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What is the newsletter about?
I aim to publish lively, well-argued articles exploring stories’ hidden depths and dimensions from Christian perspectives, while being interesting and accessible to people of all beliefs and none.
In terms of ‘stories’ I’m particularly interested in exploring pop culture, especially sf & fantasy, as well as children’s and young adult literature. But these can also provide a window into ‘stories’ in a broader sense – the stories we tell ourselves about life, meaning, and our place in the universe, as well as the stories that shape our society culturally and politically. There’s a lot of discussion in certain quarters about the ‘meaning crisis’ that we’re facing in Western culture, and I believe that stories are an important way in to exploring those problems - as well as possible answers.
Stories have hidden dimensions
Stories, like Doctor Who’s TARDIS or the wardrobe that led to Narnia, are “bigger on the inside than the out”. There’s always more to them than first meets the eye. It’s worth taking the time to explore their depths, whether it's appreciating the craft with which they have been told or exploring themes buried within them.
Stories explore life’s questions
Stories are how we make sense of the world together. Sometimes stories deliberately explore questions about life and its meanings. But even when stories are told as “just entertainment” they often end up suggesting a view of the world, giving a picture of how the world is – or how it should be – to galvanise or inspire us.
Stories can bring us together
Stories help us better understand both ourselves and other people. Listening to one another’s stories is a way of loving our neighbour, growing in understanding of one another’s beliefs and values. Through unpacking what’s inside stories, we can open up dialogue about life’s big questions.
We are the stories we love
Stories are powerful. A well-told story can touch a heart, change a mind, or redirect a life. The stories that we tell to entertain ourselves are interwoven with the stories that we live by. Stories shape the world by shaping the way we see the world, and we become the stories we believe in.
Stories help us become imaginative disciples
A sub-theme I intend to explore through this newsletter is ‘Imaginative Discipleship’. As a Christian, I believe that the imagination is essential to the life of faith. Imagination isn’t mere flights of fancy, but how we make meaning and how we shape our heart and desires. Christians need to be imaginative in living out the life of the Kingdom of God here on earth, full of grace and truth. And we need our imaginations to be redeemed, transformed and discipled by Jesus Christ, shaped by the great story of the Gospel told across the whole Bible.
