Literature is common to worldly culture. Books abound on every subject; we can educate ourselves on almost anything under the sun. The world values the accessibility of knowledge for reasons unconcerned with Christ and Him crucified. So then, as Christians, we must ask ourselves: What is the importance of literature in Christianity? Why should we read books?

When we consider the ways God has interacted with literature for the good of His people, it becomes obvious that literature must be important to Christianity. Literature is the medium through which God chose to communicate with us. Through scripture, He has given us the gospel, His commands, and all we need to know about ourselves and the world. Literature, writing, and language are completely unique to humans and to God, which further implicates their importance. Literature, therefore, must be important to Christians.

One form of helpful literature for Christians is theological literature. Theologians write books to communicate thoughts and ideas to aid Christians in their understanding of scripture. The Bible is sufficient in itself but would be much more challenging to interpret without the understanding already gained by others. Fiction and other genres can also be helpful to Christians. They can provide us with enjoyment of God’s creation and craftsmanship even without direct relation to theology. Fiction can deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world and can provide us with a richer appreciation of God’s good gifts.

In addition to the broad understanding that different genres can give us, reading books of various kinds provides us with tools to live the Christian life well. Literature encourages us to examine ourselves, to look more closely at our hidden assumptions and beliefs. For example, reading historical literature removes us from our current cultural context and the assumptions that come with it, freeing us to compare ourselves to God’s values rather than those imposed by our current society.

Literature also gives us a more discerning perspective of the world. Reading current fiction or observing what sorts of informational books line the shelves of libraries can provide us with insight into what the world (or current generation) deems important, strengthening our ability to reach others with the gospel. Literature can also increase our awareness of the beliefs and practices of different cultures, enabling us to better spread the gospel. We can also gain a clearer perspective on good and evil through literature. Reading forces us into the position of differentiating between good and evil. No matter the story, be it true or fiction, we are always discerning what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable. This practice can awaken us to undesirable qualities or evil actions we were unconscious of, in ourselves or in others.

Lastly, literature expands our minds and increases our capacity for knowledge, which God desires for us so that we can better know Him through his Word. Reading helps us to be better thinkers. It introduces and familiarizes us with logic, reasoning, themes, allegory, parables, metaphors, and symbolism. Each of these elements appear throughout God’s Word, so understanding them is pertinent to understanding God’s Word rightly. Reading literature even teaches us to consider authorial intent, the purpose a writer intends for his work. Understanding of authorial intent gives us further knowledge of God by establishing our belief that words have definite meaning, intended by the author. Understanding of authorial intent supports the Christian’s belief that objective truth exists.

Literature is of great importance to Christianity. It is valuable to Christians because it can clarify truths, increase our understanding of God and ourselves, and enable Christians to better spread the gospel.