Tevun-Krus #28 - Theological SF

Tolkien & Lewis - An Article by @CarolinaC

It could be argued that theological science fiction and fantasy have been around since Gilgamesh. In English, though, the golden era of theological speculative fiction is the mid-twentieth century. This preeminence is due in large part to a pair of men – C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis and Tolkien managed to write stories that have strong religious credentials, yet appeal to people of all religious beliefs and none. So what did Tolkien and Lewis do right? How did they manage to write works that were both theologically fulfilling to their authors, and yet still engaging, intriguing stories? Aside from talent and hard work, both men took their work - both the theology and the stories – seriously.

Before we go any further, let's make sure we're all on the same page when it comes to these two well-known authors.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, best known for his epic fantasy works, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, taught English Literature at Oxford. He also contributed entries to the Oxford English Dictionary (words of Germanic origin beginning with 'w'), completed a noted analysis of Beowulf (translated it, too!), and worked on the translation of the Jerusalem Bible (mostly Jonah). He was Roman Catholic.

Clive Staples Lewis wrote fantasy, science fiction, and Christian apologetics. He also taught English Literature at Oxford, and later Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge. His most famous works are the seven books that make up the "Chronicles of Narnia", but he also wrote religious satire (The Screwtape Letters), and of course, straight-up theological science fiction. This "Space" Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength) are masterpieces of the genre. He was an adult convert from atheism to Anglicanism.

Both men had a passionate interest in religion, and a passionate interest in storytelling. Both men read widely, of course, but they also surrounded themselves with like-minded people. They belonged to an informal literary circle known as "The Inklings", which met once or twice each week for nearly twenty years. Like most informal clubs, the membership was fluid and there were few rules. The focus, however, was clear. Members shared their literary works-in-progress, both for each others' enjoyment and to solicit constructive criticism.

Sometimes, this criticism was harsh; at one point, Tolkien stopped sharing his work until the others' tones became more gentle. When things were working well, however, they worked incredibly well. The Inklings believed that stories were inherently important, and therefore deserved to be well told. The members were unstinting with their praise when they felt it was deserved, but they were brutally frank when the time came to point out things that didn't work. They always read early drafts, not "finished" work, which allowed people to take and give criticism freely. As a group, the Inklings preferred clear writing to clever writing, and valued strong narratives – both features that make for enjoyable, publishable stories.

Lewis and Tolkien didn't just take their literature seriously; they took their religious beliefs seriously, too. They thought deeply about religion, and spent a great deal of time developing internally consistent, deeply complex, religious world views. It is inevitable that an author's world view will affect his or her writing, but in the case of both Tolkien and Lewis, the influence was deliberate. Lewis' "Narnia" series was written as allegory. Aslan isn't simply like Jesus – in a very important sense, he is Jesus, or at least, Jesus as Lewis imagined He'd be in a world of talking animals. Tolkien, on the other hand, wasn't a fan of allegory. Instead, his works are imbued with his values – self-sacrifice, duty, fighting against temptation – and his beliefs - in redemption, Love, goodness, providence, and Truth-with-a-capital-T.

By taking both the literary and philosophical aspects of their work seriously, Tolkien and Lewis were able to create tales that appeal to a wide audience while still living up to certain ideals. Those of us who want to try our hands at Theological Science Fiction could do worse than to follow their example.