What work of fiction changed your worldview the most? Mine is Till We Have Faces. I cannot think about redemption the same way after reading it. Two runners up would be Lord of the Rings, for how it conveys glory, and Brothers Karamazov, for how it poses the problem of evil.
Notice the question was not, "What is your favorite work of fiction that you can read over and over again?" The question was asking what work of fiction changed your worldview. There is nothing wrong with reading fiction and this is coming from one who does not read a lot of fiction. Okay, hardly read fiction because by the time they get to the meat of the story, I am already done with it.
A work of fiction can be good entertainment, but they should never mold us or shape us. Granted, there have been authors that infuse their worldview into their writings, and they are not alone. Writers of Comic Books over the years have put in their worldview into the stories they are sharing. You can also see that when you watch TV shows and movies. There is no way to escape it, which is sad to say especially if you want to watch something with the family without any worldly influence. This also includes "Christian" shows such as The Chosen.
Works of fiction should never cause us to think critically or even Biblically. God has already given us a book to shape us: The Bible. We are to let Scripture give us a proper worldview. Justin Peters, in response to Ortlund's post, wrote:
No work of fiction should ever change our worldview. As a Christian, my worldview is shaped by Scripture alone.
Romans 12:2 says, we should "be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect." We renewing our minds based on what God has revealed in the Bible. We see how God relates to this world and why it is in the shape that it is in.
A good story should be just that, a story. Nothing more. Enjoy reading fiction if that is your thing. Enjoy watching a show if that is your desire although be mindful of what might be shown. Let God's Word shape you.
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