Christian science fiction

Last updated

Christian science fiction is a subgenre of both Christian literature and science fiction, in which there are strong Christian themes, or which are written from a Christian point of view. [1] These themes may be subtle, expressed by way of analogy, or more explicit. [2] Major influences include early science fiction authors such as C. S. Lewis, while more recent figures include Stephen Lawhead.

Contents

The term is not usually applied to works simply because most or all of the characters are Christian, or simply because the author is Christian.

Influences

While earlier works such as Victor Rousseau's The Messiah of the Cylinder (1917) are regarded as part of the Christian science fiction subgenre, [3] John Mort argues that the most influential Christian science fiction author was C. S. Lewis, [4] a "prolific writer who wrote works of Christian science fiction and theology for the average person." [5] In When World Views Collide: A Study in Imagination and Evolution, John J. Pierce presents the argument that Lewis was partially writing in response to what Lewis saw as "Wellsianity" - an "anthropocentric evolutionary mythology" [6] - which he came to view as both false and blasphemous, condemning H. G. Wells' world view through works such as Out of the Silent Planet . [7] While the extent to which Lewis' influence varies, Mort points in particular to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time as a Christian science fiction work which, as he puts it, cannot be read "without being reminded of Lewis' Narnia stories." [8] (Of course, Narnia was fantasy rather than science fiction, but Mort is noting the similarities in style and execution of the story.) Other early authors identified by Mort as being influences upon the development of Christian science fiction include J. R. R. Tolkien, George MacDonald and Charles Williams. [8] (Although, again, these writers worked in fantasy, their influence on Christian science fiction is clear, Mort argues.)

Notable authors

Criticism

Mort argues that one of the difficulties facing Christian science fiction authors who endorse Creationism - especially those writing "hard" science fiction - is reconciling the limits placed on the author in exploring science within a Creationist framework. This is made even more problematic when one considers that the notion of "the future as divinely ordered" limits the author's ability to speculate on what that future may be. [11] For example, the first of these difficulties has been identified by Pierce as a problem with some of R. A. Lafferty's work, who "is uncomfortable with the idea of even biological evolution"; [3] while Tom Doyle notes the predictability of the Christian apocalyptic novel, due, he argues, to the genre following "a particular interpretation of biblical prophecy". [12]

These difficulties raise concerns regarding genre boundaries: while Christian science fiction has been identified as a specific market into which stories can be sold, [13] Doyle has questioned whether or not books that are, at times, classified in this subgenre truly fit. In examining Christian apocalyptic fiction, Doyle notes that it is often classified as Christian science fiction, but argues that this classification is inappropriate. While both may employ scientific themes, Christian apocalyptic fiction is not, as he describes it, "scientifically minded", arguing that the authors tend to respond to scientific problems "with biblical authority, prophetic interpretation, and fundamentalist ideas of human identity instead of rational argument, scientific method, and humanistic thought". [12] Doyle sees Brian Caldwell's We All Fall Down as an exception to his argument, suggesting that (despite being a work of Christian apocalyptic fiction) it is the sort of work that he would like to see classified as science fiction. [12]

It should however be noted that not all Christian science fiction authors have the same theology.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mort (2002)
  2. ↑ Sammons (1988) p. 21.
  3. 1 2 Pierce (1989), p. 43.
  4. ↑ Mort (2002), p. 159. After raising Stephen Lawhead and Orson Scott Card as exceptions, Mort states, "Both are major voices, so much so that neither owes much of a debt to C. S. Lewis, except possibly Lawhead early in his career, which is a long way of saying that everyone else does."
  5. ↑ Bramlett (1996), p. 3.
  6. ↑ Pierce (1989) p. 38.
  7. ↑ Pierce (1989) p. 40.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Mort (2002), p. 159.
  9. ↑ Garrison (2004), p. 243. "In 1962, Christian science fiction writer Madeline L'Engle introduced millions of readers to the concept of wrinkling time".
  10. ↑ Theroux (1971), p. 280.
  11. ↑ Mort (2002), p. 175.
  12. 1 2 3 Doyle (2002)
  13. ↑ Bowling (2007), p. 294.

Related Research Articles

Fantasy comedy or comic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is primarily humorous in intent and tone. Typically set in imaginary worlds, fantasy comedy often involves puns on, and parodies of, other works of fantasy.

Feminist science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction focused on such feminist themes as: gender inequality, sexuality, race, economics, reproduction, and environment. Feminist SF is political because of its tendency to critique the dominant culture. Some of the most notable feminist science fiction works have illustrated these themes using utopias to explore a society in which gender differences or gender power imbalances do not exist, or dystopias to explore worlds in which gender inequalities are intensified, thus asserting a need for feminist work to continue.

Science fiction and fantasy serve as important vehicles for feminist thought, particularly as bridges between theory and practice. No other genres so actively invite representations of the ultimate goals of feminism: worlds free of sexism, worlds in which women's contributions are recognized and valued, worlds that explore the diversity of women's desire and sexuality, and worlds that move beyond gender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speculative fiction</span> Genre of fiction including science fiction, horror and fantasy

Speculative fiction is an umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or other imaginative realms. This catch-all genre includes, but is not limited to science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, magical realism, superhero, alternate history, utopian and dystopian, fractured fairy tale, steampunk, cyberpunk, weird fiction, fairytale, and post-apocalyptic. It is often used as a supergenre. The term has been used for works of literature, film, television, drama, video games, radio and their hybrids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genre fiction</span> Fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre

Genre fiction, also known as formula fiction or popular fiction, is a term used in the book-trade for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeleine L'Engle</span> American writer (1918–2007)

Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science.

<i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> 1962 science fantasy novel by Madeleine LEngle

A Wrinkle in Time is a young adult science fantasy novel written by American author Madeleine L'Engle. First published in 1962, the book won the Newbery Medal, the Sequoyah Book Award, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. The main characters – Meg Murry, Charles Wallace Murry, and Calvin O'Keefe – embark on a journey through space and time, from galaxy to galaxy, as they endeavor to rescue the Murrys' father and fight The Black Thing that has intruded into several worlds.

<i>Many Waters</i> 1986 novel by Madeleine LEngle

Many Waters is a 1986 novel by American writer Madeleine L'Engle, part of the author's Time Quintet. The title is taken from the Song of Solomon 8:7: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned."

Young adult literature (YA) is literature, most often including novels, written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. The term YA was first used regularly in the 1960s in the United States. The YA category includes most of the genres found in adult fiction, with themes that include friendship, drugs and alcohol, and sexual and gender identity. Stories that focus on the challenges of youth may be categorized as problem novels or coming-of-age novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy literature</span> Literature set in an imaginary universe

Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fantasy literature may be directed at both children and adults.

Dark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporate disturbing and frightening themes. It often combines fantasy with elements of horror, possessing a dark and gloomy tone or an atmosphere of horror and dread.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of fantasy</span>

Elements of the supernatural and the fantastic were an element of literature from its beginning. The modern genre is distinguished from tales and folklore which contain fantastic elements, first by the acknowledged fictitious nature of the work, and second by the naming of an author. Works in which the marvels were not necessarily believed, or only half-believed, such as the European romances of chivalry and the tales of the Arabian Nights, slowly evolved into works with such traits. Authors like George MacDonald (1824–1905) created the first explicitly fantastic works.

A Christian novel is a Christian literary novel which features Christian media genre conventions.

Biblical speculative fiction is speculative fiction that uses Christian themes and incorporates the Christian worldview. The difference between biblical speculative fiction and general Christian speculative fiction is that the Christian nature of the story is overt. This represents the tension in the Christian fiction community between those who prefer stories that reflect a Christian worldview without explicitly Christian references, and those who prefer the more overt Christian material usually found in the works of G. K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis. Examples of these views may be found in the explanatory page of Ray Gun Revival (2006-2012), a magazine that took the non-explicit route, and the homepage of the Lost Genre Guild, a group dedicated to explicitly Christian speculative fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black science fiction</span> Science fiction involving black people

Black science fiction or black speculative fiction is an umbrella term that covers a variety of activities within the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres where people of the African diaspora take part or are depicted. Some of its defining characteristics include a critique of the social structures leading to black oppression paired with an investment in social change. Black science fiction is "fed by technology but not led by it." This means that black science fiction often explores with human engagement with technology instead of technology as an innate good.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy</span> Genre of speculative fiction

Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and usually inspired by mythology or folklore. The term "fantasy" can also be used to describe a "work of this genre", usually literary.

Recursive science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction, which itself takes the form of an exploration of science fiction within the narrative of the story.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of science fiction</span> Overview of and topical guide to science fiction

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to science fiction:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of fantasy</span> Overview of and topical guide to fantasy

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fantasy:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far future in fiction</span> The far future as a theme in fiction

The far future has been used as a setting in many works of science fiction. The far future setting arose in the late 19th century, as earlier writers had little understanding of concepts such as deep time and its implications for the nature of humankind. Classic examples of this genre include works such as H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1895) or Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men (1930). Recurring themes include themes such as Utopias, eschatology or the ultimate fate of the universe. Many works also overlap with other genres such as space opera, science fantasy or apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.