The Wise Imagination

Our modern culture is fascinated—some would say obsessed—with the fantastic. Vampires, magic wands, and mystical worlds pervade our media, often creating a “zombie-like” following. When we hear the word “fantasy,” a kaleidoscope of images pops into our heads: for the young, perhaps unicorns and Care Bears; for older audiences, the gritty werewolves of The Walking Dead or the satirical zombies of Shaun of the Dead.

With such a broad and often commercialized reach, it is easy to dismiss fantasy as a mere pop-cultural escape from reality. J.R.R. Tolkien famously challenged this “tone of scorn” in his essay On Fairy-Stories:

“Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison-walls?”

The Tree and the Peach: Fantasy as Sanctification

C.S. Lewis argued that finding wonder in a “tree” within a fantasy world actually helps us see more beauty in a real tree upon our return. John Piper expands on this Lewisian notion of beauty, suggesting that the physical world is a deliberate communication from God:

“The created world is not an end in itself… The material creation was not God’s way of saying to humankind: ‘I am not enough for you.’ It was his way of saying: ‘Here is the best garden where more of what I am can be revealed to finite creatures. The juiciness of a peach and the sweetness of honey are a communication of myself.’”

The Cosmic View: More Than Good Storytelling

As “cultish” as the fandoms can be, fantasy fills a fundamental craving to understand that there is more to this world than what meets the eye. The symbolic nature of the fantastic points to universal truths about the depth of humanity, the intricacies of creation, and the nature of God.

Like the parables of Jesus, fantasy can be harnessed to communicate deep truths in a way that is both gripping and enjoyable. These stories reveal a greater purpose for our lives by providing a “cosmic view” of the world. Fantasy is not just a vehicle for storytelling; it is a conduit for spiritual wonder.

The “Good Spell” of the Gospel

By allowing ourselves to explore the fantastic, we become more prone to discovering the actual wonders of our own world. When we seek the symbolic truths within this wonder, we are exposed to God’s creative impressions on everyone and everything.

This experience changes us. It moves us from being passive consumers of “magic” to active participants in the “Good Spell”—the Euangelion or Gospel—that is capable of enchanting us all and revealing the true mystery of existence.