What makes a book ‘Christian’?

I generally dislike allegory. I’m in good company. J.R.R. Tolkien once said, “I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.” I never could connect with Pilgrim’s Progress.

Nevertheless, I have no problem with the allegorical elements of Godhanger by Dick King-Smith. Good allegories, I think, depend on the characters – in Godhanger they are mostly birds and mammals – acting like natural creatures as well as what they might represent symbolically. So owls do munch up moths and mice; badgers guzzle down orphaned baby rabbits; polecats inhale intestines from a killed rabbit: those who really know what we call “nature” will know it’s not so grand, or at least not always pretty. Godhanger gets this right.

Christ revealed

But the allusions to the Bible are everywhere, from quotations to attitudes. The pompous are deflated (tawny owl), the weak encouraged and all forgiven.

What is a “Christian book”? Hamish, one of my students, and I talked about this. In my view, the question is not at all helpful. If an author is avowedly Christian does that make their work worth reading? Do the words of war-mongers and frauds make sense if the perpetrator claims Christian faith? To me, a book is “Christian” – if you must use that word – if it tells us true things about God, human beings and the creation. Does the book reflect (intentionally or not) the perspectives and values that “measure up to the stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13)?

Hamish’s language arts project is finished. Now we get to spend time trout fishing, working on our farm and garden, duck hunting in the fall. He gets to hear me hold forth on allegory, the Canadian government, the unity of the scriptures and “a hundred other things” (as he told his dad one time) while pursuing other activities as valued friends.

A book I recommend

By Hamish Schat

I recommend Godhanger by Dick King-Smith for ages 10 and up because it is a fascinating book. The author shows intricate personalities for all the animals, especially the birds. As an example, the little owl, Eustace, is cocky and in general only looks out for himself. On the other end of the spectrum, there is Skymaster who is a newcomer to the forest and is a large and mysterious bird. He is selfless, wise and kind.

One of the main characters, Loftus, is a raven who is very wise and open-minded. After reading about him, I gained a view of ravens that perhaps they are more than just annoying birds that like to kill chickens.

Finally, I recommend Godhanger because the author uses the characters as symbols to show Christian beliefs and values. One of the many characters is the gamekeeper, who is neither an ethical hunter nor a good steward, but instead kills animals for fun. In contrast, Skymaster is very wise, kind and self-sacrificing, which makes him a symbol of Jesus.