We held a service about the faith of science fiction.
This service opened with everyone sharing their favourite cross-overs of science and faith, including references to Blake 7, Logans Run, Battlestar Galactica and Blade Runner. We showed the Babel Fish clip from Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.
The body of the service was a presentation of a Top Ten questions about how faith and science interact. It was a bit like a quick-fire service, where film clips were shown and discussion was had, but most limited to 5 minutes each. Everyone seemed to really benefit from this approach, which was flexible enough to move quicker in some areas and linger in others.
- Is God Science Fiction? A question inspired by Richard Dawkins talking about origins of life in the universe and his theory of God being an alien of higher intellect than ourselves.
- Is God an Alien? A clip of Kirk and crew meeting 'God' in Star Trek V.
- Can Aliens be Christians? Discussion inspired by Michael Flynn's novel Eifelheim...has parallels with mission in unfamiliar cultures.
- Is immortality good or bad? Starting with a clip of a robot talking of his jealousy at humans being able to become immortal merely with one significant act. We took the opportunity to pray for the sick and bereaved, as human existence is (in the main) mortal.
- Can robot AI develop a soul? Accompanied by the trailer for Spike Jonze short I'm Here, a love story of 2 robots living life to the full.
- Is it a sin to augment? Prompted by new game Deus Ex, we discussed the implications of changing/enhancing our natural (God-given?) bodies.
- Did Jesus escape the cross in a parallel world? While holding a small ball/bead, we pondered the nature of the multiverse theory and its implications for the actions of Jesus.
- If given the chance, would you time-travel to meet Jesus? Inspired by Michael Moorcock story Behold the Man where said time traveller finds Jesus is not all he expected (incapable of fulfilling history), so decides to step up to the mark himself.
- What do you want to see in 200 years time? Art photographs of a future time where nature is only viewable in theme parks and zoo-like environments...what do we hope happens in the next 200 years?
- Can God change events in the past? This raised even more questions...is God interventionist? Does God have to play within our construct of time? Would we know if God changed history e.g. was there a third world war that everyone prayed against and God changed history to avert it, so we don't know about it because it never happened?
Science fiction is a medium that can be used to explore the nature of God and faith and image what might be and what might have been to inform what is.
