First observation: what is it about fiction writers that makes them want to use initials for all but their last names? That is not the topic of this blog post, but it just popped into my mind as I was typing the title.
What do J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, and C. S. Lewis have in common besides using initials? They all crafted epics that dealt with a wide range of themes, but the central theme of them all was the struggle between good and evil. Aragorn and Frodo vs. Sauron and Saruman; Harry, Ron, and Hermione vs. Voldemort; Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy vs. the White Witch; et cetera. Devoted fans digest, analyze, and discuss the stories, themes, and events of those captivating stories. Why? What is it about great literature that inspires such passion? What is it about the human condition that makes us hunger for tales of grandeur and cosmic confrontation? My answer will not satisfy you if you are a materialist or an atheist. But I do not think you can deny it if you are one.
My answer is twofold: the breath of God and sin. Let's take them one at a time. By the breath of God I refer to that spark deep inside each human that is the imprint of the Creator. Some call it the spirit, others the soul or mind. It is what separates us from animals and gives us our sense of spiritual awareness. That spark is the source of everything good and noble in humanity. It is the reason we long for justice and beauty and peace, all attributes of God's character and thus longings of our own hearts. It revels in the beauty of the Shire, the love of Harry's mother, and the plight of the Narnians. It shudders at the blackness of Morder, the hatred of Voldemort, and the oppression of the White Witch. But it is tainted.
The unfortunate dichotomy of humanity is that we are also creatures of darkness. The light of God is tainted by the darkness of sin. Such sin causes men to subvert their own countries in the face of invading orcs, to become greedy for the power that the rise of evil provides, and to betray their own siblings for the price of a few sweets. Each of us are closer to these treacheries than we sometimes care to admit.
But something inside us still is appalled by such actions. The struggle between the spark of God and the seed of Satan within our own souls makes us resonate with tales of good and evil. And in our hearts, we always cheer for the good. We rejoice in the destruction of the Ring and the restoration of Gondor, the death of Voldemort and the strength of friendship, the triumphant sacrifice of Aslan and the breaking of eternal winter's spell. And when we finish those stories, they stay with us, because they remind us of ourselves. That is what good stories do; they challenge us, make us cry, make us laugh, and provide hope for the future. That is what makes us human. That is the sign that we are made in the image of God.
