“Christian Fiction: Piety is not Enough” Predominately known as being a “safe” read throughout the writing world, Christian fiction is commonly a work of literature that lacks true human conditions. In “Christian Fiction: Piety is not Enough”, Richard Terrell proposes that Christian fiction cannot rely on being religious to earn that title of “a good work of fiction.” He addresses the issues of what makes fiction art and how Christian fiction fits as art and how it is lacking in comparison to other styles of fiction.While “Christian Fiction: Piety is not Enough” is lacking in credibility, Terrell uses logic and emotional appeal to convince Christians who've read some form of Christian fiction that it is lacking in depth and authenticity and…show more content… Terrell believes that the Bible is the basis for all genres of Christian fiction and he states that “The Bible reveals that the universe in which we live is intelligible, that it has an origin, a purposeful development and a final meaning and resolution” ( 240). He appeals to our logos and previous knowledge of the Bible and its discussion of topics such as “…history, the supernatural, ordinary human life, the beautiful, the grotesque, redemption and damnation, the moral, the immoral, the earthly and the cosmic, the triumphant and the tragic…”(251). Terrell's argues that to be an art, fiction must contain an authentic representations of the human condition and that this is true for Christian fiction too. Terrell states that a “…story can build expectations, invite curiosity, warn, anticipate, surprise, disappoint, interrupt and bring to resolution…” in every mode of reality that we experience (240-241). He uses pathos to prove his point and to cause his audience to further examine the state of Christian…show more content… Terrell states that “…the desire to avoid offending sensibilities…often results in plastic, smoothed-over characters and a holding back from the kind of writing that may evoke true inspiration…”(244). This quote insinuates that Christians who read Christian fiction end up feeling that they have read a fairy tale instead of something that relates to real life.This is true as it relates to the pathos and logos of the Christian readers' experience. Terrell goes on to quote an interview that Walter Wangerin held with W. Dale Brown in which Mr. Brown says “…we have ceased to acknowledge the complexity of literature. As a consequence, literature has lost its place…”(252). This quote adds to the ethos of the article since Terrell consulted an author and a professor. It also stirs up a sense of indignation of the audience with the knowledge of Christian fiction's avoidance of dicey subjects and thus “flattening” the subject matter to be more basic for the readers. Christian readers then have a false sense of reality and Terrell states that “…if you can't deal with something honestly and with authentic humanity, then perhaps the story is better without it.” It is vital for any artist or writer to know the heritage of writing and reasoning behind it to learn and grow from others work. Terrell says that “While evangelicals often criticize our society's cultural product