Christian Sci-Fi?

Hi guys, just wanted to see what the general feeling towards Science Fiction/Fantasy might be in the community.

Before being saved I was a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan and, while I still tried to get out to see some of the better movies, I stopped reading as much as I did when I was a kid. Found a few Christian authors that wrote novels that were of some interest, but not much that really grabbed me like Tolkien, Lewis, and Brooks did.

Now, most of the movies are so filled with foul language and agendas I detest that it is rare that a decent sci-fi movie comes along.

So having published one non-fiction book, I am almost done with a sci-fi novel that will gradually bring a fantasy feel into it. There will be death on a global scale and what I hope to be intense action. It will not have the typical swearing most writers feel they have to insert into their writing these days. It will have an underlying theme of (for one character) anger with God, redemption (which is not so underlying, as it is discussed openly at times), and Biblical History.

So what do you think? I use to be a heavy metal musician, and have often heard preachers question "Christian Rock." As a new convert I put down music altogether, and had my doubts about "Christian Rock," but at this point I can see it as a viable avenue. I can also understand why my brothers and sisters might have a problem with that.

So I'd like to get some views on "Christian Sci-Fi." Do you feel this is an avenue that is acceptable? Or no?

Thanks!

I think conjecture about the future set to a good story is not wrong in and of itself. I think the bigger questions are:

1. Does this work reflect Philippians 4:8-9?
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [g]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

2. For what reason am I writing this work?
3. Relatedly, who am I writing for and why?

I have been a Christian for only 7 years at the age of 38. One thing that I know is harmful for a lot of people is the concept of escapism. By Escapism, I mean avoiding something that confronts you in the real world. It has to be asked what are we trying to escape, to avoid? Why are we trying to escape a world where we can count on our God Who loves us, our heavenly reward, and in which all things work to our good as Believers? Even the terrible things? When I was an unbeliever and a science fiction and fantasy nerd I was just trying to escape a hopeless and meaningless world due to my wrong and quite sinful secular worldview. I am definitely wary of feeding that beast in unbelievers or in feeding a disconnect from a reality where God is for us, even when like Christ, we suffer.

I should say that I am a published nonfiction Christian author. I am now working on the notes for my first fiction work that I want to get published eventually. It is Christian science fiction that follows a grandfather who fought in a future Lunar conflict and his grandson who fights in the Great Solar War a generation later. Both characters are independent fundamental Baptists, and the grandson is being mentored by an independent fundamental Baptist chaplain. 

I am also a scholar in military science and it seems cruel to dream up future wars and sell people on them as sexy. Let's go watch anything with original war footage to see the error in that. I figure that if I make a war story you want to live through, I have done a bad job. However, war stories by their very nature are gripping and you want to finish them. My thought is that it is worth it to live through a war for a godly cause, but we should never want to live through a war. Pray instead that we lead quiet and prosperous lives in all godliness and holiness found in Jesus Christ as told to us in 1 Timothy 2. War movies more than science fiction war stories are my model as a result.

My science fiction stories are honestly an attempt to better understand the world while having fun. This project is certainly not for escapists as it deals with politics, the Christian faith, a Godless American culture, and brutal warfare. To be honest, for now, I am writing purely for Christians. As a non-escapist work, I don't want to beat up on the despairing, but instead give them good news and hope in Christ's Gospel. 

Before I started though, I realized the propensity to be caught up in pure fantasy, and I determined that my fiction had to be written by me in a certain mindset. I needed to write with faith that Jesus Christ is coming back, faith that the Bible as God’s Word is trustworthy beyond all other sources of information, and faith that the eternal destiny or fate of mankind is linked to earth and Christ’s return on earth.

I would love to talk more. I know your post is old, but I think we'll have a good conversation.

Blessings,
Steven

Thanks for the response, Steven, I appreciate your views. I’d also agree that our work should have a goal of glorifying God and furthering the Gospel of Christ.

Concerning escapism, I personally believe it is something most people engage in and largely due to the reasons you mention. I often wonder how many of the lost truly recognize that hole we are all born with as I did before I was saved. In my early youth fantasy and science fiction filled that hole, and then later it was heavy metal, drugs, and alcohol

After being saved in ‘95 I put down music and tuned out tv. Even stopped watching X Files, lol. But now I’ve begun composing again, and completely sick of my trade (HVAC), I’m hoping to follow a childhood dream of being an author. I have one non-fiction book out and it hasn’t drawn a lot of attention (though admittedly I plan on revising the book at some point). The sci-fi has a hopeful goal of drawing more attention and hopefully making a living, lol. Not sure that venture will ever leave the childhood dream arena.

But you mention a key word: worldview. My hope is to present the Gospel in a world the reader has escaped to. To write sci-fi and still maintain a credible worldview that doesn’t depart from Biblical Truth.

I think for me God’s Word has been an “escape” of sorts and has allowed me to, like fantasy and sci-fi did for me as a child, get a glimpse of a place I’d prefer to be-Heaven. It holds the ultimate Hero and the ultimate “ending,” and despite being “stuck” in a world held prisoner by the ultimate villain, we have been given a hope that overshadows the tribulations we endure for a time. Perhaps writing could be viewed as the ultimate escapism, lol.

Again, thanks for the post, and let me know how the new project is going.

God bless.