God in a fantasy universe

[Zachary Holbrook]

I’m writing this vast interconnected story universe, called the Domidium. Think of it as the Cosmere meets Tolkien’s worldbuilding, but undergirded by my own rapidly developing writing style that I haven’t quite figured out how to describe yet.

I began outlining for the Domidium four years ago, when I was a fairly clueless fourteen-year old. Now, with a lot more life experience and one completed novel draft set in the Domidium, I’ve realized I need to change… a lot.

My original vision involved writing several epic fantasy series, and then having an extra-epic crossover. Worlds colliding. Ancient secrets being revealed. Beloved characters going through the crucible and coming face-to-face with their own sins and shortcomings. Which of course leads to the need for a savior. Thus, I planned for my magnum opus to climax with the death and resurrection of an allegorical Christ-figure. After all, what could be more climactic than a parallel to the most important event in human history?

Problem: that leaves 90% of my planned Domidium stories set in a pre-Christian world. Furthermore, it’s a world with few parallels to the world of the Old Testament. There’s no ethnic people-group chosen by God to produce a blessing for all nations; rather, the faithful are scattered across seven different planets. Furthermore, I want to write character who have relationships with God like I have a relationship with God, not only because this is what comes naturally to me, but because I connect deeply to characters like this, and because I can’t find enough of them in well-written fantasy novels.

What I have right now is a parallel Christianity that doesn’t really mention Christ, because he hasn’t come yet. If it does mention him, it has to speak in future tense, “the coming deliver will save us from our sins”, which is just weird.

I’m considering shifting the ‘redemptive timeline’ of the Domidium so that the Incarnation and Atonement take place in the past. One question I have is, how can I do this, and how can I write characters who are essentially Christians and have relationships with God, in a way that isn’t just cutting-and-pasting Christianity into my fantasy world? How do I create a fantasy religion that is both true and an integral part of the world I’ve created?

[Scoutillus Finch]

@zachary-holbrook

First off, your world sounds super interesting and like you have put a lot of effort into it and welcome to KP!

I like the sound of your plan for putting the Christ figure’s first coming in the past, but I think you could go with either way, depending on how you feel the story should go. I have been writing seriously for about four years, more or less… and mostly sketches of characters I daydreamed about. One thing I am pretty sure I’m doing for a sci-fi world I have been dabbling in creating and writing in is that Christianity is forgotten by the majority of the people, and only a select few have learned that there is a god, but they don’t know much about him and are trying to find out more about him because their world is dying and they need his help.

As for your Christian fantasy religion, I would say that it would have to relate to the guiding principle of your world, (some attribute that makes it different from earth, like the existence of magical rings in The Lord of The Rings), and also, you can have your deity figure have some specific attribute that is different from the real world, some examples I have seen are Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia, Princess Irene’s Great Great etc. Grandmother in The Princess and The Goblin and The Prince in The light Princess (both by George MacDonald), The Maker in The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, and White Light in Fawkes by Nadine Brandes.

Are you trying to reach non-Christians or Christians with your writing (if you intend to publish)? because I think that could influence how much the readers see your God-Figure, also, with fantasy, some form of deity and higher-purpose is easy to include because it would make more sense in such a world to a non-Christian (I think that’s why I’ve always noticed that sci-fi by non-Christians are more depressing than fantasy). Maybe you could make a hero similar in to those you find in mythology around the world, but truly perfect after a long line of failed heroes (I keep on thinking of people like Sampson and King David for not-so-great heroes).

I just had an idea you could use if it helps: maybe your God-figure is some kind of Wiseman or Wizard with a young son who is a carpenter and they live in a magical forest with a woman who wanders in the wood?

I hope this helps!

We crazy people are the normal ones.

[Scoutillus Finch]

I hope it’s not too overwhelming, I an somewhat inexperienced and am just trying to give you some ideas, feel free to use anything I’ve suggested if it would help.

We crazy people are the normal ones.

[GodlyFantasy12]

@zackary-holbrook

I definitely don’t have all the answers for this questions, but I’m also writing a fantasy series with a Christian viewpoint (my MC follows God).

As for wanting to create a story with the story of Christ within it, it has been done before. I’ve read a trilogy where the type and shadow of Jesus was called The Poet. I’m not entirely sure if I understand your questions so would u mind clarifying some?

As for the future-tense/past-tense thing, it’s simple to have your characters have a relationship with God before he becomes their savior in flesh.

Jesus is God, so God is anywhere, even in the Old Testament he spoke to his people, ministered to them, etc, so I wouldn’t worry about that.

As for not making it a copy and paste of everyday Christianity, you can do one of three things.

1. Don’t worry about that.
While you shouldn’t be cliche, don’t stress over what people might think. If you enjoy the relationship your character’s have with God, and it sends a good, truth-filled message, then that’s what matters. You can’t completely rid yourself of everyday Christianity, because that is what we as humans have known for years.

2.

Don’t overstate it. Let it be subtle. Mention it, but (until the time comes) don’t overly dramatize it. Like us, while we have a relationship with God, despite however close we are there are times we go thru the day without thinking about him. He’s still there, because if you’re filled with his spirit (with evidence of speaking in tongues) he is always with u (and he’s everywhere) so if you’re super worried about it, just don’t overstate it.

3. Change it up

While that phrase might scare some, it’s nothing to be afraid of. What I mean, of course, is to have it be just a tad different from us (which technically it already is, since it’s a fantasy or a Sci-do world)

In example: In my series, my MC follows God, but not everyone knows about him, or believes he exists. But, some of my elves (especially one race) knows of him. And that one specific race serves him with everything they have, and because of it, they’ve been sought after those who do not believe. Worshippers of themselves and follows of evil.

 

In reality tho, I don’t think you should worry too much about copy and pasting Christianity in. Everyone is different and as long as u write characters people can relate to, then they’ll be able to see themselves.

In my series, I like to think every POV character kinda represents someone. While they aren’t all introduced in book 1, in the end of the series I want people to be able to think “Man, I really felt connected to that character. They were a lot like me”

I hope this helps somehow lol!

#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
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