RELI 3700 Religion and Science Fiction

Science and religion have a historically contentious relationship, usually being posited as polar opposites: reason vs faith, rational through vs emotion, etc. Yet science fiction and religion come together quite easily and effectively, to discuss pertinent religious and ethical topics which speak to our present and future as humanity. From the progression of technology and medicin, to the possibilities of contact with alien civilizations, science fiction is perhaps the most effective literary genre for engaging discourses of religion and philosophy. This course will examine the relationship between science fiction and religion, exploring the common themes at which the two intersect and methods by which science fiction critiques, explores, or disseminates religious ideas through fiction, film, and other media.