Friday May 02, 2003

Welcome to Holy Science Fiction!

Science Fiction as scripture?  Not quite, but God has played a divine role in the genre concerned with time travel, alternate dimensions and extra-terrestrials.  In the pages of science fiction, the concept of God has taken many names and many forms.  Science fiction has verified God, challenged God, and disproved God.  Some authors condemn the church and the thought of an omnipotent creator while others champion the idea of a supernatural universe.  Regardless of how religion is represented in science fiction, it is represented.

My aim here is three-fold.  I want to discuss the roles God plays in science fiction; I want to explain the theological themes present in the stories; and finally, I want to examine the universals (or lack thereof) present in theological science fiction.

I have divided Holy Science Fiction stories into seven not-so-distinct categories: Supertechnological, Governmental, Anti-religious, Universal, Traditional, Shaggy God, and New Religions.  I have also supplied a list of authors who write extensively about God and science fiction, and a list of novels and short stories that best represent the sub-genre.