When I was writing and researching Nativity and Kingdom, I learned there is a surprising amount of science fiction nestled within Christian tradition—a tradition that, historically, predates science and vilifies fiction. In my work, I discovered stories about monsters being sent to kill the Holy Family, only to fall in adoration at the feet of the Christ. There were stories about stone statues coming to life and turning on their pagan worshippers, shaming them for denying the One True God. There were stories about animals speaking, trees uprooting, and birds plucking feathers from their own breasts in order to praise Elohim. Some of these stories are loosely based on historical fact—like those that tell us the origins of the Magi— and some of the stories are fabricated entirely—did I mention the Romanian werewolves of Advent?—but they all betray a fascination with God.
The church of the future will help her people rediscover the magic and the mystery that exists in every moment, right before our very eyes. She will penetrate our fantasy-obsessed culture, helping them to see that God still works in surprising ways.
Then. Now. Next.: A biblical vision of the church, the kingdom, and the future.