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Emanuel12
Guest
Is it a sin to write a fictional book with Bible characters ? What do you think?
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LovelyLadybug
Guest
I think it depends on the context of your book. In most cases, I’d so, no, it’s not a sin. People write books about Bible characters all the time. Haven’t you seen all the children’s books with Noah’s Ark or Daniel in the lions’ den? Or even if it’s not a traditional bible story, it would be fine. 
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C.Ray
Guest
Depends also how you treat the characters. I’d hazard to guess that the authors of Last Temptation of Christ did themselves no favors.
Unless it were something inherently sinful or sacrilegious (such as, God forbid, someone writing a pornographic novel using personages from the Bible), how in the world could this be a sin?
I wouldn’t mind seeing a historical novel adapting the legends of Jesus having visited England in his youth with St Joseph of Arimathea — the hymn Jerusalem takes this as its inspiration — or his later supposed travels to India. As long as anyone reading the novel could keep in mind “this didn’t actually happen, or at the very least we are taking the bare bones of a legend and embellishing it for dramatic effect, or to flesh out the story”, it sounds like it would be a worthwhile endeavor.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a historical novel adapting the legends of Jesus having visited England in his youth with St Joseph of Arimathea — the hymn Jerusalem takes this as its inspiration — or his later supposed travels to India. As long as anyone reading the novel could keep in mind “this didn’t actually happen, or at the very least we are taking the bare bones of a legend and embellishing it for dramatic effect, or to flesh out the story”, it sounds like it would be a worthwhile endeavor.
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C.Ray
Guest
Also, see “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ”
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Weave
Guest
It depends: Quo Vadis uses Peter, Paul, and Christ wonderfully.
Some more modern stuff is downright blasphemous.
Some more modern stuff is downright blasphemous.
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The_Old_Maid
Guest
Depends upon the intention and the faithfulness to the truth. Personally I would be hesitant, and would think it safer to invent your own characters to explore their faith.
But there are some interesting attempts. Jerry B. Jenkins (of Left Behind fame) wrote I, Saul/Empire’s End as a what-if. Galatians 1:17 says that Paul the Apostle spent time in Arabia. So Jenkins created a three-year journey for Paul during that time. I found them unexpected and imaginative, but intended respectfully.
There’s also the Cradleland Chronicles by Douglas Hirt, set before Noah’s Deluge. I haven’t read those.
But there are some interesting attempts. Jerry B. Jenkins (of Left Behind fame) wrote I, Saul/Empire’s End as a what-if. Galatians 1:17 says that Paul the Apostle spent time in Arabia. So Jenkins created a three-year journey for Paul during that time. I found them unexpected and imaginative, but intended respectfully.
There’s also the Cradleland Chronicles by Douglas Hirt, set before Noah’s Deluge. I haven’t read those.
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VanitasVanitatum
Guest
I’ve seen some good adaptions on a wide variety of Bible subjects.
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