Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑03 Jun 2020, 06:46
I would like to ask the author if he sees any risks in the fact that by writing a fictional novel he's mixing the words of the Bible with his imagination? And another question would be: how does he feel about Christian fictive literature overall?
Before I started writing, I gave that question zero thought and or concern. So at first, the answer is no.
Your question has now, come up at least a few times, and with those questions I have had to think through the issue.
My conclusion is that my attempt at explaining the bible is far more enlightening than the countless myriad of biblical commentaries are.
My first brushes with the Bible, at this point in hindsight, were not good. The fact was, I was relying far more on the commentators than the word of God. I have totally reversed field with Killing Abel. My point of view now is that the commentaries are just as much conjecture as is Killing Abel. Only I tell you up front that . . . hey Killing Abel is to a large extent my imagination and thus a work of fiction.
When I began the process, I would have never thought I would say what I am going to say to you now; at this point after weaving together the way points given to us in the Bible, I am far more persuaded that some of the events in Killing Abel, may have actually happened. Not because I was inspired, or that I am brilliant biblical scholar, as I am neither. It is solely because the events in the Bible weaved together easily and flawlessly as I penned Killing Abel. The story literally fell into place. And in no way was Killing Abel preconceived beyond the beginning and the end. It really is the story in the Bible.
If I was to give myself any credit, it would be that God is so real to me, He is not at like some aloof supreme being. I am sorry if that offends you, but to me God is just a good Father. The way God seems to me is the way I portrayed Him in Killing Abel.