Writing Villains in Christian Fantasy
Watch our companion video as you read along!
I had a very interesting conversation with a fellow Christian writer a little while back; I was asked my thoughts on the subject of antagonists in Christian fiction. Until that moment, I hadn’t given much thought about it, but the question opened my eyes to a topic that was much bigger than what was discussed in that simple conversation.
Is it appropriate for Christian authors to write from the devil’s perspective?
Can Christian authors include witches/dark magic in their writing?
If an antagonist defeats your protagonist, what message does that send to Christian readers?
As our conversation rolled from one topic to the next, I knew I’d be writing about it for the website in due time. So here I am!
We are going to answer each of these questions one by one, but I want to make a few things clear before we get into what some might consider controversial matter.
There is nothing wrong with Christian authors including a villain/antagonist in their work—even if that character is evil, dark, or the devil himself. The problem with supervillains in Christian work isn’t their mere presence, trouble—if there is any—typically stems from the way they are written and approached.
Ask yourself this:
Is your antagonist glorified? As in, do you present this character as someone who is all-powerful—in the same way that we view God Almighty? Is your antagonist placed on a pedestal, the same way fans praise villains like the Joker from Batman or the murderous villain Jigsaw from the Saw series? Is there an understanding that this character is indeed evil?
I put a lot of emphasis on that last question because our society has come to glorify things previously viewed as evil. Think of the way we have romanticized vampires, werewolves, and even witchcraft. Soon we will see books about teenage girls falling for demon warlords or the anti-Christ himself!
Don’t let your book glorify or romanticize your antagonist. Remember, evil is evil.
We’ll get more into this concept as we answer each question, so keep reading!
Question One: Is it appropriate for Christian authors to write from the devil’s perspective?
Have you ever read a book written from multiple perspectives? One of my favorites is the Game of Thrones series by George RR Martin. Collectively, there are over a dozen different narrators throughout the GOT series, including chapters told from the perspective of antagonists. Obviously, this isn’t a new concept. Authors have been telling their stories (or parts of it) from the viewpoint of an antagonist since the beginning of time, but what makes this a tricky topic for Christian authors is when that antagonist is a demonic figure.
By “tricky” I don’t mean it is difficult for Christian authors to write from an antagonistic perspective, I mean that some Believers may feel uncomfortable or even inappropriate writing from the viewpoint of a demonic character. This is troublesome because narration requires the writer to tap into that character’s head. Are you, as a Christian, comfortable viewing the world from the perspective of a witch? A demon? Or even the devil himself?
Personally, I would not find a problem in writing from the perspective of a witch. Because beneath a witch’s darkness is a human being with a heart that can still be touched and washed clean by the Blood of Christ Jesus. So, for the sake of redemption, I wouldn’t have issues with writing in this style of narration. But, what about unredeemable figures, like a demon? Or Satan? I don’t think I would feel comfortable writing from their perspective. BUT, that is only my opinion. There may be some Christian authors who are perfectly fine with attempting to tap into the head of a demonic figure.
We can always lean on the understanding that our work is just fiction and shouldn’t be seen as a gate for evil to pass through. But we should still be cautious of what we allow into our thoughts, minds, and hearts. If you aren’t careful, you could cross into territory you aren’t strong enough to handle. This is why it is vitally important for Christian authors to be diligent in maintaining a strong and genuine relationship with Christ. When your writing is led by the Holy Spirit, you won’t be led astray.
Question Two: Can Christian authors include witches/dark magic in their writing?
My best answer to this question is: it depends. The famed Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis featured magic, witches, and other mystical creatures. Remember what I said earlier, the mere presence of supervillains, or even magic and witches, is not an issue in and of itself. The issue stems from the way they are incorporated into your story.
Yes, there was a witch in the Chronicles of Narnia, but understand that she was an antagonist. Her powers and intentions were considered evil, and she was ultimately defeated. So, I don’t think it is wrong for Christians to include “dark” elements in their writing as long as these elements are not romanticized, glorified, or presented as good. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable reading a Christian book where the protagonist was a teenage witch trying to master dark magic. In fact, I would have a hard time believing that book was Christian at all.
It is fine for Christian authors to incorporate magic into their writing, but it does not have to be witchcraft. Take a look at my articles, Writing a Christian Magic System or Writing Christian Fantasy for tips on how to write Christ-centered science-fiction and fantasy.
Question Three: If an antagonist defeats your protagonist, what message does that send to Christian readers?
This might seem like an odd question, but I think it is certainly something to consider when writing your antagonist—especially if you are writing for young adult or children readers. Remember, younger audiences and new Christians are going to be far more impressionable than older or more mature Believers. So, when your protagonist has a face-off with their archenemy … and loses, what does that tell your readers?
Some might find this offensive because your protagonist is undoubtedly a Christian whose magic system is steeped in the power of God. So, if your hero then loses a battle to your antagonist, it could send the message that God isn’t strong enough to defeat your enemies.
Now, some of you might frown when you read that because this concept isn’t very fair. Christian authors shouldn’t be pressured to set up a protagonist who never loses just because they are a Christian character. In the same way, there are times when Christians lose battles in every day life, right?
As a Christian author or reader, it is important to remember that a character’s fault or flaw belongs to that character—not to God. So, a protagonist losing a battle is not to say that God’s power wasn’t strong enough but only to say that the particular character wasn’t strong enough.
I hope answering these three questions helped bring some closure to Christian authors who may have been struggling with developing an antagonist. Dark forces, witchcraft, and demonic antagonists aren’t necessarily a bad thing—but should be approached with caution and consideration of your audience. Remember to only glorify God in your writing and allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit. When your stories are Christ-centered, you won’t have anything to worry about.
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