Special Sub-Topic: Religious Fiction Through the Ages Authored by: skylarb Sub-topic of: Religious Literature

Which of the following is NOT a work of religious FICTION by C.S. Lewis?

A Grief Observed. “A Grief Observed” is by C.S. Lewis, but it is not a work of fiction. Rather, it is the journal he kept as he dealt with his grief and worked through his spiritual struggles after the death of his wife. “Out of the Silent Planet” and “That Hideous Strength” are the first and last books, respectively, in his theological science-fiction trilogy. “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” belongs to his popular Christian children’s fiction collection, “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

This book contains many long passages of theological debate. Its hero is a young monk whose spiritual elder is named Father Zosima.

The Brothers Karamazov. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel is a deeply religious work. The young Alyosha’s conversations with his brother Ivan, who has rejected God, explore profound questions of theodicy, collective guilt, and grace.

This foundational Christian allegory, written in the 17th century, recounts a journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

The Pilgrim’s Progress. John Bunyan began writing this book from Bedford jail, where he was imprisoned twelve years for preaching without a licenses. “The Pilgrim’s Regress” is an allegory by C.S. Lewis modeled on Bunyan’s work, but updated for modern times. “Goblin Market” is a poem by Cristina Rossetti, and an allegory of the Fall. “The Way of the Pilgrim” is a mystical Orthodox work that tells the story of a Russian peasant who seeks to learn to pray without ceasing.

Which is NOT a work of religious FICTION by G.K. Chesterton?

The Everlasting Man. “The Everlasting Man” is by Chesterton, but it is NOT a work of fiction. It is a philosophical/historical work of Christian apologetics. “The Paradise of Thieves” is a short story that may be found in the collection “The Wisdom of Father Brown.” The other two are novels.

This Victorian novelist wrote a trilogy about the spiritual awakening of a curate named Thomas Wingfold.

George Macdonald. The three novels are: “The Curate's Awakening,” “The Lady's Confession,” and “The Baron's Apprenticeship.” Macdonald was a Scottish novelist and Congregationalist minister.

In this work of religious fiction, the inscription at the entrance to hell reads, “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” The ___________

Inferno. “The Divine Comedy,” a classic work of versified fiction by Dante Alighieri, consists of three parts: “Inferno,” “Purgatorio” and “Paradiso.”

Which of the following is NOT a work of religious FICTION by John Milton?

Areopagitica. All are by Milton, but “Areopagitica” is not a work of religious fiction. Rather, it is a nonfiction work defending the freedom of the press. “Paradise Lost” and “Paradise Regained” are epic works written in blank verse recounting the Fall of Man and the Temptation of Christ. “Samson Agonistes” is a closet drama telling of one of the heroes of the book of Judges.

This work, probably written in the 10th century, recounts a dream about Christ’s Cross. It is called “The Dream of the ____"

Rood. This exact date and author of this short story/dream sequence is unknown. “Rood” was an old English word for “cross.” This is one of the earliest works of Christian fiction written in English.

In this 14th century work of allegorical religious fiction, the hero promises to show the way to St. Truth.

The Vision of Piers Plowman. The author of this work is not known for certain, but scholars suspect it was probably William Langland. During the 1381 peasant revolt, phrases from “Piers Plowman” were employed as rhetoric. “Pilgrim’s Progress” is Bunyan’s work, written much later, and both “The Celestial Railroad” (Hawthorne) and “The Great Divorce” (C.S. Lewis) are allegories that hail from the 20th century.

This Catholic writer penned stories set in the Southern United States, an area which she described as "no longer Christ centered but still Christ haunted."

Flannery O’Connor. She wrote, among other works, “The Violent Bear it Away” and the satirical “Wise Blood,” in which the protagonist Hazel Mote establishes a “Church Without Christ.”