Belief and Religion in SFF

I attended a fantastic panel during Chicon8 about Belief and Religion in science fiction and fantasy. I appreciated the distinction between belief and religion. In my opinion, religion, faith, and spirituality, which is different from spiritualism, are all part of a theme that can greatly enrich science fiction and fantasy works. This theme encompasses our need as humans to feel like we’re not only part of this universe we’ve been born into, but that, in the big scheme of things, we matter. In the vastness of the universe, we might not. But we really, really want to.

This theme can be explored in so many unique ways, which can be grouped into three categories:

·      Existing religions – Project Pope by Clifford D. Simak (1981), I think the word Pope is pretty telling. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (2018), where the protagonist is Jewish.

·      Made up religions not connected with existing ones – World of Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold (2001-2021, so far)

·      Made up religions extrapolated from existing ones or inspired by them – Dune by Frank Herbert (1965), which has Islamic influences, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) with its Christian references come to mind.

In fiction, as it is in life, belief and religion have the potential to greatly influence characters’ lives. They can be interwoven throughout the story as an underlying guideline. In this category, the “Force” in Star Wars – A New Hope (1977) jumps to mind. Systems of belief can be not only a part of the story, but a driving force. In Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the Force is at the heart of the plot. Even though everyone who watched the original trilogy knows what happens to Anakin Skywalker, the will he-won’t he turn to the dark side of the Force drives the emotional side of the plot. That’s the power of good storytelling.

Religions are a great source of inspiration, but also a pointed way to reveal character. When writing about characters’ religious practices, besides considering diversity of religions, it’s important to highlight different practices and opinions within the same religion, avoiding a monolithic vision that everyone who practices a certain religion does it the same way and has the same views, interpretations, and opinions.

Religion and beliefs should be part of the whole character, interwoven into their behavior in subtle and consistent ways. Consider what temptation means in different religions. What is taboo? Think about how limitations of time, food, and access, to name a few restrictions, affect big and small life decisions characters must make. On Good Friday in Brazil, people traditionally don’t eat meat. Suppose a character who follows this tradition rigorously is invited to a party at his new boss’s house on Good Friday. They need the job. They don’t want to upset the boss. The boss brings them a plateful of meat and eagerly watches them, expecting enthusiastic appreciation for their culinary efforts. There you have tension. What will this poor character do?

Fiction has the power to inspire people from different religions to see and interact more positively with each other. The media we consume help shape the way we see the world. So, SFF can act as a channel to open people’s minds about other religions. It can be instructive and help us see solutions and ways to communicate and live in harmony despite differing beliefs, avoiding violent outcomes.

Culture comes from our beliefs, including religious beliefs. So, when making up a fictional religion, it’s a good idea to start from the culture being created. Think about Dune and the Fremen’s culture, which is influenced by their harsh environment, and in turn, their culture influences its religion. That, and the Bene Gesserit leaving seeds to feed the legend of a prophesied savior. It’s all a veritable ouroboros clusterfuck, a really engrossing and fun to read one, but I digress.

Belief, culture, and religion define us as much as our sexuality, our job, the community we belong to or struggle with, really anything that gives us a sense of who we are in the world. So, if including religion in your work, insert it as a daily reality as opposed to a theoretical and philosophical concept of faith exclusively. Much of what we do in the world is based on how we believe and interact with other people. The point is, belief and religion have been great sources of inspiration for SFF works, and some great writers explored its many possibilities. Yet, this theme is very much renewable.

Below is a list of books in which religion and different systems of belief are intricate parts of the story telling. It’s been compiled by suggestions from panelists, attendees, and my own research. This isn’t by any means an exhaustive list. If you have recommendation(s), please enter it(them) in the comments below.

Book Recommendations:

·      The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft (short story, 1928)

·      Unto the Fourth Generation by Isaac Asimov (short story, 1959)

·      Daredevil by Stan Lee and Bill Everett (comic book, 1964)

·      Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)

·      Isle of the Dead by Roger Zelazny (1969)

·      A Maze of Death by Philip K. Dick (1970)

·      The Door into Fire by Diane Duane (1979)

·      The Door into Shadow by Diane Duane (1984)

·      The Door into Sunset by Diane Duane (1992)

·      The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)

·      Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (1992)

·      Manifest Destiny by Garry B. Longyear (which includes Enemy of Mine, 1980)

·      Project Pope by Clifford D. Simak (1981)

·      Book of the Long Sun by Gene Wolf (1993)

·      The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (1996)

·      Absolution Gap by Alastair Reynolds (2003)

·      World of Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold (series, 2001-2021)

·      Dark Intelligence by Neal Asher (2015)

·      Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (2018)

·      City of Resurrection by Ahmed Salah Al-Mahdi (2019)

·      The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (2019)

·      Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather (2019)

·      Of Strangers and Bees by Hamid Ismailov (2019)

·      Machinehood by S.B. Divya (2021)

·      A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (2021)

·      Strange Religion: Speculative Fiction of Spirituality, Belief, & Practice, anthology edited by Andy Dibble (2022)

Movie and TV Recommendations:

·      Battle Beyond the Stars (space opera from 1980, produced by Roger Corman, directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, screenplay by John Sayles)

·      Babylon 5 (space opera TV series from writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, pilot aired on 1993, the series had 5 seasons and many spin-offs)