: Re: How to write a sincerely religious protagonist without preaching or affirming or judging their worldview? I am writing a book in which one of my main characters is a devout Catholic. His struggles

@Cooney417

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How to write a sincerely religious protagonist without preaching or
affirming or judging their worldview?

At a basic level, you can't. You've already identified this character as a protagonist, meaning you are already passing judgment on him (his morals and character) as essentially good and you are expecting your readers to judge him similarly. As for his "worldview", clearly he has got something right if he's a basically good guy, or sincerely striving to be the best he can. He doesn't have to be flawless or perfect in order for you to place him in a position as a protagonist of the story, nor must you call explicit attention to which practices or thought processes make him worth of writing about, only that you must express those things which are noteworthy. A person can be basically good and yet have numerous flaws, imperfections, paradoxes or holes in his/her worldview and even behavior. This is part of what makes the experience of following a character so interesting and relatable.

What should I include or avoid in my story to ensure that the reader
can empathize with this protagonist but not feel that I am either
evangelizing or sending anti-religious messages?

You can make it clear that many endorsements or apparent faults are not all-or-nothing. We often fall into the trap of arrogance, presuming that we know everything and can judge everything with exactness. For many readers, what will be most engaging and helpful is the development of empathy, which is a direct consequence of struggle. Prodding others to search their own Conscience for answers and not telling them what to think in every case can be a powerful and thought-provoking tool. Jesus often did this by speaking in parables, without always telling His hearers what conclusions to draw, but those who engage in honest inquiry will always arrive at the inspiration each needs.

Furthermore, people are not static. For every villain, there was a point prior to which he was redeemable or more easily redeemable. A person can be basically good and yet have an imperfect worldview. There is a spectrum of goodness made up of individual parts and bits of progress. For every good person, there were moments of decision and long periods of preparation that were character-defining. We change regularly when we are sincerely interested in doing what is right.
When a person doubts he has got everything right and is trying to find answers but still proceeds with such incomplete and flickering light as he has got, there is bravery and resolve illustrated.
Showing examples both of strength and of weakness on the protagonist's part will illustrate dynamism, as well as a wholesome amount of uncertainty, because no character is made perfect without some amount of uncertainty, necessitating trusting in what one does know, and confidence that things will turn out well in the end by so doing. This optimism is an irresistible trait of those we know who are religious.

The writers of the Bible often state happenings rightly as matter-of-fact, and sometimes add their own inspired editorials about attribution of causes. Since yours is a work of fiction, it would not be nearly as authoritative, compelling or inspiring to make such overt attributions. However, fiction gives us an important opportunity to soul-search and play things out, in effect role-playing or simulating a scenario to prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally for similar circumstances in real life.

In summary, it is perfectly acceptable to share a story you thought was worth sharing about a person whose character you deemed worthy of reflection, even if you can't put a finger on what exactly was right or wrong in his comportment and thinking in every dimension, and so leave judgment suspended on a great many particulars--yet by identifying him as a protagonist, you invite engagement in the search for such virtues from your readers. By writing a good story, you are evangelizing to a basic degree and you do not have to hide or be ashamed of that fact, nor must you compel congruence of belief between your readers and the protagonists. A novel provides a good opportunity to build up a case for endorsing at least one principal component, so to speak, of a worthwhile character, and so all but the most insipid readers will have an expectation for some real-world principle and insight, which expectation you should not disappoint.

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