Theological Backgrounds

Have you ever wondered about the theological background of authors? I am sometimes curious, especially if there are things that pop up in their books that make me pay attention (either positively or negatively). What I've found is that it's not always easy to find out. Some authors will openly share what church or denomination they belong to, whereas others don't seem to mention it—which for privacy concerns, I completely understand.

In terms of how important this information may be for readers, or not at all for some, it does make me think about the role that this could play when deciding which books to read and buy. On the one hand, I think not specifically knowing which theological stream an author comes from but still being aware that they fall within the broader evangelical umbrella is fine with me. There's so much to learn as believers and I wouldn't want to be limited to only simply what I know. On the other hand, not knowing much beyond "Christian" can mean many things, and can leave me with a few unexpected surprises while reading.

It does make it interesting along the way when I discover that I may have a different theological background than some authors that I like to read. I've also had to learn to become more discerning when it comes to reading free books that are offered on Kindle. I can't tell you how many times I've had to look up certain authors' websites just to confirm that they aren't coming from a heterodoxy tradition (I use this term in the broader sense of Christianity, not in the sense that it's limited to Eastern Orthodoxy). It's tough because there are certain sects that consider themselves Christian, but upon further reading, it doesn't take long to determine that the authors may be promoting these divergent beliefs rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It's also led me to think about the purpose of books, particularly Christian fiction. Is the goal to educate, illuminate, and inspire from a biblical standpoint? Or is it to provide clean entertainment that's "safe"? Or do Christian stories reflect the messiness of life and as such, may not always be wrapped up in a tidy bow? Because Christian fiction can encompass so many genres and styles, I've typically relied on what knowledge I've had of the author's theological background to determine if I will read their books. However, sometimes this is not apparent until you read their books which is a bit of a catch-22.

I'm thankful that in most cases, when I read books that come from traditional publishing houses that a lot of this already seems to be vetted; however, for independently-published authors, it can result in a little bit more work. Here's what I've found to be helpful so far, mostly on Kindle:

• Does the author's bio contain further information on what their faith views are? Do they mention any particular denomination or sect?
• Are they connected with certain associations, such as the American Christian Fiction Writers? Are there other groups that might vouch for where the author might stand theologically?
• What are their other titles? What series have they contributed to?
• Do they often publish with other authors that may belong to a sect?
• Where are they based out of geographically (this one may not always be a guaranteed indication, but it may be helpful in some instances)?
• If the author lists a theological school that they have graduated from, what is the tradition that this school falls under?
• Do the reviews reference that the book should not fall under the Christian categorization, and why?
• Have they received recommendations from known Christian authors that readers may already know or feel comfortable in reading?
• If you visit the author's website, do they have blog posts that might reference their faith? This could apply to social media as well. What do they say about different matters of the faith? Have they entertained other belief systems?

Please keep in mind that these questions are more for readers who are specifically looking for books that fit under the Christian fiction label. Obviously, there are many books that do not purport to be Christian at all; however, for the ones that do, I have found these extra steps to be beneficial after instances of being burnt in the past. I hope some of these prompts might help in thinking about authors and what their beliefs may be when deciding on books!