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What Being a “Christian Writer” Doesn’t Mean
ChurchPOP ^ | 2014 | Daniel McInerny

Posted on 12/18/2014 9:57:35 AM PST by millegan

The phrase has become slippery.

“Christian writer.”

What does it mean?

For some the phrase plays like a favorite old song, an evocation of the glory days of Greene, Waugh, Percy, O’Connor, et alia. Days long gone and sorely missed.

For others “Christian writer” may spell an oxymoron, or at least refer to the kind of writer one would not like to meet at a Manhattan cocktail party.

And for still others the phrase increasingly tends to serve as a signal that some exceptionally maudlin fiction is quivering like a bad cheese on the horizon.

But even looking at the thing dispassionately, it’s not exactly clear what is being described when one uses the phrase “Christian writer.”

(Excerpt) Read more at churchpop.com ...


TOPICS: General Discusssion; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: art; author; christianmedia; pimpmyblog; writer

1 posted on 12/18/2014 9:57:35 AM PST by millegan
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To: millegan; Jim Robinson

Well here you are again, excerpting your blog and using FR for hits.


2 posted on 12/18/2014 10:04:06 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: DJ MacWoW; millegan
Well here you are again, excerpting your blog and using FR for hits.

I wonder if that's what "being a 'Christian Writer'" means to Millegan here.

3 posted on 12/18/2014 10:21:03 AM PST by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: Alex Murphy

Could be. I don’t think much of it if that’s the case.


4 posted on 12/18/2014 10:22:25 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: millegan

Thanks for posting this. (I have no idea if this is your blog, and frankly don’t care.) I think we always run into difficulty when we use the word “Christian” as an adjective. Christian writer. Christian movie. Christian literature. Christian environment. That language both raises and lowers expectations and seldom provides any kind of accurate or valuable additional information.

Perhaps your solution—endeavoring to create a masterful work of art—is best. That puts the Christian writer on the same ground as the non-Christian writer committed to the same ideal, making a real dialog more possible.

For a great discussion of Walker Percy and some insight into what it means to be a “Christian” writer, here is a long (but worth it if you can take the time) Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz7RKYhsAM4


5 posted on 12/18/2014 10:32:44 AM PST by newheart (The greatest trick the Left ever pulled was convincing the world it was not a religion.)
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To: Alex Murphy
I wonder if that's what "being a 'Christian Writer'" means to Millegan here.

Whatever being a Christian writer means, I am sure we can all agree that the one question that will guarantee that someone is denied admission to the gates of heaven is, "Did you ever post a link to your own blog on FR?"

I'd add the sarcasm tag, but somehow don't think it necessary.

6 posted on 12/18/2014 10:36:27 AM PST by newheart (The greatest trick the Left ever pulled was convincing the world it was not a religion.)
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To: newheart; Alex Murphy
This poster only uses FR for hits and never joins the discussion. Driving traffic to your blog is not what FR was created for and it isn't why FReepers support FR with their hard earned dollars.

I don't like being "used". Why do you?

7 posted on 12/18/2014 10:39:31 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: DJ MacWoW

I have mixed feelings about that. I don’t scour the blogosphere for reading material, so when someone posts and links from their blog on FR, it at least provides opportunity to take it or leave what otherwise I may never see or read. Some of the blog links are quite good, but I do wish the practitioners would post the whole rather than an excerpt.

There are many times I’ve posted articles/excerpts from other sources a made little if any comment myself. Granted, it is not the same as posting from my own blog. I tend not to be self-promoting, but it takes discipline.

Given a world where everyone wants their ideas to be held in high esteem, it is no wonder a plethora of notions gain expression in a multitude of formats. Nothing in the way of words and ideas, however, eclipses the public reading and orthodox preaching of Holy Scripture in the midst of a Christian congregation.


8 posted on 12/18/2014 11:22:57 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew (Even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.)
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To: Fester Chugabrew
FR isn't a vehicle for blogs. If someone is only going to post an excerpt, they do so to drive traffic to their blog. Jim's rule for blogs is "don't excerpt". He'd also like them to stay and discuss what is posted. It really is very little to ask.

Some FReepers are struggling financially and they still support FR. Along comes a blogger that isn't even a part of FR and he uses them for his own gain. There's a difference between Christian charity and using others.

FR aggregates news for activist purposes. That is FR's basic calling and not for others self-promotion.

9 posted on 12/18/2014 11:46:50 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: newheart
I think we always run into difficulty when we use the word “Christian” as an adjective. Christian writer. Christian movie. Christian literature. Christian environment.

When I read this, I thought it curious that if we were to replace "Christian" with "adult"--adult writer. adult movie. adult literature. adult environment--there is no ambiguity, even though "adult" is a euphemism.

The reason "Christian" as an adjective is ambiguous is two-fold. First, in common parlance, "Christian" covers every way of thinking from Westboro Baptist to United Church of Christ, so that practically any stance can refer to itself as "Christian," regardless of doctrinal integrity.

Second, "Christian" in the arts has become, not only a statement of theology, but a statement of niche marketing. It is presumed that only hardcore Christians will read "Christian" novels, listen to "Christian" music, and watch "Christian" movies, and certainly no one with a truly literary or (educated) musical bent would deign to stoop so low as to sully him/herself with such pandering-to-the-pews drivel.

10 posted on 12/18/2014 11:59:10 AM PST by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: chajin
The reason "Christian" as an adjective is ambiguous is two-fold. First ... practically any stance can refer to itself as "Christian," regardless of doctrinal integrity.

Second, "Christian" in the arts has become, not only a statement of theology, but a statement of niche marketing.

Very well put.

11 posted on 12/19/2014 10:29:50 AM PST by newheart (The greatest trick the Left ever pulled was convincing the world it was not a religion.)
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