My columns generally address heavy topics, but occasionally I seek escape in the world of science fiction, and I assume some of my readers do as well. Nearly every offering in this genre comes from a decidedly secular perspective, which I can tolerate in most cases if the story is interesting enough. A couple of years ago I decided to try my hand at writing a science fiction novel from a Christian worldview: "Space Colony One," under the pseudonym Etienne Joyelle.
The following is the front-matter and first two paragraphs of Chapter 1 from this book. I've never previously shared it publicly, but given that many Christians are likely feeling as heavy-laden as I do about the state of our society, I thought a limited release might offer a welcome temporary escape to like-minded believers. So here is an introduction to "Space Colony One: A Chronicle of the First Deep Space Colonization of the Millennial Kingdom."
Can science fiction be true to the Bible?
If the Bible can be taken literally (as this writer believes), after the second coming of Christ, human beings will live on the earth under His direct rulership in a government administered by His faithful Christian followers (former humans) who received new "glorified" bodies at the resurrection and rapture of the church. This Millennial Kingdom will last for a thousand years. The relatively few humans who survive the Battle of Armageddon will retain mortal bodies and repopulate the earth, which will be regenerated like the Land of Eden.
These are simply scriptural facts.
What will life be like for humans during that thousand years? How much of the vast playground of the Creation He designed for us will the Father allow His children to explore? The Bible is silent on these questions, but we know that God loves to give His children the desires of their heart and that He is the one who put the spirit of adventure and appreciation for His handiwork within us.
On a course set by Bible-believing pioneers of math and science such as Galileo and Newton, civilization advanced over the past thousand years from oxcarts to interplanetary space probes, from wood and stone buildings to a manned space station orbiting the earth, and from the abacus to artificial computer intelligence nearly rivaling the human brain. Building upon that knowledge and technology base, in a world freed from satanic corruption, what might lie ahead for the God-honoring human space explorers of the Millennial Kingdom?
Space Colony One explores one very possible future ...
It is the year 2190 (Gregorian) and the 151st year since the return of the King. He has long since vanquished His enemies and imprisoned the demonic rebel Lucifer and his army for a thousand year term. It's the seventh and final millennium, and Earth has been renewed to an Edenic state where He rules from it's planetary capital Jerusalem – enjoying fellowship with mankind on His thousand-year Sabbath. The lamb can safely lie down with the lion and the infant play with the cobra – there is no harm to human beings from any living thing. People can die, but without disease, warfare or satanic delusions it's a rarity, and the 120 year lifespan limitation set by God after the Flood of Noah has been rescinded. Thus, the population of Earth, all but extinguished in the Great Collapse and Armageddon slaughter, has rebounded dramatically.
As the planet teems again with humanity, the ever-adventurous human race seeks to explore God's wondrous Creation beyond the safety of Earth. A new space program is developed, and for the first time human colonies are established on other planets of our solar system, with plans to push out further into space.
But then a new adversary is discovered – a race of intelligent machines created for warfare in the last chaotic years of the pre-collapse world. Some of these War-Bots fled to a distant star system before the Final Battle where they launched their own civilization with only one purpose: the extermination of humankind.
For all their lives the human colonists have enjoyed a society of peace and security, never having experienced warfare. Yet, as they naively prepare to launch into deep space aboard the starship Elena Molinov, a now powerful army of War-Bots is preparing an invasion of the solar system. ...
Science fiction storyteller Etienne Joyelle, speaking through his engaging narrator Chaplain Jacob Hall, has created a fascinating world of space colonization consistent with a worldview rooted in the mysteries of Bible history and prophecy, one that allows people of faith to enjoy the wonderful genre of science fiction without adopting Atheistic assumptions or romanticizing anti-Biblical lifestyles or perspectives. It's a world that could plausibly exist during the yet-future Millennial Kingdom, but one crafted from a blend of imagination and speculation for the sole purpose of telling a good story: one that honors God, without being "sappy," or "preachy."
There are some familiar science fiction props and themes in these pages, and many that are truly unique. Prepare to embark on a one-of-a kind science fiction adventure you'll wish was real – and perhaps could be ...
Chapter 1
Probably because the science of space travel had always been dominated by men, the various technologies had always reflected the orientation of the male mind: an assertive, sometimes aggressive pursuit of conquest by willpower and controlled force: explosion-based propulsion systems and single-minded strategic focus on breaking down each successive barrier on the path to success.
But in the end it was a woman, the legendary Elena Molinov, "Mother of Millennial Physics" who made manned deep space travel possible by reversing the perspective of the scientific analysis and asking how the more feminine emphasis of attraction – as in gravitational pull – could supplement the propulsion technologies. From that simple question evolved the game-changing science of Post-Quantum Harmonics (PQH), unlocking the secrets of gravitation and making possible the epidermal compound and PQH drive systems that allow faster-than-light travel by starcraft, and viola, the galaxy became our playground. …
That's all I can fit here, but if you'd like more I'll send you a PDF by email request to scottlivelyministries@gmail.com.
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