Christian faith in TrekLit?

[bfollowell]

Many species' faiths are explored throughout TrekLit. Many alien faiths have been presented on the shows and in trekLit over the years. I know the Bajoran people are very religious and their faith is a major part of what defines them. I've seen references to Muslim characters and though I've not read any of the SCE novels, I've heard that Captain David Gold is a faithful member of the Jewish faith. Is anyone aware of any mentions of the Christian faith or characters of Christian faith? I was just curious.

- Byron

 

[JoeZhang]

Guises of the Mind, an old numbered TNG novel features some nuns - everything in the book indicates they are Christians but the word is never actually used (or so I remember...).

 

[Christopher]

^Check out the novel Guises of the Mind by Rebecca Neason. Kind of a Christian focus there, as I recall. (EDIT: Oops, Joe beat me to it.)

In the DC Comics, at least the ones written by Mike Carlin, Scotty often swore by Saint Andrew.

 

[F. King Daniel]

IIRC, it's briefly mentioned that Chekov is Roman Catholic in either Death's Angel or Bloodthirst. We wears a cross under his uniform shirt.

The Enterprise's multi-faith chapel is described in The Joy Machine (I think - it's been a while!)

 

[David Mack]

In my SCE novel Wildfire, the character Diego Feliciano, realizing he is about to die, silently prays the "Hail Mary" in his native Spanish, as he is a Cuban-born Roman Catholic.

In my Vanguard novel Harbinger, the starbase's commander, Commodore Reyes, references the Psalms during a memorial service, though it is not explicitly stated whether he is a man of faith. However, it is established that among the clergy present at the memorial is a nondenominational Christian minister named Father McKee.

 

[bfollowell]

In my Vanguard novel Harbinger, the starbase's commander, Commodore Reyes, references the Psalms during a memorial service, though it is not explicitly stated whether he is a man of faith. However, it is established that among the clergy present at the memorial is a nondenominational Christian minister named Father McKee.

That was at the U.S.S. Bombay memorial, right? It's not been all that long since I read Harbinger. I should've remembered that one.

- Byron

 

[timothy]

all you have to do is look at worf and the klingon people . very religous very war like .
in very early christian way and I am cathloic . honor and religion go hand in hand . I mean the klingon's did kill off the old gods for the way khaless just like we cast of the old gods of zues aries and the rest to follow jesus and god . and then there is Q I know he is'nt the almighty but he's close . and then there's the tng episode with
ardra who posed as the devil. so there is christianty in star trek you just have to look
for it and belive .

 

[Tropical_Night]

Please no! Oh god please no...no..please...I beg of you..no.
Having to put up with the Bajorans and Klingons mystical beleifs in novels is bad enough, don't make it worse by adding in present day human beliefs and trying to predict where they wil be in 400 years.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I for one would love to see an Andorian, or other alien, practicing a human faith. Or how about going further: an Andorian preist? A Romulan rabbi?

Also, I wonder how missionaries would be dealt with in the 24th century (South Park "Starvin' Marvin in Space" flashback!)? A ship, a bit of flashy technology and a cargo hold full of bibles could do incalculable damage to a pre-warp civilization.

 

[Christopher]

Also, I wonder how missionaries would be dealt with in the 24th century (South Park "Starvin' Marvin in Space" flashback!)? A ship, a bit of flashy technology and a cargo hold full of bibles could do incalculable damage to a pre-warp civilization.

More likely the reverse. Conversion isn't as simple as the new faith wiping out the old faith like flipping a switch. That's what the missionaries like to believe, but in reality, a culture that adopts a new religion will generally just incorporate some of its ideas into their own pre-existing beliefs, producing a syncretic variant of the faith. Like the way Vodoun and Santeria have substituted Christian saints for traditional West African deities but otherwise pretty much carry on their traditional practices. Spreading Christianity or any other Terran faith to alien worlds would produce some anthropologically and theologically fascinating syncretisms, maybe spawn whole new religions to compete with it (the way Christianity itself is a syncretic offshoot of Judaism and Islam is a syncretic offshoot of Christianity). So the aliens might do more "damage" to Christianity than the reverse. Although what purists would consider damage, others might consider revitalization for a new era.

Hmm. I wonder if 24th-century Hindus consider Surak to have been an avatar of Vishnu...

 

[Kestra]

Hmm. I wonder if 24th-century Hindus consider Surak to have been an avatar of Vishnu...

I don't know if this is a joke but I think it's an interesting suggestion. Ultimately I'd have to say that it's unlikely, but it's really impossible to predict how specific religions would involve.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Many species' faiths are explored throughout TrekLit. Many alien faiths have been presented on the shows and in trekLit over the years. I know the Bajoran people are very religious and their faith is a major part of what defines them. I've seen references to Muslim characters and though I've not read any of the SCE novels, I've heard that Captain David Gold is a faithful member of the Jewish faith. Is anyone aware of any mentions of the Christian faith or characters of Christian faith? I was just curious.

- Byron

Diane Duane makes it clear that some of the TOS crew are Christians, in her continuity. There are also suggestions that some of the faiths held by alien races are tied in some way. (Note the Hamalki deity being referred to as "the One Who was Burned.") There are also hints of a passion play in The Wounded Sky, and when you read her (non-Trek) Young Wizards series, it becomes clear that "The Song of the Twelve" mentioned in Dark Mirror by the character of Hwiii is in fact a delphine passion play.

I would say this is where the most Christian material in Treklit is--in her TOS novels, and most particularly by FAR in The Wounded Sky. Is it a tract? No. But it is very, very obviously there, and even more so if you know the themes of her writing outside of Treklit.


Timothy--I would argue your parallel with the Klingon religion, actually. To me, it's a very obvious Nietzsche reference: the Uebermensch killing God.


I also agree that seeing aliens practice each other's faiths--a human following Surakism, a Christian of another species--would be a very realistic development. In particular I wonder if the Bajoran faith would attract non-Bajoran adherents; it seems like a reasonable development in light of Sisko's involvement, and some of the things the Prophets have done.

 

[Kelso]

Meh. I get more than enough of that in real life, thanks.

 

[T'deD'Edkeid'Ende'Dejdid]

I've always wondered about human religions in the future.

I was raised Muslim and Muslim's are to pray at certain times, based on the position of the sun, and towards Mecca. I wonder how this would work in space, especially on a starship thousands of light years away from Earth.

I wonder what the Catholic Church's view on Q would be?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I would like to know if in Star Trek times Christians believe that Jesus died to save alien races as well. It would be interesting to read about the upheaval in the church first contact would bring about, as well as the fallout as to what conclusions people would come to. Fast fwd a few hundred years and assuming Christianity still thrived in some places I would like to know what was considered mainstream beliefs?

 

[Smellincoffee]

Please no! Oh god please no...no..please...I beg of you..no.
Having to put up with the Bajorans and Klingons mystical beleifs in novels is bad enough, don't make it worse by adding in present day human beliefs and trying to predict where they wil be in 400 years.

Meh. I get more than enough of that in real life, thanks.

Indeed...I've always appreciated Star Trek's portrayal of a future in which human beings are not held hostage by the beliefs, values, and limitations of the dead. TNG mentioned an observance of the 'Hindu festival of lights" during "Data's Day", and TOS made a reference or two to Christianity ("Bread and Circuses"), but otherwise it was free from creeds and dogma. Morality is a human construct, and I like how Trek humans take responsibility for their beliefs rather than adhering to creeds...and I appreciate, too, the fact that their meaning comes from each other, and that they find the natural world far more interesting than tales of ghosts, demons, and rebellious hobgoblins.

 

[Frontier]

The only religion I like in Trek is Bajoran, because they actually offer you some frakking proof! We see the prophets, and must deduce for ourselves: wormhole aliens, prophets, or wormhole aliens who're also the prophets? LOL.

 

[Turtletrekker]

In A Rock and a Hard Place, on page 147, a character named Vernon defends his decision to call the Enterprise for help in an emergency to the colony leader with the following...

"Let me make it clear, Mr. Masters, I admire your pioneer spirit , and your determination. It's dedication and pride such as yours that has enabled mankind to come as far we we have. But as much as I admire mankind's striving, I also admire the bible. And in the bible it says 'Pride goeth before destruction, and haughty spirit before a fall'. I will not let your pride and haughty spirit be responsible for the fall and destruction of Captain Riker. Or anyone."

 

[bfollowell]

Please no! Oh god please no...no..please...I beg of you..no.
Having to put up with the Bajorans and Klingons mystical beleifs in novels is bad enough, don't make it worse by adding in present day human beliefs and trying to predict where they wil be in 400 years.

I don't recall my post requesting that anyone start writing this into future novels. I merely asked if anyone was aware of references in existing novels. Go back and read the post a little closer.

- Byron

 

[Smitty]

Meh. I get more than enough of that in real life, thanks.

Agreed, but same would apply to many topics and issues we deal with today wouldn't you say....? I usually want to escape reality when I read not be preached at about stuff.