When Fiction Reveals a Deeper Truth (#358)

Nov 6, 2025

Cameron Reed, a reflective storyteller and the host's brother-in-law, joins therapist Gabe Cortez, who immerses himself in fiction to explore psychological and spiritual truths. They discuss how fiction shapes our understanding of ourselves and others, transforming ordinary experiences into profound insights. Topics range from the power of storytelling in conveying complex ideas, to dissecting Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use' and its commentary on heritage and identity. Their engaging banter reveals the personal impact of literature in shaping empathy and understanding.

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ADVICE

Pick Short Stories For Big Returns

Read short stories when time is tight because they offer deep insight in a small commitment.
Dan recommends accessible short fiction (like Alice Walker's

INSIGHT

Fiction Trains Empathy Through Embodiment

Fiction builds empathy by putting readers inside other people's experiences and minds.
Gabe and Cam say that embodied, showing-based storytelling makes truths feel real in a way nonfiction often cannot.

INSIGHT

Stories Show Culture And Truth Better Than Lectures

Stories reveal cultural textures, time, and relationships more vividly than abstraction or lectures.
Dan argues parables and narrative express truths that doctrine or direct teaching often cannot capture.

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Today I’m joined by my brother-in-law Cameron Reed and fellow therapist Gabe Cortez to explore fiction through the lens of psychology and spirituality.

We’re planning a series of conversations on Religion & Fiction in which we look at literary short stories and make the case for why fiction matters—not as escapism, but as an essential way of understanding ourselves, building empathy, and accessing truths that nonfiction simply can't reach.

We start by discussing the benefits of fiction broadly and how stories allow us to experience and reflect on life. We get into how reading fiction has shaped our understanding of everything from sibling relationships to spiritual experience, as well as Jesus’ preference for parables over doctrine.

To set the scene for today’s short story, I share an embarrassing college-era memory of coming home to lecture my mom about selling her jewelry after reading Howard Zinn, and Cam and Gabe confess their own pretentious homecoming moments as well.

Then we turn to Alice Walker's brilliant 1973 short story "Everyday Use," dissecting a family drama about quilts, heritage, and what it truly means to revere the sacred objects of our past—a story that hits differently when you've been the know-it-all child returning home with new ideas about God, justice, and the world.

In the Patron-only second portion of the episode, we apply these ideas directly to Walker's story, exploring themes of incarnational theology, appropriation versus appreciation, and the quiet transformation of the story's most overlooked character.

Free Copy of the Short Story | Everyday Use by Alice Walker

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