For most of their lives, Stephen and Zack have kept their eyes to the stars and wondering if NASA or anybody else will ever again get serious about launching ships up there.[1. Image credit: SpaceX on X.com.] Now it seems that moment is upon us. Lord willing, next month’s launch of Artemis II will drive new great leaps back to the Moon, not only to orbit or put down boots, but to put down roots. Meanwhile, private firms build reusable rockets and plan satellite networks while setting their sights on Mars. So what other science fictions will come true in reality? Join us to discern and celebrate the God-exalting glories of human spaceflight to faraway lands for this landmark 300th episode of Lorehaven’s Fantastical Truth.

For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years.

The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.

It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city.

That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.

Listen to our March 2025 podcast series: Martian Month.

Excellent podcast episode, Stephen! Thanks for tackling these issues from a sound and biblical perspective. I’m looking forward to part 2!

Three hundred episodes down. Who knows how many to go? Whether you’ve just found the podcast or have been listening since January 2020, we’re grateful for your support of this journey to escape bad books and find the best Christian-made fantasy for Christ’s glory. Let’s continue to seek and find His fantastical truth!

Last week your solo host, Stephen, shared a hot take: that some authors’ sudden hot takes on political topics add more heat than light. These cringe political posts distract from the author’s job and confuse fans, and some go further into sinful slanders. Now that Zack is back, let’s re-engage this topic as fans and explore hope for biblical unity. Without telling anyone to “stop with politics!” or missing real concerns, how can authors post better about those topics, if they post at all?

I have several indie authors I read or recently subscribed to their newsletters who all took part in a join political statement over the weekend with the same general idea. It was clearly to win political points for their side, and it was clearly a “If you do not agree with me, you are wrong,” and reading it I felt dirty and used. Even the author who tried to be more circumspect in how she talked about it because it was still clear what she was talking about.

My problem is I come to their newsletters not to read about politics; it is my refuge from politics. I read them to find out about how their writing is going, a quick glimpse into their life, some book recommendations, and maybe a snippet of their upcoming book.

Instead, all of these newsletters had paragraphs about Political Issue.

What is difficult about social media in general is that most posts about politics aren’t about determining a side or discussing a moral issue but virtue signaling. It doesn’t matter if the viewpoint is left, center, right, or even a pox on all the houses. Most of the time, political posts are subtly saying, “I am a good and moral person for speaking out on X issue.” This is not usually the direct and overt intention, but it’s still there on another level.

When I say virtue signaling, I’m not saying that they aren’t actually morally correct in their address, but that there usually isn’t a lot at stake in doing so. Most people live, work, and play with people much like them, and they post things their friend pool is going to agree with. And so, when posting anything political, the question has to be, “What is the reason to be posting this?” It’s usually not to inform, because I’d say anyone aware of news right now has heard about Minneapolis. It’s to give a viewpoint. But unless you live in that area, does it affect your daily life right now? Not so much. The stakes are small.

So when I see authors and other creatives I follow giving political opinions, I generally tune out. I’m not there for that. I’m more interested in how you’re living out that belief, whether helping a local legal refugee family or befriending your local police force or however that issue plays out in your everyday life.

Personally, I have a couple of acquaintances who I disagree with politically. On some things, we can just discuss and let it go. In others – the posts are just unhinged. I just mute/snooze the guy for 30 days.

There was someone else who just went off the deep end – almost everything posted was hateful, cussing, and such. That earned a permanent block. It was sad to see someone go that far off the beaten path.

I did have one friend who started calling his own friends Nazis and such because they disagreed with him on politics – maybe 10 years ago. I called him out on that as a Christian brother and he was able to realize that he’d gotten a little too far down the path and took a break (and backed off).

“When your favorite authors suddenly post hot takes about the latest controversial headlines or violent acts, how do you feel?”

Startled. Annoyed. Betrayed. Hurt. Saddened.

Startled because the author doesn’t usually throw their hat into the political fray.

Annoyed because there are so many more topics to discuss.

Annoyed because Instagram or Facebook is my escape from the constant barrage of never-ending political opinions and current events.

Betrayed because I thought I knew who they were. Betrayed because they’ve shown me a side of themselves that goes against how they’ve always acted.

Hurt because they’ve broken my trust. Hurt because my loyalty is hard to gain and I’ve been blindsided by their vitriol.

Saddened because there are so many other topics in which I agree with them, but now I am anathema because of my politics.

Top question for listeners

For most of our lives, Stephen and Zack have kept their eyes to the stars and wondering if NASA or anybody else will ever again get serious about launching ships up there. Now it seems that moment is upon us. Lord willing, next month’s launch of Artemis II will drive new great leaps back to the Moon, not only to orbit or put down boots, but to put down roots. Meanwhile, private firms build reusable rockets and plan satellite networks while setting their sights on Mars. So what other science fictions will come true in reality? Join us to discern and celebrate the God-exalting glories of human spaceflight to faraway lands for this landmark 300th episode of Lorehaven’s Fantastical Truth.

Happy Groundhog Day.[1. Photo by Marino Linic on Unsplash.] Maybe in these last weeks you’ve seen this same story repeat: Your favorite Christian author usually posts about whimsical life updates, pet photos, or upcoming release dates. But now she or he is suddenly and very fervently posting about politics. Words get heated. Light dims. And unwise statements share disastrous brushfires instead of book delights. What should a reader to do? Call for a ban on all such topics? Block the blighter? Or maybe seek deeper wisdom?

This is a heated topic, necessarily so. Now as we move toward spring, let’s attempt a thaw. Lord willing, Zackary Russell will return here for an interactive discussion about how we as fans can hope better from our favorite authors. Do we expect them to “shut up and write”? Or can we hope for more thoughtful, gracious engagement that will not divide the body of Christ but will bring us better together even if we do disagree?

Allegories. Christians love allegories! That’s a story element of having a person, place, or thing meant a a direct picture of something else, like Jesus or moral virtues. Some people think Jesus did this in parables, or C.S. Lewis did this with Narnia. Others point to Pilgrim’s Progress as a prime example. Even if they’re right about that, might some readers and authors focus so much on possible “allegories” that we miss great stories’ deeper meanings?

Allegory is a form of literature in which material figures represent immaterial virtues or vices. So in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, the character Timorous represents fear and Mr. Worldly Wiseman represents worldly wisdom. In our day, distinction of genres has been muddled a bit, so we tend to regard any story with symbolic elements in it as allegorical, but it was not always this way. C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, for instance, are not allegories, even as often as they are referred to as such, and Lewis himself said as much.

The parables of Jesus could be said to contain allegorical elements, some more than others, but they are not strictly speaking themselves allegories. Jesus definitely deals in the world of virtues and vices, but he is most immediately interested in the world of human beings, their hearts, their words, and their deeds.

“How Not to Read the Parables,” Jared C. Wilson

The reason for the long history of the misinterpretation of the parables can be traced back to something Jesus himself said, as recorded in Mark 4:10–12. When asked about the purpose of parables, he seems to have suggested that they contained mysteries for those on the inside, while they hardened those on the outside. Because he then proceeded to “interpret” the parable of the sower in a semi-allegorical way, this was seen to give license to the hardening theory and endless allegorical interpretations. The parables were considered to be simple stories for those on the outside to whom the “real meanings,” the “mysteries,” were hidden; these belonged only to the church and could be uncovered by means of allegory.

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart

Next week is Groundhog Day, and we’ve already seen this story: Your favorite Christian author, who usually talks about book updates and inspirational life anecdotes, is suddenly posting about controversial political stuff. Should readers impose “no politics! no religion!” rules on story creators who feel strongly about a topic? Or might we expect more from authors posting or not posting hot takes?

This podcast and other resources from Lorehaven focus on readers. That’s why, when aspiring writers post questions like, Where can I find an agent? or Will you look at my unpublished manuscript?, we don’t have much to share in that department. Until now. We’re journeying into new lands. This month we’re launching the Lorehaven Authorship within the Lorehaven Guild on Discord. Let’s explore how these new digital channels with pro livestreams and a fan-focused Book Festival will help writers cultivate their God-given imaginations.

Hosted in the Lorehaven Guild, the Authorship offers three member levels:

How to join? Subscribe free to Lorehaven. (Or in January 2026, just click here.) We’ll send you the Guild invitation. Once you’ve entered the Guild, look for the LOREHAVEN AUTHORSHIP channels. Then click one to see your options.

Pro tip: To avoid added fees, avoid signing up for the Authorship on Apple devices. Instead, use the desktop app or browser version.

In the Authorship, published pros will train creatives in the craft of writing. However, we’ll also help you discover your purpose for your imagination. Why did God create you? And why do we feel this drive to create other stuff? If you sense the need to know this greater godly mission, welcome aboard!

I’ll put my 25+ years of creative struggles to work here. So will other pro novelists. This reflects our shared need for training. After all, you can’t go directly from “Let’s write!” to “Let’s change the world with our stories.” Don’t skip that big step in between—the step of Christians helping one another grow our creative gifts.

For example, later this month I’m hosting a fully public livestream:

How to Sell a Sci-Fi Novel in Just Twenty-Five Easy Years

Saturday, Jan. 31

Future livestreams will be available for all Authorship members.

Apart from livestreams, we’ll share this training in every room of the Authorship—from C.S. Lewis’s three-stage view of story-making, to creative challenges like the “Christian” label, to the thorny issue of whether fictional characters can curse.

Lorehaven has spent years connecting authors not just with other authors, but with faithful readers. So the Authorship will also feature the Lorehaven Book Festival.

Anyone in the free Guild can visit the Book Festival to browse virtual booths. Yet only members at the Pro Novelist level can host their own booth spaces. They can recruit readers, share links, or host Q&As—for any length of time.

I am forever grateful to these people for putting this wonderful drama together. I won’t spoil it much here, but there is a part in Glorious Appearing that had me convicted of my sin and my need for a savior several years ago. And as a result, I was converted to Christianity. A follower of Jesus Christ. God saved me. And I did not do anything to earn it. It is all his doing.

Imagine, if you will, that Christian Author X creates a futuristic tale in which cyborg detectives explore the boundaries of good and evil. That seems cool. But how does that compare with, say, Christian Author Y’s fantasy story in which verses and prayer are like magic, people and place names are anagrams for virtues, and the king represents Jesus Christ? Many fine Christians get confused by Author X’s story but get impressed by Author Y’s story—because, after all, it’s allegory! Is this kind of allegory, however, really a more “Christian” kind of story?

“In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the globe disappear.” Jesus returned thirty years ago. Or rather, He sort of pre-returned, the warm-up act, if you will. Many faithful Christians believe in this kind of “rapture.” And in December 1995, two authors teamed up and used this idea to create the most successful biblical end-times thriller we’ve yet seen. In summer 2024 we overviewed the series. Yet now we’ll ask how that first Left Behind novel has aged, thirty years after its release.

“This is the most successful Christian fiction series ever.”

“Combines Tom Clancy–like suspense with touches of romance, high-tech flash, and biblical references.”

“Call it what you like, the Left Behind series . . . now has a label its creators could have never predicted: blockbuster success.”

A novel of the Earth’s last days.

In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the globe disappear.

Vehicles, suddenly unmanned, careen out of control. People are terror stricken as loved ones vanish before their eyes.

In the midst of global chaos, airline captain Rayford Steele must search for his family, for answers, for truth. As devastating as the disappearances have been, the darkest days may lie ahead.

So I am not really a sci-fi/dystopian reader, but follow LH/Enclave for my veracious teen readers. My shocking love was The Chaos Grid and Crier Stone books from Lindsey Llewellyn. Well done!!! I actually read them each in 1 sitting and stayed up WAY too late doing so. ;o)

Your point about sci-fi/fantastical exploration and dominion-taking being a huge part of our future in the new heavens & new earth reminds me of my favorite quote from Wayne Thomas Batson’s Door Within trilogy: the last chapter of the last book ends with the hero asking the God figure, the King, if there will be adventures in His kingdom. The King smiles and says, “More than you can possibly imagine.” That line changed my perspective on eternity completely. Several educational years later, I’m a postmillenial and eager for stories that can transcend time and inspire generations to take dominion of the world for Christ’s kingdom. Here’s to an increase of that in the years to come!

This podcast and other resources from Lorehaven focus on readers. That’s why, when aspiring writers send us questions like, Where can I find an agent? or Will you look at my unpublished manuscript?, we haven’t had much to share in that area. Until now. This month we launch the Lorehaven Authorship in the Lorehaven Guild on Discord. Let’s explore how these new digital discipleship channels, pro livestreams, and fan-focused Book Festival will help authors cultivate their God-given creative purpose.

Last year brought many challenges for Christian fantasy fans. From flops at the theaters now threatened by streaming slop, to creators making more events for Christian storytelling, to the continued growth of biblical fiction as the top genre of Christian-made entertainment—let’s survey the top ten fantasy-related headlines from last year.

“In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the world disappear.” Jesus returned thirty years ago. Or rather, He sort of pre-returned, the warm-up act, if you will. Many faithful Christians believe in this kind of “rapture.” And in December 1995, two authors teamed up and used this idea to create the most successful biblical end-times thriller we’ve yet seen. Last summer, we overviewed the series. Yet now we’ll ask how that first Left Behind novel has aged, thirty years after its release.

Earlier this month, and just in time for Christmas, Focus on the Family made a fun announcement: an upcoming theatrical adaptation of Adventures in Odyssey. Dubbed Journey Into The Impossible, this 3D animated film will explore the town of Odyssey before the establishment of Whit’s End. What kinds of adventures will a young John Avery Whittaker enjoy? (This special episode was recorded live.)

“In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the world disappear.” Jesus returned thirty years ago. Or rather, He sort of pre-returned, the warm-up act, if you will. Many faithful Christians believe in this kind of “rapture.” And in December 1995, two authors teamed up and used this idea to create the most successful biblical end-times thriller we’ve yet seen. Last summer, we looked back on the Left Behind series legacy. Yet now we’ll ask how that first Left Behind novel has aged, thirty years after its release.

“We do not celebrate Christmas that way.” “We do not read those kinds of books.” “We ‘do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.’” We know our world is full of rebellion against God’s law. But many people overreact to moral license with a strict imposing of out-of-context or made-up laws. Faithful saints call this legalism, and Christian fantasy fans know plenty about this. When that influencer or relative rebukes your fantastical interest, how you can respond with grace and truth?

Happy to see this covered, and even happier to get the other half in the Abolition of Man at least touched on!

The position Lewis takes about a very small ruling class who make decisions about all of morality for everyone who comes after very much aligns with the ultimate revealed mission of the N.I.C.E. Not to mention the issues being raised about where a potential soul can come from. I find his look at the outworking and consequences of post-modern thought and reasoning really intriguing, considering that this was all put to paper before the conclusion of the second world war and the mass dissemination of those ideas outside the academic world.

Well, we recently talked about the first Chronicle of Narnia … the book! Yet many fans found or rediscovered this series thanks to the Disney-distributed, Walden Media–made film from director Andrew Adamson. Want to feel old? That was two decades ago! So now we shall look back at Narnia’s journey to the box office with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which released twenty years ago on Dec. 9, 2005.

Mark Joseph is a music and film producer, author, columnist and founder of MJM Entertainment Group, a multi-faceted entertainment company with interests in film, publishing, music, TV production and film consulting.

Joseph got his start in television as an anchor for NHK and CNN’s The Entertainment Report in the 1990’s and his company MJM produced documentaries and supervised the international release of over a hundred albums by various pop and rock artists.

In addition to producing his own films, he oversees a marketing team that has marketed 75 films since 2001. From 2000-2005 he worked in development and marketing for Walden Media and Crusader Entertainment and oversaw a grassroots marketing team.

He has served as a producer on 15 films, including Max Rose starring Jerry Lewis, The Vessel starring Martin Sheen, America, Japan: Searching For The Dream, Frank vs. God and others.

Joseph is the author of four books including The Lion, The Professor & The Movies: Narnia’s Journey To The Big Screen and has been a regular contributor to publications like Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, USA Today, The Huffington Post and FoxNews.com.

He is currently a senior columnist for Newsweek and hosts the podcast The Mark Joseph Show.

Most recently, he produced the film Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid and published the book Making REAGAN: A Memoir from the Producer of the REAGAN Movie. He also produced the film’s two soundtracks including songs from Bob Dylan, Clint Black, Gene Simmons of KISS, Tanya Tucker and others.

Mark and his wife Kara have six children and reside in Southern California.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe film released Dec. 9, 2005.

I found the Narnia series in my school library when I was in 4th grade, and yes, they were in the proper order. It was a watershed moment for me. I bought myself a boxed set a few years later. Boy, did I look for portals! When I get into a discussion about the book order, I point out The Magician’s Nephew is a prequel, explaining the back story of the first book.

“We do not celebrate Christmas that way.” “We do not read those kinds of books.” “We ‘do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.’” We know our world is full of rebellion against God’s law. But many people overreact to moral license with a strict imposing of out-of-context or made-up laws. Faithful saints call this legalism, and Christian fantasy fans know plenty about this. When that social-media pastor rebukes your favorite sci-fi, or that relative raises a judgy eyebrow at holiday dinners, how you can respond with grace, truth, and love for legalists?