Bryan Talbot, presenting an alternative European history with anthropomorphic animals, does not duck theology. The Bible tells the animals that they came out of Noah's Ark but they must read Hidden Scriptures to learn which species was made in God's image and the species of the Christ. ("But isn't he the Lamb of God?")
My point as always is that Poul Anderson comprehensively covers both options. Peter Berg ponders the Problem of Pain and Axor seeks the Universal Incarnation in different installments of a hard sf series whereas other characters communicate with Heaven and visit Hell in a fantasy series. Gods make their mark and Christian miracles work in the King of Ys Tetralogy (with Karen Anderson). Medieval Christian belief is true in The Merman's Children. And so on. One of Anderson's many commendable qualities was comprehensiveness.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
A theological problem is touched on in "The Master Key," but very briefly. One of the characters wondered if the Yildivans had souls and Nicholas van Rijn said he would let the theologians solve that problem. But, it does raise an interesting point: can an intelligent race NOT have souls? Which reminds me of the shocker ending to Poul Anderson's fascinating story "The Martyr."
And I believe miracles are not only possible, but HAVE happened. Here I have in mind the cures the Lourdes Medical Board grudgingly conceded had no known natural or scientific explanations.
You mentioned THE MERMAN'S CHILDREN. i think it needs to be stressed that while the background of that book is Catholic, it reflects as well the naive piety of fishers and peasants, rather than of educated believers. As Poul Anderson wrote in his Author's Note to that book: "The background here is Catholic, but the religion does not conform to the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Rather, it is the naive, half pagan mythology of peasants and seafarers in the early fourteenth century--when Denmark was enjoying a brief respite in a long period of foreign and civil wars."
Sean
Sean,
Yet another example of PA covering every option.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree! Altho I think S.M. Stirling may come close to being as comprehensive as Poul Anderson if he branches out into more kinds of SF.
Sean
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