By: A.B. Timothy
Have you ever thought about what real Christian Fantasy would look like? Did you immediately imagine King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table? Well, what about everything else?
The Smiting of the Assyrians
The first place we can look for Christian Fantasy is no further than the Bible and all the epic battles of the Old Testament.
One comes to mind that was very fantastical. In 2 Kings 19, the Assyrian army was gathered to war with Jerusalem, and all hope seemed lost, until the angel of the Lord swept down with one mighty strike and slew 185,000 Assyrians.
The Heroism of Christ
Moving forward in history, we can look to the heroism of Christ. All stories throughout time converge on Christ. Time itself is split in two by his coming. B.C. “Before Christ” and A.D. “Anno Domini” (which is, being interpreted, “Year of our Lord”).
His heroism in laying His life down for the sins of the World, paying a debt He did not owe, for unworthy people, laid the foundation for every heroic sacrifice since and was the fulfilment of every heroic sacrifice before.
Constantine the Great
Moving forward in time again, another example of Real Christian Fantasy is Emperor Constantine. This man was the first Christian Emperor of Rome and oversaw the Council of Nicea, but how he got there from paganism is something straight out of a Fantasy Novel.
Before the Battle of Milvian Bridge, in 312 A.D., it is said that Emperor Constantine the Great received a vision from heaven of a cross and the words “In Hoc Signo Vinces,” which means, “In this sign you shall conquer.” He did just that, going on to win the battle and become known as a Great Roman Emperor.
The Salvation of Vienna
Forward again we march through time, this time landing on a legendary battlefield, one that likely inspired the charge of the Rohirrim at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in “The Return of the King.”
In 1683, the Christian city of Vienna was under siege from the Ottoman Empire, and all hope had been lost. In spite of their hopeless state, the men of Vienna fought on for nearly two months. Until, at last, on September 12, Vienna was freed by a decisive charge by the Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars. Who rode with power in their lances and Christ in their hearts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Christian Fantasy has a unique bend to it, in that it is a subgenre of fantasy with a supreme wealth of historical backing and amazing references to draw from. Time fails me to mention the heroic pursuits of the Crusades, the exploits of the Spanish Conquistadors, or the Christian miracle of even modern wars like the First and Second World Wars. Perhaps this blog will need a sequel at some point.
What is your favorite moment from Christian History that could read like it’s from an Epic Fantasy series but is real!
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