory Wolfe is editor of Image Journal.
- Christian Fiction Gets Real
- Article from Christianity Today from April 2000 that comments on shifting Christian fiction market.
- The Uses and Misuses of Inspiration
- Carole McDonnell contributes to the dialogue of why so much Christian Fiction is so bad.
Resources
Whether you're looking for ideas or in the middle of research, you should find some relevant places to explore.
- The American Academy of Poets
- Search, read and hear your favorite American poets and their innovative work.
- Apologetics.com
- Challenging believers to think and thinkers to believe.
- The American Academy of Arts and Letters
- The American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society of 250 architects, composers, artists, and writers.
- Modern American Poetry
- Critical and historical essays and syllabi on modern American Poetry. Many of the works relate to poems in the Oxford Anthology of Modern American Poetry.
- Christianity Today
- Contains the full text of Christianity Today's 13 magazines, top religion news, reviews, and two search engines with links to thousands of Christian websites.
- Barna Research Group
- Serving the information needs of the church by offering statistics, resources, seminars and custom research on current cultural and spiritual trends.
- Poets & Writers
- Poets & Writers, Inc. is the primary source of information, support, and guidance for creative writers. Founded in 1970, it is the nation's largest nonprofit literary organization serving poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers.
- NewPages
- NewPages is the Portal of Independents! News, information and guides to independent bookstores, independent publishers, literary periodicals, alternative periodicals, independent record labels, alternative newsweeklies and more.
Free Online Literature
Enjoy reading some of the greatest writing ever written free!
- Bartleby: Great Books Online
- The preeminent publisher of literature, reference and verse.
- The Holy Bible
- Read and search what many consider the greatest "book" ever written through numerous translations.
Christian Literature on Amazon
Christian Writers' Market Guide 2008: The Essential Reference Tool for the Christian Writer
Amazon Price: $24.26 (as of 11/12/2009) 
The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing (Writers' Palette Book)
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 11/12/2009)
Upholding Mystery: An Anthology of Contemporary Christian Poetry
Amazon Price: $49.27 (as of 11/12/2009)
Waltzing through the Endtime
Amazon Price: $14.00 (as of 11/12/2009)
Scar Tissue: Poems
Amazon Price: $10.40 (as of 11/12/2009)
Must Links
Articles, Essays, Podcasts and Video Worth The Trip
- In God's Image: Do Good People Make Good Art?
- Interesting essay by Image Journal's editor Gregory Wolfe.
by KeithJennings
Keith is a writer, poet and marcomm pro with a heart for nonprofit missions. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia. (more)
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