[net.sf-lovers] "Heretical" Fantasy

CSvax:mas (09/15/82)

	"...the atheist writings in SF. In "Camber of Culdi" by Kurtz
	is some of the most violent and blasphemous material I have
	seen."

I quite enjoyed the "Camber" series, and while I thought that Ms. Kurtz
occasionally tread on paper-thin ground, I'm not ready to call her
writings blasphemous. And surely they cannot be labeled atheistic as
they present a monotheistic "world" (universe?) where the God is
portrayed and worshiped in much the same way as the God of "our world".

I would be quite curious as to what folks considered heretical in
Kutz's work and Fantasy in general. Can magic and fantastic creatures
(e.g. soul-less elves and the like) be written into a "Christian
fantasy world" and not be blasphemous?

The most oft cited example of "Christian" fantasy is C. S. Lewis's
"Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe" series, but this is due to its metaphorical
nature. What happens if we choose to ignore the metaphor and consider
only the story line? Is the resurrection of a lion blasphemy? Do the
creators of polytheistic universes have carte-blanche without fear of
religious offense? Does any author who presents an earth-like God that
acts in unearthly ways blaspheme?


			Mostly just curious,
			Mark Shoemaker

		    	...!pur-ee:csvax:mas
			mas@purdue

CSvax:Physics:els (09/15/82)

   C.S. Lewis also wrote a Christian SF trilogy, the name of which escapes
me at the moment.  Any help on that? 

              els[Eric Strobel]
              pur-ee!pur-phy!els

neufeld (09/18/82)

  C.S. Lewis' "christian"? SF trilogy is:
       1. Out of the Silent Planet - or Malacandra as the inhabitants
              call it.
       2. Voyage to Venus
       3. That Hideous Strenght.
  
  He also wrote another set of books (7 in all) which is best 
  described as a childrens fantasy. This set is call "The
  Chronicles of Narnia".
 
  Gerald Neufeld