This book is an examination of Christian ideas from the stories of Star Trek. Concepts in Christian philosophy and theology are examined within each of the five Star Trek series, such as the problem of suffering, the soul, our desires arguing against Christian morals, end times, God's Judgment, Christian virtues, and legalism opposed to licentiousness. Then four different Star Trek aliens' religious systems are examined. Vulcan religion is examined with the interplay of logic and religion. Next is Klingon religion, as an example of the power of stories to cultivate virtue, honor, and passion. After that Ferengi religion is used as an illustration of perverting religion, using it as a tool to obtain our desires. And lastly, Bajoran religion is examined in the light of Starfleet's initial skepticism - a template for similar criticisms urged against Christianity.
Vivid Colors on front and back photographs depicting nature scenes with a glossy finish. Front scene is true life double rainbow photo Teton mountain backdrop. Back scene is man superimposed walking on stormy water into the sunset. Visually pleasing, easy to read text layout.
"Faith and the Final Frontier: The Intersection of Science and Religion in Space Exploration" is a profound exploration of the interplay between scientific inquiry and spiritual belief throughout the history of space exploration. The book delves into how humanity's quest to understand the cosmos has been intertwined with spiritual and philosophical inquiries, reflecting on how these two realms have influenced and enriched each other. Introduction The introduction sets the stage by posing the central question of whether science and religion can coexist harmoniously in our pursuit of understanding the universe. It highlights the historical journey from ancient astronomers to modern scientists like Wernher von Braun, exploring the symbiotic relationship between scientific endeavors and spiritual beliefs. Chapter Summaries Wernher von Braun - A Life Among the Stars This chapter chronicles the life of Wernher von Braun, from his early fascination with the stars to his pivotal role in NASA's Apollo program. It explores how von Braun balanced his scientific pursuits with his Christian faith, seeing space exploration as a way to understand God's creation. Celestial Harmonies - Space in Historical Religious Thought This chapter examines how different civilizations, from ancient Mesopotamia to the Islamic Golden Age, perceived the cosmos through a spiritual lens. It discusses how these historical perspectives laid the groundwork for modern scientific inquiry. Bridging the Heavens and Earth - Reconciling Science and Faith Focusing on notable scientists like Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton, this chapter explores how they integrated their spiritual beliefs with their scientific work. It emphasizes the complementary nature of science and religion as ways to understand the world. Psalm 19:1 - The Cosmic Psalmist This chapter delves into the significance of Psalm 19:1 in the context of space exploration. It discusses how the verse has inspired scientists and theologians alike to view the cosmos as a reflection of divine creativity. The Modern Cosmos - Science and Spirituality in Dialogue Here, the book discusses recent advancements in space exploration, such as the discovery of exoplanets and the Big Bang theory, and their implications for contemporary religious thought. It highlights the ongoing dialogue between science and spirituality. Ethical Frontiers - Moral Dilemmas in the Cosmos This chapter tackles the ethical questions posed by space exploration, such as space stewardship, the potential discovery of extraterrestrial life, and the ethics of space colonization. It calls for a thoughtful and inclusive approach to these challenges. Beyond the Horizon - The Future of Science, Faith, and Space Looking to the future, this chapter speculates on how the relationship between science and religion might evolve with advancements in space technology. It explores the potential impacts of discovering extraterrestrial life, the role of AI in space, and the ethical implications of human expansion into space. Conclusion The book concludes by reflecting on the profound journey through the realms of science, faith, and the cosmos. It emphasizes that the relationship between scientific inquiry and spiritual belief is a dynamic and evolving dialogue, urging readers to consider how space exploration shapes our understanding of the universe and ourselves. References and Further Reading The book provides a list of references and further reading, including works by Carl Sagan, Ted Peters, Owen Gingerich, and many others, offering a comprehensive guide for readers interested in delving deeper into the intersection of science, space exploration, and spirituality. "Faith and the Final Frontier" invites readers on an enlightening journey, challenging them to see space exploration not just as a scientific endeavor but as a profound spiritual quest.
Drawing on archaeological, historical, and scriptural sources, Jeffrey offers hard proof that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that Heaven, the New Jerusalem, and the coming Messiah are not myths, but solid Biblical truths.
""Despite my Roman Catholic faith growing up, when I encountered the ""doctrine uttered in secret"" I felt an immediate attraction to it; and although it threw my Christian faith into confusion, I pursued the doctrine of reincarnation. And the more I read on reincarnation, the more convinced I was that when we die we come back to live life over again; and my concern then became-why do we come back to live life over again?"" Chapter 13: MY REGRESSION TO THE BODY OF GOD
Sana Haroon examines religious organisation and mobilisation in the North-West Frontier Tribal Areas, a non-administered region on the Indo-Afghan border. The Tribal Areas was defined topographically as a strategic zone of defence for British India, but also determined to be socially distinct and hence left outside the judicial, legislative and social institutions of greater colonial India. Conditions of Tribal Areas autonomy came to emphasize the role and importance of the mullahs operating in the region, and the mullahs jealously protected this administrative alienation. Despite its great distance from the centers of political organization in India and Afghanistan, the frontier occasionally functioned as a military organization ground for both Indian and Afghan anti-colonial activists until independence and partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. Thereafter the Tribal Areas maintained status as an administratively and socially autonomous region in both the Afghan and Pakistani national imaginations and cartographic descriptions. The regional mullas continued to contribute to armed mobilizations of national importance in Pakistan and in Afghanistan over the next half century, in return for which nationalist actors supported the mullahs and their personal interest in regional autonomy. This was the hinterland of successive, contradictory jihads in support of Pakhtun ethnicism, anti-colonial nationalism, Pakistani territorialism, religious revivalism, Afghan anti-Soviet resistance, and anti-Americanism. Only the claim to autonomy persisted unchanged and uncompromised, and within that claim the functional role of religious leaders as social moderators and ideological guides was preserved. From outside, patrons recognised and supported that claim, reliant in their own ways on the possibilities the autonomous Tribal Areas and its mullahs afforded.
In this thorough and engaging book, Gabriel McKee explores the inherent theological nature of science fiction, using illustrations from television shows, literature, and films. Science fiction, he believes, helps us understand not only who we are but who we will become. McKee organizes his chapters around theological themes, using illustrations from authors such as Isaac Asimov and H. G. Wells, television shows such as Star Trek and The Twilight Zone, and films such as The Matrix and Star Wars. With its extensive bibliography and index, this is a book that all serious science fiction fans--not just those with a theological interest--will appreciate.
Where did humanity get the idea that outer space is a frontier waiting to be explored? Destined for the Stars unravels the popularization of the science of space exploration in America between 1944 and 1955, arguing that the success of the US space program was due not to technological or economic superiority, but was sustained by a culture that had long believed it was called by God to settle new frontiers and prepare for the inevitable end of time and God’s final judgment. Religious forces, Newell finds, were in no small way responsible for the crescendo of support for and interest in space exploration in the early 1950s, well before Project Mercury—the United States’ first human spaceflight program—began in 1959. In this remarkable history, Newell explores the connection between the art of Chesley Bonestell—the father of modern space art whose paintings drew inspiration from depictions of the American West—and the popularity of that art in Cold War America; Bonestell’s working partnership with science writer and rocket expert Willy Ley; and Ley and Bonestell’s relationship with Wernher von Braun, father of both the V-2 missile and the Saturn V rocket, whose millennial conviction that God wanted humankind to leave Earth and explore other planets animated his life’s work. Together, they inspired a technological and scientific faith that awoke a deep-seated belief in a sense of divine destiny to reach the heavens. The origins of their quest, Newell concludes, had less to do with the Cold War strife commonly associated with the space race and everything to do with the religious culture that contributed to the invention of space as the final frontier.
Responding to contemporary popular atheism, Robert J. Spitzer's New Proofs for the Existence of God examines the considerable evidence for God and creation that has come to light from physics and philosophy during the last forty years. --from publisher description.
