I am not going to tell you that Christian writing has to follow a certain structure or belong to a certain genre (Are Christian novels really more Christian than devotions or Christian textbooks?). But what about containing certain necessary elements? By all means–and I mean that–avoid seeping people in lies or leading astray, but . . .Christian writing, as clearly established by rules of grammar, is really and truly simply writing related to a Christian.
- Writings do not need (nor can) they prove one’s faith. Words are great. Confession of faith is certainly important! But novellas and blog posts are not the litmus test for heaven, whether one self-identifies as a writer or not.
- Writings are as likely to be self-righteous as anything else we do. So let’s try to watch for that: it is much better to be righteous in Christ, in writing and everything else. Soapboxing is not necessary Christian, even when done by a Christian with written text.
- Christian writing is not defined by an only-Christian audience. I will grant you that most writers recommend writing with a particular audience in mind–a flesh and blood, actual audience rather than a simplistic caricature–but we can write for an audience that includes those who know less than us, as well as those who have not converted.
- Christian writers include those who write often and those who on an occasion write a devotion. “Christian writer” is only exclusive to those two words: Christian and writer.
Am I wrong? There are two rules for Christian writers:
- The author is to be describable as Christian: the author has been saved by God’s Son through His Word. Yes, that Word can certainly be paired with water!
- Use your own words or quote properly. Christian plagiarism isn’t Christian writing.
What do you think?
Perhaps this is already included in the word “writer,” but I’d add that someone who wants to write as a Christian ought also to respect language. This doesn’t mean that only people who think they are “good enough writers” should write (who would dare do it then?), but that we should all be trying to learn as we go. No deciding that “it’s just Christian fiction” and it doesn’t need to be terribly good. 🙂