Science Fiction Index

Cinema, Spirituality, and Science Fiction

Scifaikus are science fiction haikus. (A haiku is a minimalist three-line poem with five, seven, and five syllables per line.) Here's an assortment of them on topics ranging from aliens to zombies. Read "Scifaikus (Science Fiction Haikus)."

What if the account of Creation in Genesis 1 had been described in terms of astrophysics? Read "Mystic Physics."

Or what if that Creation account had been described in terms of quantum menchanics? And from then to now what are the physics of miracles? Read "Quantum Theology."

Some consider it a mere myth, but could an astronomical event explain the mysterious Star of Bethlehem? Read "Star of Wondering."

Science fiction is full of technobabble, from Heisenberg compensators to warp drive. For the cause, role, and remedy for jargon’s proliferation in our world, read "Dr. Jargonlove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Technobabble."

Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 offer surprisingly profound spiritual lessons when unmasked from their comic-book disguise. No other films have so evocatively explored the downside of being a superhero. Peter Parker, the reluctant everyman messiah, must constantly choose between self-interest and self-sacrifice, choose between his own needs and those of others, choose between his own social life and social obligation, and make all these choices while being misunderstood and unappreciated. Being a superhero never seemed so difficult. Read "Unmasking the Spirituality of Spider-Man."

In The Matrix trilogy, the Christ figure motif goes beyond superficial plot enhancements and forms the fundamental core of the three-part story. Neo’s messianic growth (in self-awareness and power) and his eventual bringing of peace and salvation to humanity form the essential plot of the trilogy. Read "He is the One: The Matrix Trilogy's Postmodern Movie Messiah."

Superman, the original superhero, is a culmination of the great mythic heroes of the past. The hero's journey, a recurring cycle of events in mythology, is described by Joseph Campbell. The three acts in Superman: The Movie portray a complex calling to the superhero's role, consisting of three distinct calls and journeys. Each of the three stages includes the death of someone close to him, different symbols of his own death and resurrection, and different experiences of atonement with a father figure. Read "The Superhero's Mythic Journey: Death and the Heroic Cycle in Superman."

The ultimate antihero messiah for the post-9/11 "War on Terror" era can apparently be found in The Chronicles of Riddick, the sequel to Pitch Black. Overcoming evil with evil, unfortunately, seems to be the spirit of the times. Read "Fighting Evil with Another Kind of Evil?"

Want to know more about the relationship between science fiction, spirituality, and cinema? Want to know more about the films The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Time Machine, and The Little Prince? Read "A Prince, Machines, and Stillness: Theology, Technology, and Time in Three Science Fiction/Fantasy Stories Transformed into Film."

If you had only one day to live, would you do it with debauchery, despair, or dignity? Read review of Groundhog Day.

Aliens, abductions, true stories, oh my! A skeptical look at a filmed "true story." Read review of Fire in the Sky.

In 1962, monsters were popular in matinees, but the the real monster was the threat of nuclear war. Read review of Matinee.

Heaven help the children (and adults) who are "different." Read review of Powder.

Science fiction films often examine cultural issues through a magnifying glass of technology-tinged fantasy. How do time travel films comment on people's views of time and history? Read "History Lessons: Time-Travel Films as Postmodern Parables."

The cybercraze went to Hollywood. Computers starred in multiple films in 1995, but better computer flicks came earlier. Read "Cybercinema: Hollywood's Year of the Computer."

The mysterious Shroud of Turin has provoked controversy for centuries. Many believe it is the authentic burial cloth of Christ. Many believe it is a forgery. What if, however, there could be a final proof beyond any doubt that it was genuine? What if that proof went terribly, horribly wrong for us all? If you were told such a story by a barely glimpsed stranger, would you, should you, believe it? Download (free) "Immaculate Misconception." (This article is published on Smashwords.com.)

A Doomsday Virus loose on the Internet causes all nuclear weapons to launch. Darn those military contractors for not keeping their virus checkers up to date! Although the post-civilization job market leaves much to be desired, with a little ingenuity, writers can still earn a buck (well, old cans of food). Read "The Word Warrior: A Post-Apocalyptic Parody."

Suppose you invented a space-time machine with the potential to reveal many secrets of the universe--but also to transform renegade nations and terrorist groups into dangerous superpowers. What would you do? Should you concentrate on the glory and ignore the shadow side of your life's work? Or should you destroy it all to prevent an apocalypse? Go to "Time Shadows" page.

If you were a Jewish physicist who had discovered time travel, would you want to see the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70? Would you want to stop it from happening? Read "Apocalypse of Amaziah."

Is the end of the world really the end? Can there be an astronomical sequel to the book of Revelation? Read "Revelation II."

What if you had to wrestle with your own ghost? Who would win? Read "Ghostslinger."

Can a lonely young woman, a survivor of abusive relationships, find comfort and even protection with a friendly ghost? Read "Ghostgroom."

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