Does contemporary Christianity stifle the imagination?

Does contemporary Christianity stifle the imagination? Sometimes I think it does. In our zeal to analyze content and protect our children, do we too often miss the mark? Have we forgotten, for instance, the greater value of, say, fairy tales?

Imagination, as Cheryl Forbes has said, is the image of God in us. To neglect the inherent, creative, and imaginative nature in us is to set aside a key component of who we are. Reason and imagination are both of great value to us as human beings. If, however, we neglect either we are in danger of being less than God intended.

Will we raise children who are imaginative? Will they grow up to make a positive difference in the arts? Christians used to be at the forefront of the fine arts, but if we do not cultivate the positive aspects of imagination, what sort of future is in store for us?

I have much more to say on this topic and hope to do so at a future date.