Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs

James A. Herrick looks at the surprisingly frequent collusion of science and science fiction for promoting and justifying alternative religions or spiritualities. In these new mythologies, spiritual beings with creation powers or at least highly advanced and friendly aliens are imagined and given plausibility by association in various ways with science. Through film and fiction, these ideas have a far greater social impact than might be expected. Herrick helps us identify these movements and the curious and questionable alliances made so that people of faith can respond to these growing cultural developments that already are having some influence on political, scientific and religious discussions and decisions.

• General readers
• Those interested in apologetics
• Culture-watchers
• Science readers
• Students and professors in the humanities

• A unique look at the development of alternative spiritualities in Western culture
• Probes the pervasive but questionable alliance of science and scientists with religion through science fiction film and literature
• Undergraduate text for apologetics, evangelism, literature and film, and sociology of religion courses
• Of general interest to those interested in new religions, science fiction, popular science and popular culture/film