Reclaiming Sci-fi

“Science fiction is nothing more than a propaganda tool for humanist progressive ideology.”

The above, while not an exact quote, has been repeated in one form or another by both Christians stating why they don’t read science fiction and progressive apologists praising science fiction activism. I’ve seen it weaponized by both sides against conservatives who dare to enjoy science fiction properties while still holding to traditional values. In fact, some popular fandoms go so far as to state that you can’t be a true fan if you don’t espouse the ideologies promoted by the franchise.

My philosophy is different. I believe that any genre can be reclaimed for a Christian worldview. We absolutely can have Christian science fiction. And I was determined to prove it.

But I quickly realized that the reverse of “humanist progressive propaganda” is “Christian conservative propaganda” and that was no more palatable to me. I’m a devout Christian and even I have no desire to read vaguely fictionalized sermons. 

Baffled, I began asking other authors what they thought it would look like to reclaim science fiction, and one friend pointed me to JD Cowan’s series on the history of science fiction fandom. 

(https://wastelandandsky.blogspot.com/p/science-fiction-illustra.html, if you’re interested.)

His premise was simple: science fiction (he calls it futuristic fiction) wasn’t always a propaganda vehicle for progressive humanists. In fact, he proposes that progressive humanism has destroyed science fiction.

One must only look at the state of the Star Wars franchise to see that he has a point.

So if the definition of science fiction isn’t progressive humanist propaganda, what is the definition, and how can Christian authors reclaim the genre?

Wikipedia helpfully defines it as “a genre of speculative fiction, which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life…It is also often said to inspire a “sense of wonder”. (To be fair, it does go on further to define it in terms of propaganda, but since we’re rejecting that definition, we’ll stop there.) If science fiction can be defined in terms of science or future-based creative writing, the only limits to the genre are our own imaginations.

So how does that look to a Christian attempting to write a science fiction story that is built from a Christian worldview but doesn’t fall into the reactionary pitfall of Christian propaganda? I believe there are three essentials to guide us in our attempts to reclaim science fiction.

First, we must maintain our core values. As Christian authors, we have a moral obligation to make sure any themes presented in our stories do not violate Christian values. Sinful behaviors and philosophies must not be rewarded. Heroes may be flawed, but ultimately show that good is triumphant – both in the external plot and within themselves. Villains may be conflicted, but ultimately show that evil is defeated – either by ultimate physical defeat or by turning from their evil plans. There is no room for nihilism or the elevation of destructive morality in reclaimed science fiction. We must be super careful not to contradict Scripture (I once saw a Christian author brag that their story made Satan older than God) but the Bible is silent on a lot of areas. These areas are open for exploration and creativity. Christians are uniquely suited to answer the deep questions of the universe, because we are followers of the One who created it, and where our themes explore questions of ethics, humanity, and morality, we must be careful to answer those questions through the lens of the Bible. 

Second, we remember that science is ultimately the study and application of God’s creative efforts. The progressive humanists didn’t create the universe. This is God’s playground, and He is glorified when we play in it. Imagine. Explore. Ask questions. What if Alpha Centauri has alien life? What if we could colonize Mars? What if Pluto is really an observation satellite built by intergalactic beings? Science fiction is bound only by the limits of our imaginations and by point number one.

Thirdly, we must remember that people read fiction to be entertained. Yes, stories can contain ethical quandaries and challenge the way our readers think, but when the message becomes more important than the story, we are no longer writing fiction. I have never once bought a novel looking for the message it is going to teach me.  I have, however, picked up many books intrigued by the story only to learn something along the way. We must make sure that our characters and plot are compelling and engaging.  A reader who picks up a book populated by Mary Sues and Gary Stus who only exist to beat the reader over their head with how wrong they are will very quickly put that book back down. Themes are most effective when the reader doesn’t even realize they are there, and wholly ineffective if the reader doesn’t finish the book. And sometimes – many times – giving a reader a sense of wonder and escape is all the theme you need.

Science fiction is fiction – imaginary stories, based on science – God’s creation. Christians are uniquely suited to reclaim science fiction because we know that the God of science has offered us hope and has invited us to explore His universe and use it to better our fellow man. We can write fantastic stories of wonder and adventure unfettered by humanist corruption and unbound to propaganda of any nature. We not only can, but we should. The world doesn’t lay claim to our imaginations, and it’s beyond time to show readers what that can mean.