Fantastical Truth

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In the Fantastical Truth podcast from Lorehaven, hosts E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell find truth in fantastic stories, and apply the wonders of these imaginary worlds to the real world our Creator has called us to serve. Join the best Christian fantastical authors and other creative friends on this joyful journey, to find the happiness and holiness of Jesus through his gift of truthful imagination.

Lorehaven


    • Jun 24, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 9m AVG DURATION
    • 271 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Fantastical Truth

    268. What are Fantastical Parables? | The Road to Kaeluma

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 46:32


    Inspired by Jesus's parable of the two sons, Perry Wilson and Landon Hawley have created this new audio adventure from the Christian ministry Cru.

    267. What If a Bad Father Fought to Be a Hero? | The Hole-Man with Dan Daetz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 67:55


    Men may defend their families and nations by flying amazing airships, yet struggle with the temptations and tough decisions of earthly callings.

    266. How Do You Assemble a New Expo for Christian Fandoms? | with Scott Minor

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2025 85:34


    Hear the backstory of Realm Makers, from its 2013 origin as a fantastical writers conference to the new 2025 Realm Makers Expo coming this July to Grand Rapids.

    265. How Can We Shine the Gospel at the Realm Makers Expo?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2025 62:35


    Christian-led conferences attract saints as well as nonbelievers who like wholesome stories, making them fantastic fields for creative missions.

    gospel shine expo realm makers
    264. Which Stories Will Last Forever in New Earth?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 74:26


    God likes the physical world He created, and that's why He will redeem human subcreations for eternity, including fantastical novels we enjoy for His glory.

    263. What is Time-Travel Romance? | Every Hour Until Then with Gabrielle Meyer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 52:21


    Some heroines need no machines or solar slingshots to awaken in a romantic past and discover true love or deeper truths about the Lord.

    262. How Do Great Stories Train Students to Follow Jesus as Adults? | with Dr. Robert Sloan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 65:38


    Just in time for graduation season, the Houston Christian University president tells of stories that really matter to children and students.

    261. Why Do We Love The Magician’s Nephew?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 47:11


    Seventy years after C. S. Lewis's sixth Chronicle of Narnia released, we recall the reasons we love this tale of magic rings and other worlds.

    260. How Do Great Stories Show Both Law and Grace?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 74:25


    Shallow fictions insult the work of Christ by implying we can cheapen the law to make ourselves better, or cheapen grace to save others.

    259. What is Biblical Fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 72:06


    Christian critics toss tomatoes at this newly popular genre. But biblical fiction isn't meant to preach, only to illustrate the Scripture we honor.

    258. How Would We Restore Disney Film Franchises?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 69:11


    After fractured fairy-stales, flippant super-capers, and “Stalled” Wars, here's how we could rebuild the fallen castles of this media Babylon.

    257. By Aslan’s Mane, is Netflix Really Casting a Lady as the Lion?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 52:10


    The headline sounded like an April Fool's prank. Then others confirmed it and fans raised the uproar. Here's why it matters that Aslan is male.

    256. When Have Newer Christian Authors Explored Mars?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 31:38


    From a wheelchair-wielding robo-pioneer to the Ares 10 mission and other astronauts, many faithful storytellers settled on our sister planet.

    255. What Are Space Westerns? | After Moses with Michael F. Kane

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 70:39


    After the first age of rocketry, some cowboy heroes traded their six-shooters for rayguns and rode beyond Earth to settle a new genre frontier.

    254. Who Would Win in a Fight Between Spaceships and Dragons? | Embergold with Rachelle Nelson

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 66:34


    Fantasy has magical beasts while science fiction has fantastical vehicles, and both have their biblical redemptive qualities. Now, let them fight.

    253. How Do Classic Sci-Fi Novels Explore the Planet Mars?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 66:39


    Earth's neighbor is a frozen desert, but it has inspired many fantastical stories—from adventures to big ideas, hard science, and human nature.

    252. What if Space Missionaries Fought the Secular State? | Above the Circle of Earth with E. Stephen Burnett

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 67:37


    Stephen and Zack explore the Christian heroes, challenging ideas, and speculative science of this possible future when oversheltered believers resist a one-world CAUSE.

    251. Could a Cultural ‘Vibe Shift’ Advance Christian-Made Fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 83:02


    Storytellers who hope for gospel witness to the world must discern today's rising audience of cultural conservatives who like some biblical ideas.

    250. How Does Scripture Reveal the God of Story? | with Daniel Schwabauer

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 70:44


    When readers treat the Bible as a resource for carving out doctrine-blocks or extracting shiny morals, we miss the Hero and true gospel Story of the Scripture.

    249. What is ‘Romantasy’? | with Parker J. Cole

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 79:06


    Though all their friends thought them enemies, fantasy and romance have grown into lovers, and now bear the new ship name of "romantasy."

    romantasy parker j cole
    248. What Are Fairy-Tale Retellings? | with Kendra E. Ardnek

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 60:08


    For centuries readers have loved to re-read, retell, or research the classic stories of magical lands where Christlike good defeats evil.

    247. How Does Lorehaven Curate Christian Fantastical Fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 75:29


    Since 2018, Lorehaven.com creators have explored fantastical stories for God's glory, and now we've upgraded our Library book search.

    246. What is Soft Science Fiction? | Echo Nova with Clint Hall

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 73:52


    Some harder sci-fi treats humans as spectators to science, while softer sci-fi may use "handwavium" to explain tech while focusing on heroes.

    245. What is Medieval Fantasy? | Squire of Truth with Jill Williamson

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 64:42


    Castles with knights and wild lands full of creatures remind us of real-life European history, often with one added fantastical ingredient of magic.

    244. How Did Speculative Faith Lead to the Lorehaven Mission?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 60:46


    As we launch our 2025 podcast season, we celebrate legacies of the original website that boosted many authors and Lorehaven itself.

    243. What Were Your Favorite 2024 Lorehaven Articles and Podcast Episodes?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 76:09


    After a Christmas break, we return with our first New Year's Eve special to review last year's top features, from fantasy apologetics to false “liberation.”

    242. Should Christians Read Lewis and Tolkien But No Newer Fantasy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 68:14


    These classic authors are fantastic, but they also enjoyed new stories across many genres and would recommend today's readers do the same.

    241. What Are the Best and Worst Fantastical Christmas Stories?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 70:27


    In this holiday special about versions of the Nativity, Santa, and more, let's open the spiced eggnog to celebrate the best and boo the rest.

    240. How Could We Adapt C. S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy for the Screen?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 81:22


    Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength would pose unique challenges for even the most Christ-exalting filmmakers.

    239. Do You Prefer ‘Literary’ or ‘Genre’ Fantastical Fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 51:30


    Complex tales share layers of language and symbols, while basic stories usually get straight to the point—and both offer benefits to readers.

    238. Do Christians Need Dystopian Fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 64:15


    Stories about bad governments and struggling subjects can prepare us to confront real problems, while helping us beware the darkness within.

    237. How Has ‘The Chosen’ Become The World’s Top Christian-Made Fandom? | with Ryan Swanson

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 88:33


    The cowriter of "The Chosen" and "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" joins our early Thanksgiving to celebrate the growth of Christian film.

    236. How Can Scary Stories Expose Human Sin? | Christian Horror with Mike Duran

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 76:42


    Horror fiction may have hazards and sinful subgenres, but frightening fiction can also serve us by exposing the unfruitful works of darkness.

    235. What Are the Scariest Stories About Aliens Among Us?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 61:50


    These fictional space creatures can stalk humans like other horror monsters, but armies of aliens also destroy cities and demon-like beings attack human nature.

    234. Who Are the Future Voices of Christian Fantastical Storytelling? | with Brett Harris and Kara Swanson

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 77:49


    With popular genres changing every month, The Author Conservatory founders help us dare to speculate on the stories of tomorrow.

    233. Should Christian Fans Really ‘Avoid the Appearance of Evil’?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 60:08


    This twisted interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 5:22 isn't biblical, doesn't work, and enables fake holiness or even spiritual abuse.

    232. What If You Fought a Forest that Cursed Your Family? | The Burning Tree with Helen Dent

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 52:19


    One girl in rural Georgia must confront the ancient tree that cursed two families, and her whole community, in this deep-rooted rural fantasy.

    231. Should Readers Look for ‘Clean’ or ‘Wholesome’ Stories?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 67:50


    If we look for books without obvious “poisons,” we may overlook our imaginations' need for stories of good taste and nutritional value.

    230. Why Do Modern Stories Keep Reversing Heroes and Villains?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 68:13


    Cynics often envy real-life heroes like national leaders and astronauts, which drives the self-righteous subversions of heroic virtue in fiction.

    229. What If Christians Joined Civil War Against Immortal Elites? | The Wall by Brian Penn

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 52:37


    Soldier-spy Asher must wrestle with faith and life behind enemy lines, just as Christians engage the challenges of fictional dystopian worlds.

    228. Why Don’t Christian-Made Arts Top Secular Charts?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 67:47


    Many Christians ask why “the world” tends to make the most popular stories, but we have real answers for why secular culture stays no. 1.

    227. Is Christianity Preventing a ‘Star Trek’ Future? | with Dr. Sarah Salviander

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 73:36


    Christian scholars helped create modern science, yet many sci-fi speculators assume believers should have no place in their visions of progress.

    226. Does the Holy Spirit ‘Inspire’ Fantastical Stories?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 67:27


    When wonderful stories or songs make us feel "inspirational," we can thank God for His gifts of human talent, despite our sins and struggles.

    225. Why Do Modern Fans Love Middle-Earth Mixing? | with Evan Cooney

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 73:06


    Fans across generations have learned to love The Lord of the Rings books, films, and memes for reasons deeper than simplistic morals.

    224. Why Does ‘Church Back Home Syndrome’ Distort Christian Imagination?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 79:11


    Victims of bad experiences with Christians cannot help but see most stories in light of their desires to avoid hurt or punish the perpetrators.

    223. Why Celebrate Stories #MadeByHumans?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2024 68:42 Transcription Available


    Generative AI might help fill creative gaps, but God calls his people to reflect His image with natural humanity in the stories we create.

    222. What If You Had to Fight Your Own Dreams? | The Nightmare Virus with Nadine Brandes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 46:37 Transcription Available


    When dream-worlds turn into humankind's next pandemic, we must ask big questions about how best to defeat the darkness.

    221. How Did The Left Behind Series Enrapture Millions of Fans? | with Jerry Jenkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 79:33 Transcription Available


    Left Behind series author Jerry Jenkins looks back on the series' legacy over sixteen thriller novels, forty teen spinoff books, and beyond.

    220. How Did the ‘Left Behind’ Kids Audio Drama Speed-Run the Tribulation? | with Darby Kern

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 71:03 Transcription Available


    Twenty years after Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan fought the Antichrist, writer Darby Kern shares how GAP Digital stewarded the audio series.

    219. How Did GAP Digital Turn Left Behind Into Cinematic Audio Drama? | with Todd Busteed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 82:24 Transcription Available


    Based on the best-selling novels, here's how GAP Digital and Tyndale House Publishers presented the dramatic audio edition of Left Behind.

    218. How Did The Kids Get Left Behind? | with Chris Fabry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 86:04


    From school resistance to global plagues, Chris Fabry wrote the Young Trib Force's adventures for the bestselling Left Behind: The Kids series.

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