How Reading Fiction Strengthened My Faith

For much of my life, I believed spiritual maturity came only through logic, doctrine, and theological study. I devoured books on philosophy, apologetics, and biblical studies. Fiction, by comparison, seemed like a waste of time mere entertainment, not edification.

But as I moved beyond seminary and into the real-world walk of faith, I began to notice something startling: the more I read theology, the more I realized how much sincere believers disagree. I could read volumes of doctrine and still feel like I was circling the same questions. There was insight, yes, but also a growing sense that I was missing something essential.

Then I stumbled into an unexpected doorway to spiritual depth the world of fiction.

Not long after, I made a discovery that changed everything. I found that stories good stories don’t just entertain. They form us. They teach us to think clearly, feel deeply, and live wisely. In fact, they may be one of the most underutilized tools in our Christian walk.

And I’m not alone in this. Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well, writes that fiction helps us recognize false versions of the good life, and illuminates what is true and lasting. Philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre went even further, arguing that humans are story-shaped beings and that understanding morality depends, in part, on reading novels.

So how does fiction strengthen faith? Here are three compelling ways:

1. Fiction Places You Inside Another Soul

Most of us only have access to one mind: our own. We can’t feel what others feel. We can’t see through their eyes. But fiction invites us into the inner lives of others even if they’re imaginary. Through characters, we gain glimpses into lives we’ve never lived and perspectives we’ve never known.

Empathy begins to take root. A 2014 study from the Journal of Applied Social Psychology found that readers of Harry Potter exhibited greater empathy toward marginalized groups. The mechanism? Experiencing life through someone else’s story.

When we watch a character wrestle with loss, make morally complex decisions, or learn to forgive, we’re drawn into their inner transformation. And strangely, it helps us understand our own. Fiction often puts words to feelings we didn’t know how to express. It names our fears. It clarifies our longings. It reflects our hidden wounds.

Reading stories where others struggle and grow reminds us that redemption isn’t linear, and grace is often found in the most broken places.

2. Fiction Helps Us Unplug and Recenter

We live in a world of noise. Phones buzz. Notifications distract. Social media demands attention. In all the chaos, fiction offers a rare sanctuary.

Reading especially reading a physical book is an intentional act. It forces us to slow down, to focus, to be present. And it subtly trains our minds away from constant stimulation and toward reflection.

Interestingly, many fictional worlds aren't obsessed with technology the way we are. In fiction, characters walk, talk, wrestle with their thoughts, and engage with the world around them. They ponder. They wait. They listen. As readers, we start to mimic that rhythm.

Spending time in fiction can retrain our spiritual posture moving us from distraction to attention, from busyness to stillness. It's no surprise, then, that reading often becomes a kind of rest. A spiritual pause. A reset of our inner compass.

3. Fiction Forms Virtue Through Story

When you read a great story, you don't just witness transformation you participate in it. You feel courage rising when a character faces fear. You ache with them in grief. You celebrate redemption.

Unlike nonfiction, which often tells us what to do, fiction shows us how to live. It gives us examples embodied, flawed, complex examples of real virtue at work. It teaches us patience through prolonged conflict. It shows us perseverance through trial. It awakens hope in the face of despair.

Over time, reading becomes a spiritual discipline. Just as prayer, fasting, and study shape the soul, so does perseverance in reading. Sticking with a challenging novel, wrestling with its themes, engaging with its characters all of it trains the muscles of focus, fortitude, and emotional depth.

Reading fiction also humbles us. It reminds us that we don’t have all the answers. That people real and fictional are more complex than we think. That good and evil are not always obvious. And that grace, more often than not, shows up in the least expected places.

Stories Help Us Follow Jesus

As followers of Christ, we’re called to live a certain kind of life one shaped by mercy, truth, justice, and love. And while theology gives us the framework, fiction can give us the vision. It paints pictures of what virtue looks like in the everyday. It helps us practice wisdom by watching others learn it. It sharpens our moral intuition.

Yes, we need the Word of God. We need sound doctrine. But we also need imagination. Jesus Himself taught in parables stories that carried eternal weight in earthly wrappers. Why? Because stories speak to the soul in a language facts alone cannot.

If you’re seeking to grow in your faith, don’t overlook the power of fiction. Step into the story. Wander through the pages. Let the lives of others even imaginary ones form your own.

The next time you find yourself in a bookstore, take a detour from the theology section. Head over to fiction. You may just find that in make-believe, God reveals more of what is ultimately real.

If this inspired you to pick up a novel or explore a new story, consider sharing it or subscribing to our newsletter for more articles that fuel faith through unexpected avenues.