George MacDonald (1824-1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and clergyman who is recognized as a foundational figure in modern fantasy literature. He also authored works of Christian theology, including sermons.

Born into a literate family with diverse religious backgrounds and a history of intellectual pursuits, MacDonald faced early health challenges, including respiratory illnesses that persisted throughout his life. Despite his initial studies in chemistry and physics, he eventually pursued theological training and became a Congregational minister. However, his unconventional sermons, emphasizing universal love and redemption, were not widely accepted, leading him to resign his pastoral duties.

MacDonald's literary career flourished, with notable fantasy works like "Phantastes" and "The Princess and the Goblin." He famously stated he wrote for the "child-like" regardless of age. His influence extended to other writers, notably Lewis Carroll, whom he mentored, and C.S. Lewis, who considered MacDonald a spiritual master. MacDonald also contributed to Scottish literature with realistic novels and spent his later years in Bordighera, Italy, where he established a cultural center.

George MacDonald is widely considered a progenitor of modern fantasy literature, crafting imaginative tales that explored profound themes. His most celebrated fantasy novels include "Phantastes," "At the Back of the North Wind," and "Lilith," alongside fairy tales such as "The Light Princess." MacDonald's approach to writing was inclusive, stating his aim was to write for the "child-like," irrespective of their age. Beyond his imaginative fiction, he also published collections of sermons, finding the pulpit less receptive than the written word. His literary success led to lecture tours in the United States, where he spoke on poets like Robert Burns and Shakespeare. MacDonald's unique use of fantasy to delve into the human condition significantly impacted subsequent generations of authors, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

While celebrated for his fantasy works, MacDonald also produced significant theological writings, including volumes of sermons. His theological perspective, as described by biographer William Raeper, emphasized the rediscovery of God as Father and encouraged an intuitive spiritual response to the divine and Christ. MacDonald's concept of universalism, while not suggesting automatic salvation, aligned with ideas of eventual redemption. C.S. Lewis, deeply influenced by MacDonald, regarded him as a profound spiritual guide, noting the "Christ-like union of tenderness and severity" in his work and finding his sermons indispensable for accepting the Christian faith. MacDonald's religious background was complex, stemming from a family with diverse denominational affiliations and a strong intellectual tradition.

MacDonald played a crucial role as a mentor to other prominent figures in literature. His encouragement and the positive reception of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by his children were instrumental in Lewis Carroll's decision to publish the work. Carroll, himself a notable photographer, also captured portraits of the MacDonald children. MacDonald maintained friendships with influential contemporaries such as John Ruskin and was a facilitator in Ruskin's relationship with Rose La Touche. During his American lecture tour, he connected with American literary figures like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Walt Whitman. MacDonald's influence extended to authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and Madeleine L'Engle, cementing his legacy as a pivotal figure in literary history.

Following his literary achievements, MacDonald received a civil list pension in 1877. He spent two decades in Bordighera, Italy, on the Italian Riviera, where he wrote a substantial portion of his work, particularly his fantasy novels. In Bordighera, he founded Casa Coraggio, a literary studio that became a vibrant cultural hub. His later years saw him move to Haslemere, England, in a house designed by his son. George MacDonald passed away in 1905 and was cremated, with his ashes interred in Bordighera alongside his wife and daughters. His son Greville continued his father's legacy by publishing new editions of his works and contributing his own fairy tales, while another son, Ronald, became a novelist.

“I write, not for children, but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five.”

“My own debt to this book is almost as great as one man can owe to another: and nearly all serious inquirers to whom I have introduced it acknowledge that it has given them great help—sometimes indispensable help toward the very acceptance of the Christian faith.”

“I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself. Hence his Christ-like union of tenderness and severity. Nowhere else outside the New Testament have I found terror and comfort so intertwined.”

“I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him. But it has not seemed to me that those who have received my books kindly take even now sufficient notice of the affiliation. Honesty drives me to emphasize it.”

“made a difference to my whole existence, ... in showing "how near both the best and the worst things are to us from the first ... and making all the ordinary staircases and doors and windows into magical things."”