Science fiction isn’t just about space wars and aliens—it can also help us understand ourselves and God.
Gazing up at stars in the night sky often provokes a deep sense of wonder about the universe and the God who created it. But for some, simply gazing doesn’t satisfy their curiosity. That’s where science fiction comes in—it sparks the imagination, taking readers from gazing at the stars to gliding through galaxies, meeting aliens, and interacting with exciting (and sometimes troubling) technological innovations. At BYU’s 2026 Education Week, four humanities faculty explored the overlapping otherworldliness of both science fiction and theology and what it teaches us about ourselves.
Sci-Fi, AI, and the Family
Artificial intelligence has been a topic of interest in science fiction from the conception of the genre. In his lecture titled “Science Fiction, AI, and What It Means to Be a Family,” Professor Dennis Cutchins (American Literature, Adaptation Studies) said that most science fiction stories warn about the dangers of AI and few celebrate its potential. He focused his remarks on the doctrine of the family, illustrating how AI amplifies problems in fictional families because it “creates a situation in which individual agency might be limited or curtailed.”
Applying this insight to real-world issues regarding the use of AI companions, Cutchins opened a discussion about why these idealized companions might be enticing. He also spoke about how human growth is dependent on relationships that acknowledge the agency of others, even when those relationships risk conflict. He shared a quote from Elder David A. Bednar, who said, “Please, do not let this technology entice you to become an object.”1 Cutchins suggested that when we “treat an object like a chatbot as if it were a real person, it is we who are being objectified.”
On a more positive note, Cutchins highlighted Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s insights on the potential for morally grounded AI which can “open human opportunity to do and become good.”2 Cutchins concluded that until better laws and regulations come into place, “we need to be the ones responsible for the way AI is used in our homes and for ourselves.”
Aliens and the Atonement
Science fiction helps readers see things that they already know in a totally different way. For Professor Dale J. Pratt (Spanish Science Fiction), science fiction plays an important role in exploring religious themes, which he discussed in his lecture “How Science Fiction Approaches Theological Questions: The Atonement and Life Throughout the Universe.” Pratt observed that science fiction frequently makes use of religious imagery or concepts: In both religion and science fiction, “we have Edenic worlds, we have fallen worlds, chosen peoples, prophecy, sinless beings. Then we have antichrists, resurrection, transformation, and of course, the apocalypse.”
One popular theological debate within science fiction is whether or not the concepts of divine forgiveness and grace would apply to aliens. Citing Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Pratt discussed the possibility of “spiritual ‘cousins’ in the cosmos” 3 and discussed several science fiction stories that explore the grace debate. Media that incorporates and reimagines these religious themes help us imagine ourselves and “others” being saved and reconciled to Christ in a way other genres and platforms can’t capture. Ultimately, the purpose of science fiction “is not to predict the future, but to describe reality—the present world.”
Narnia and the Deeper Science
Many people have explored the Christian themes in C. S. Lewis’s famous Narnia series, but fewer have seen the science fiction undertones and scientific principles hidden within the stories. Associate Professor Aaron C. Eastley (African Literature) shared how Lewis’s novels often incorporate astronomy, the planets, and even a sort of space and time travel. Eastley spoke of the mechanism of travel required to go to and from Narnia—including the use of elements from other worlds, such as dust from Atlantis forged into magic rings or the wardrobe made of wood from a Narnian apple tree.
While the Narnia books reference a “deeper magic,” one that echoes themes of Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice on behalf of sinners, Eastley suggests that the “deeper science” of the Narnia novels is that they provide an atmosphere that gives readers “experiences that will make them want to pursue certain virtues, or warn them against certain dangers in life.” Eastley called this the “science of literary influence.” Lewis uses the Narnia books to influence his readers to “see things and feel things [...] that would make them better people.”
Zion Among the Stars
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have noticed their religion represented frequently in science fiction, even by non-members. Adjunct Faculty Elizabeth Busby suggested that the unique position and familiarity Latter-day Saints have in American culture makes them a safer option for futuristic speculation than other more mainstream religions. In science fiction media, Busby identified three common tropes in which Church members are portrayed: as naive idealists (as seen in the TV series The Expanse), as violent and dangerous (in works like L. E. Modesitt Jr.’s The Parafaith War), or as simply another government (like in Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore). Unsurprisingly, writers who are members of the Church portray themselves differently, incorporating more complexity in the faith experiences of characters and more ambiguity in their relationship with government.
Although not written by a member of the Church, the character Suzie from the Netflix show Stranger Things is a refreshing breakaway from stereotypical portrayals of the Church in media. A fictional member of the Church, Suzie surprises the audience by being “just as nerdy as all of the other teenage characters.” She is “religious, but she has a personality beyond just her faith.” Busby hopes for more portrayals of Church members like we see from Suzie that incorporate complexity in their faith experience, more ambiguity in their relationship with government, and more realistic representations of religious practice.
Busby encouraged Latter-day Saint writers to step forward and portray their own faith in science fiction to counter stereotypes, saying, “We need to put our own voices out there if we want our faith to be included. In other words, if The Expanse can put Mormons in space, why can’t we?”