Andrew Peterson on the Authors Who Kept Us Christian

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Jun 4, 2025

Andrew Peterson, a talented singer, songwriter, and author of the beloved 'Wingfeather Saga,' shares a heartfelt conversation on faith and literature. He and Russell Moore explore how stories from writers like Wendell Berry and C.S. Lewis have anchored their beliefs during turbulent times. They dive into the magic of reading widely, the impact of imaginative tales, and even touch on Moby Dick and Dungeons & Dragons. Join them in unraveling how fiction and vulnerability can illuminate spiritual journeys and spark joy.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood Fantasy Escape

Andrew Peterson loved fantasy novels like Dragonlance as a kid, despite parental fears around Dungeons & Dragons.
Though he hasn't played role-playing games, the stories sparked his imagination and remain dear to him.

INSIGHT

Lewis Sneaks Past 'Watchful Dragons'

Kids often back away from overt moral lessons, craving pure story instead.
C.S. Lewis cleverly re-framed gospel stories to sneak past these "watchful dragons" of resistance.

ANECDOTE

From Skeptic to Symbolism Lover

Russell Moore initially rejected symbolic readings of literature like The Old Man in the Sea.
Later reflection opened him to deep spiritual symbolism enriching his faith.

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What does a Shire full of hobbits in Middle-Earth, a county full of farmers in Kentucky, and a wardrobe full of a lion have in common? For Russell Moore and singer/songwriter/author Andrew Peterson, they were all a way to find home.

In this episode—recorded inside Peterson’s book-lined Chapter House in Nashville, right down the road from Moore—the two talk about the authors who, by God’s grace, helped hold their faith together when it could have come apart. From the wisdom of Wendell Berry to the imagination of C.S. Lewis to the honesty of Frederick Buechner, these authors gave a clarity that helped these two keep the faith.

This isn’t just a literary conversation. It’s about how God uses stories, sentences, and sometimes even sword-wielding mice to reach people in moments of doubt, disillusionment, or despair. Along the way, they talk about what it means to read widely, to hold onto wonder, and to be the kind of Christian who can still be surprised by joy.

They also somehow end up talking about Moby Dick, Dungeons & Dragons, and how ChatGPT was wrong and right about what books each of them would take to a desert island.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode include:

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
A Room Called Remember and Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner
The Chronicles of Narnia, Till We Have Faces, Mere Christianity, and more by C.S. Lewis
Godric by Frederick Buechner
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs
And selections from Andrew’s own works: Adorning the Dark, The God of the Garden, and The Wingfeather Saga

Whether you’re deep in faith, on the brink of losing it, or just looking for something beautiful to read, this conversation will remind you why the right book at the right moment can do more than explain—it can point to new life.

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