We are rare but we're out there, especially in the indie spaces! My Fallen series slowly reveals more and more God's presence in what would otherwise seem to be a normal military sci-fi, and my short stories work in Christianity without being preachy. Meanwhile, if you haven't checked out the IncensePunk substack for some great short stories and authors, you should!
Great piece! A much-needed deep-dive into what I was trying to say in that post I wrote, leading into why Catholic thinkers are at the forefront of philosophizing on modern and future techno-social developments. Bang on.
Great piece! I'm a Catholic author and lifelong science fiction enthusiast. I got my start as a writer with freelance articles and I've published my first children's book this year. But now I've just turned my hand to writing sci-fi stories too. I've been posting a science fiction novella to Substack chapter by chapter over the last few weeks.
I just want to clarify ... by Christian sci-fi, are you referring to speculative fiction written by Christian authors, speculative fiction that doesn't use vulgar language, speculative fiction that embraces Christian virtues, speculative fiction that includes favorable depictions of Christianity, or speculative fiction that explicitly wrestles with theological concepts? Keep in mind, hobbits don't go to church, so if you want to describe Tolkien as a Christian fantasy writer, you should tailor your definitions for sci-fi accordingly.
Larry Correria (LDS) copy and pasted Mormon beliefs on the embodiment of souls in his Monster Hunter International series.
David Weber (Methodist) in the Honor Harrington books created a space-Mormon planetary theocracy that has to adjust to the pressures of near- complete sexual equality and freedom of religion when it integrates with a socially modern star nation. He also has several other series that more directly address religious themes.
Orson Scott Card, Brad Torgenson, Sarah Hoyt -- there are plenty of sci-fi authors who are Christians writing powerful fiction that expresses Christian virtues and wrestles with Christian theology. Of course, their books also include the word fuck on occasion, so maybe that disqualifies them.
I suspect you're right about literalism as a (not the) root cause. There are older Protestants writing speculative fiction; I'm thinking primarily of Spenser and Milton. But my Southern Baptist background tends to uphold Bunyan's PIlgrim's Progress is the apogee of literature. I think your critique holds generally for literature. Where is the Protestant Flannery O'Connor? There is something about the sacramental imagination that Protestants do not share. As a side note, there is a weird form of progressive Methodism in The Expanse. It mostly works, so long you're ok with it not actually being Christianity.
Not quite science fiction, but science elements with other worlds! Fantasy is my main calling, but I dabble in the science realm a bit.
My current world, or “dust-orb” is home to swirling dust storm moon surface that rotates perpendicular around what would be a polar axis, if the planet itself wasn’t already rotating horizontally around its sun. Don’t even get me started on grappling with the geographical effects, weather patterns and how daytime and nighttime is perceived on this planet. The ramifications have proven to be endless! All of this, just so I can have the perfect, cross shaped eclipse moment.
I have often recommended "The Lamb Among the Stars" trilogy by Chris Walley. The post-millennial theology (author's remarks: https://chrisandalisonblog.wordpress.com/chris-walley-author/fiction/puritans-in-space/) allows for all kinds of technological endeavours (space travel, terraforming, embodied AI) that would be difficult to include in a pre-millennial "rapture setting". The description of human beings who do not sin anymore is kind of uncanny (feels like brainwashing).
I'm in the process of releasing a free Christian Sci-Fi on my substack--in particular, a Gay Catholic Stoner Sci-Fi/Fantasy Bromance (not recommended for literalists!) It's called "Doing Drugs with Jesus' Son." Click through my username to find it.
Please forgive the self-promotion, just answering your question! :-)
We are rare but we're out there, especially in the indie spaces! My Fallen series slowly reveals more and more God's presence in what would otherwise seem to be a normal military sci-fi, and my short stories work in Christianity without being preachy. Meanwhile, if you haven't checked out the IncensePunk substack for some great short stories and authors, you should!
Great piece! A much-needed deep-dive into what I was trying to say in that post I wrote, leading into why Catholic thinkers are at the forefront of philosophizing on modern and future techno-social developments. Bang on.
I think, maybe, it’d be okay for me to just leave this here…?
https://open.substack.com/pub/pneumanauts/p/children-of-the-giants-i?r=508pg6&utm_medium=ios
Great piece! I'm a Catholic author and lifelong science fiction enthusiast. I got my start as a writer with freelance articles and I've published my first children's book this year. But now I've just turned my hand to writing sci-fi stories too. I've been posting a science fiction novella to Substack chapter by chapter over the last few weeks.
Check us out over at High Tower Magazine! https://open.substack.com/pub/hightowermagazine/p/ash-like-snow?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1we33q
I just want to clarify ... by Christian sci-fi, are you referring to speculative fiction written by Christian authors, speculative fiction that doesn't use vulgar language, speculative fiction that embraces Christian virtues, speculative fiction that includes favorable depictions of Christianity, or speculative fiction that explicitly wrestles with theological concepts? Keep in mind, hobbits don't go to church, so if you want to describe Tolkien as a Christian fantasy writer, you should tailor your definitions for sci-fi accordingly.
Larry Correria (LDS) copy and pasted Mormon beliefs on the embodiment of souls in his Monster Hunter International series.
David Weber (Methodist) in the Honor Harrington books created a space-Mormon planetary theocracy that has to adjust to the pressures of near- complete sexual equality and freedom of religion when it integrates with a socially modern star nation. He also has several other series that more directly address religious themes.
Orson Scott Card, Brad Torgenson, Sarah Hoyt -- there are plenty of sci-fi authors who are Christians writing powerful fiction that expresses Christian virtues and wrestles with Christian theology. Of course, their books also include the word fuck on occasion, so maybe that disqualifies them.
I suspect you're right about literalism as a (not the) root cause. There are older Protestants writing speculative fiction; I'm thinking primarily of Spenser and Milton. But my Southern Baptist background tends to uphold Bunyan's PIlgrim's Progress is the apogee of literature. I think your critique holds generally for literature. Where is the Protestant Flannery O'Connor? There is something about the sacramental imagination that Protestants do not share. As a side note, there is a weird form of progressive Methodism in The Expanse. It mostly works, so long you're ok with it not actually being Christianity.
Interesting--and an important question.
I appreciate others sharing favorite Catholic works (I'm Orthodox--and there are even fewer of us :)
The best I've read recently was Pilgrims by EM Leonard.
Here's the overview I posted on it: https://open.substack.com/pub/donbeck1/p/your-next-read-pilgrims?r=1sx4ig&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Not quite science fiction, but science elements with other worlds! Fantasy is my main calling, but I dabble in the science realm a bit.
My current world, or “dust-orb” is home to swirling dust storm moon surface that rotates perpendicular around what would be a polar axis, if the planet itself wasn’t already rotating horizontally around its sun. Don’t even get me started on grappling with the geographical effects, weather patterns and how daytime and nighttime is perceived on this planet. The ramifications have proven to be endless! All of this, just so I can have the perfect, cross shaped eclipse moment.
The drama.
Coincidentally, I was watching the same episode of the Next Generation when you tweeted about it.
I have often recommended "The Lamb Among the Stars" trilogy by Chris Walley. The post-millennial theology (author's remarks: https://chrisandalisonblog.wordpress.com/chris-walley-author/fiction/puritans-in-space/) allows for all kinds of technological endeavours (space travel, terraforming, embodied AI) that would be difficult to include in a pre-millennial "rapture setting". The description of human beings who do not sin anymore is kind of uncanny (feels like brainwashing).
List of tropes: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/LambAmongTheStars
More Christianity- or religion-themed SF (not necessarily by Christian authors) that I liked:
- Stephen Lawhead: "Empyrion" (which I read more than 30 years ago...)
- Mary Doria Russell: "Children of God"
- Michel Faber: "The Book of Strange New Things"
- Ian Stewart & Jack Cohen: "Heaven"
That said, thanks for the review of "Liminal Wake". Bought it, looking forward to read.
I'm in the process of releasing a free Christian Sci-Fi on my substack--in particular, a Gay Catholic Stoner Sci-Fi/Fantasy Bromance (not recommended for literalists!) It's called "Doing Drugs with Jesus' Son." Click through my username to find it.
Please forgive the self-promotion, just answering your question! :-)
Here. I'm working on it. Need more time.