Episodes

“Suddenly Aslan came bounding into it.” That is how C. S. Lewis described the plot twist in his creative process for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. “I don’t know where the Lion came from or why He came. But once He was there, He pulled the whole story together.” And in turn, this story has pulled together the imaginations of millions across the world. Now, 75 years after the first Chronicles of Narnia book was published, let’s explore how this changed fantasy forever. Episode sponsors S...

We still believe in cultural engagement. That’s the Christian mission to share our faith in the real world, seeking to win souls to Jesus. These souls naturally seek biblical influences in stories, songs, and beyond. So why do some believers claim that they want “cultural engagement” but then, when angry or manipulative anti-Christian critics engage us right back, throw up their hands and call for pietistic separation? Episode sponsors Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney by Daniel Schwabauer A F...

To fight real monsters, we don’t need toxic empathy or the notion that exorcisms can resolve all demonic problems. Instead we start with the gospel of Jesus Christ that alone brings holiness. Yet how do we also train our imaginations with better stories to help us battle the beasts? Geoffrey Reiter returns to the studio to explore how great literature reflects God’s grace that helps us defeat the darkness. Episode sponsors Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney by Daniel Schwabauer A Faie Tale by V...

Demons do bad things in the Bible and in the modern world. But how does a fallen spirit get around its limitations as an immaterial being? Meanwhile, how do creators of movies about demons get around the obvious budget limitations and need for showing not telling? Answer in both cases: demons “possess” people. Even in sci-fi the bad “entities” do this. But is this really the best word to use for how these Satanic agents can really influence, provoke, or oppress human beings? Episode sponsors A...

Many fans love the idea of demon hunters, whether they are Dr. Abraham Van Helsing’s warrior band, hyper-disciplined young shonen slayers, immortal elves, or K-pop stars. But in response to these righteous crusades, some fans find themselves defending the monsters. Are they really that bad? Shouldn’t we find ways to empathize with them? Today we explore the thorny problem of fans who won’t just defend but actually liken themselves to demons. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Glass Across th...

Thanks to all the human drama of this year, you may have missed the news about even more professional military men been sharing testimonies about their witnessing unknown aerial phenomena blasting through the laws of physics. These sightings are not going away, forcing us to reckon with some truly potential scenarios. If aliens really invaded Earth, where from and how would they do it? And how do we discern these invasions and fight back? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Glass Across the S...

How often does this happen to you? You’re a plain, ordinary, gorgeous heroine, who’s suddenly abducted by aliens and taken to Planet Gladiator Violence VI. There you encounter a bull-headed man with piercings in all his massive muscles, and various events ensue, and if we kept up this description the grown-ups would not let you listen to this podcast episode. And that’s probably the tamest version of what’s now called “romantasy.” These kinds of monster stories are winning legions of female fans...

Distortionists in the real world corrupt the beautiful, good, and true.[1. Photo by Bree Anne on Unsplash.] Some individuals who fall into such a dark side might make themselves beyond repentance—that is, reprobate. We might call them “ghouls.” … And such were some of you. We wanted to talk about monsters today, and we’ll start next week. First, let’s turn from the darkness and into the light, keeping our eyes open for hazards as we head into an exciting, messy, promising season of … spiritual r...

Since the late 2000s, children and grownups have been getting drawn into their mobile devices and tablets. Before then, some were also hooked on TV and video games. Yet how could anyone create those devices without training their imaginations on great works of art? Carolyn Leiloglou, author of The Restorationists fantasy series, returns to help us recall the biblical purpose of art and stories, and how we help children learn to love them. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Beneath False Star...

Last week, an assassin’s bullet ended the earthly life of Christian brother, husband, father, and popular political activist Charlie Kirk. Thousands were watching on the campus of Utah Valley University in the early afternoon of Sept. 10, 2025. Millions more prayed for an hour that Kirk would somehow survive. And then we mourned his death. Lorehaven is not a political group. But we do join in this public lamentation. And we look to fantastical stories of great villains and greater heroes to expl...

To become a hero following your God-given destiny, you’d best stay out of jail.[1. Photo by Saad Chaudhry on Unsplash.] Yet some Christian heroes do get caught in bad habits that keep them pacing in their tiny cells rather than practicing wise discipline as they go on adventures. How do Christian creators, in particular, fall into the traps of “cage stages”? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Beneath False Stars by S. D. Grimm Outlaw Blood by Noah J. Matthews The Tixie Chronicles by Jack Bor...

Here in the U.S., we just had Labor Day, meant to mark the actions of hard-working Americans. And right now many Christian families honor the work of Christian heroes who are now at rest, such as pastor John MacArthur and Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson. Many fantastical stories wouldn’t be here without faithful Christians. When they pass on, and people discuss and debate their legacies, how can we best honor their labors? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Beneath False Stars b...

So many books, so little time, space, and money. Many fans love collecting physical copies of their favorite stories, often so much that they run out of bookshelf space. (Stephen and Zack are in this situation!) Now that we have audiobook and digital copies, isn’t book collection a waste of resources? Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media presents “1232” dramatic audio podcast The Waymaker’s Foresight by Dan Megill The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau, E. Stephen Burnett, Dr. Jared Moore Missio...

Over summer and school seasons alike, many Christian parents want books for their kids that don’t have things like “Agenda” or “Wokeness.”[1. Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash.] But in our zeal to keep bad, poisonous content out of books, might we miss our children’s more important need to enjoy good, nutritious content in our fantastical fiction? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse The Waymaker’s Foresight by Dan Megill The Pop Culture Parent by Ted Turnau,...

We’ve just seen the end of this year’s summer blockbuster movie season, such as it was. Most of the drama was about the movies rather than in the movies. Fans debate whether stories should be lighter, focusing on “fun” with simple virtues, as opposed to heavier stories with “serious” ideas. Right now it seems Team Light Stories is winning over Team Heavy Stories—and yet nobody is really winning at the box office. How can Christian fans engage stories that are light versus heavy? Episode sponsor...

Last month at the Realm Makers Expo, we met many skilled Christian creators who are making amazing stories in books, games, and the visual arts. Yet some people believe all this stuff is pointless or outdated and will soon be replaced by so-called “AI art.” Are they right? Will computer-generated content outpace art made by humans? And is such a belief even biblically defensible? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse The Waymaker’s Foresight by Dan Megill Above...

As we’ve often heard, some modern films may feel difficult to enjoy! Yet today we celebrate famed animated tales of yore, including the artists behind classic characters like Cogsworth, Iago, Pumbaa, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Kronk … and now, coming this fall, the greatest Hero of all. Famed animators and twin brothers Tony and Tom Bancroft bring their magic to our studio in advance of their next feature film in cinemas, the traditionally animated Light of the World. Episode sponsors Enclave Publ...

Last week, Zackary Russell and E. Stephen Burnett celebrated the Realm Makers Expo![1. Photo by Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash.] That means this episode is another Stephen solo show. This one reveals a shocking truth: these days Stephen finds a lot more joy in books than he sees at the movie houses. Can fans, including Christians, help save the cinema from synthetic moralities, sloppy franchises, and scandalized/sillified superheroes? Episode sponsors Oasis Family Media presents “1232” dramatic a...

Christian missionaries have traveled oceans to strange new lands.[1. “Clayfire” game concept art is courtesy The Salvation Poem Project.] They’ve smuggled Bibles into hostile territory. Someday they will even journey to space settlements. But what about today’s virtual mission fields in digital spaces, like gaming platforms and communities? Developer Brock Henderson with Christian Game Developers, whose conference teams up this month with Realm Makers, joins us to explore Kingdom service in thes...

Today it appears cooler heads have cancelled the apocalypse.[1. Photo by Emanuel Kypreos on Unsplash.] But were we ever really in that level of danger? This sense of dread feels new. But as C. S. Lewis once wrote, we must practice timeless wisdom when we’re living in an atomic age: “If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis...

Magic. The very word feels like a curse to many good Christians. Add other terms like witch or wizard and you’ll get an even more heated cauldron of controversy. We’re no strangers to that at Lorehaven. Now our longtime friend Marian A. Jacobs has created the definitive book treatment of this topic. This week, On Magic and Miracles is cast into the world, and Marian herself Apparates into our studio to compare fictional magic with occult dangers. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: The Crier ...

Jesus told many parables, some even fantastical. Yet some Christians presume these parables are simple allegories. Is this really the point of parables? Or do they reflect biblical truths in more meaningful ways? We’re inviting Cru ministry creatives who’ve made a new audio drama, inspired by the parable of the prodigal son, called The Road to Kaeluma. We’ll explore questions like: What are fantastical parables? And how do they prepare us for conversations about family relationships, the gospel,...

Aircraft pilots see a lot of amazing sights, above the Earth in planes and even spaceships. But men who do this challenging work often confront the nastier sides of these hard jobs, struggling to stay good in a gritty world. For pilot and new sci-fi novelist Dan Daetz, these realities rocket into a cosmic setting when one man, with the ugliest job in the universe, must break free from his past. This week: what if a bad father, with a worse job, fought to become a hero? Episode sponsors “1232” ...

Realm Makers started in 2013 with a Christian-led speculative fiction writers’ conference. Now it’s a 24/7 organization to train aspiring authors, a traveling bookstore, and cousin to a stationary bookstore. This summer the conference levels up with the Realm Makers Expo, a crossover fan-centered event with many other Christian groups and fantastical creators. Join us for this inside look into the past, present and future of the Realm, featuring Scott Minor. Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing...