Author Confessions: Is It Wrong to Read Inspirational Romance?

Believe it or not there are some churches that would never promote, encourage, or support that I write Christian romances. They don’t even need to read it. They believe that it leads women to unrealistic expectations in marriage or perhaps that the values in the book don’t reflect the more narrow legalistic values that the church proclaims as godly.

Either way, they won’t consider it a good thing, but I do know that some women who are in those churches will read semi-erotic books by secular authors. Wouldn’t you prefer that they read a book that is clean and doesn’t titillate? Aren’t there values in Christian-authored books that transcend the romance part as well?

It was a surprise to my husband, but not to me, when he was telling a pastor he admired about how great my writing is. Yet I know another Christian female author who had sat in that church when that very pastor had condemned the kind of work she was writing out of obedience to God and in a way to honor God with her gifts. Needless to say, she left that church but it was like a slap in the face to her.

Now, before you tell me I’m saying all Christian romance is right to read, hear me out. I have a friend who was in a sex-less, difficult marriage to an unbeliever. She avoided Christian romance novels, and all romance novels. It hurt too much. I would never condemn her for her choice. If God says don’t read it, even if it is fine for most people, then don’t. Obeying God should always be primary, but that doesn’t make it universal. I was in a similar situation and those books held out the truth that there was a standard for men that was more than what I had. Now when I was free to look for that I set my sights higher than I had when I was younger and didn’t believe I deserved that kind of love. I don’t deserve anything to be honest but I believed that there were good and godly men out there and I praise God that He brought me a great guy who loves the Lord and treats me with respect and love. He isn’t perfect, but he’s perfect for me.

Not all Christian books are created equal, whether fiction or non-fiction and we should always be discerning. I’ve seen some exceptionally popular, best-selling books cause great damage in the church and in the lives of individuals who have read them. I’m not going to name book titles. You might disagree with me and select others books you strongly disagree with. If that is true for non-fiction it can be equally true for fiction as well. We need to be discerning as we read as believers. Sure, open the book, step on in and relax and enjoy the story, but don’t check your brain at the door.

The reality is every book has a human author at various stages of sanctification and growth in their own Christian walk. That will translate to the page and the underlying theology which is behind their story.

So, is it wrong to read inspirational romance? It definitely is not a sin unless God tells you not to read that. But as with movies and other media content we take in during our days, we need to be discerning. I believe authors are held as accountable as any pastor or teacher out there for the content they produce and we should never seek to lead anyone into sin or promote sinful practices, but some theology can be far more subtle and we need to be careful.

Those church leaders who “ban” Christian romance are not giving their women enough credit to have the brains to discern what is real and what is not. Who knows, maybe the story will convict them to be more godly as women and wives? The hope of any Christian author would be to leave their reader on a more solid encouraged place before the cross of Christ. Maybe entertained, but hopefully encouraged and uplifted and maybe even challenged in their own faith as a result. I know I wanted books I wouldn’t be ashamed of my children picking up and hopefully the characters would give them godly role models to follow in their own walk. So far none of my children have read my books but maybe someday? And if not my kids, maybe those of others will be blessed.