The Religions of Star Trek - by Ross Kraemer & William Cassidy & Susan L Schwartz (Paperback)

About the Book

Tackling challenging questions head-on, this book is a remarkable treatment of the religious themes threading through one of America's science fiction icons.

Book Synopsis

Is there a God? What evil lurks beyond the stars? Can science save one's soul? Profound questions like these have consumed human thought over the ages; they also inspired the original creators of the Star Trek canon of TV series and films. Religions of Star Trek tackles these challenging questions head-on in a remarkable look at one of sci-fi's great success stories. Analyzing more than three decades of screen adventure, the authors depict a Star Trek transformed, corresponding to the resurgence of religion in American public discourse. The authors identify the many religious characters in Star Trek, tracing the roots of scientific humanism to more contemporary aspects of religion and spirituality. Through it all, the creators' visionary outlook remains constant: a humanistic faith in free will and the salvific nature of dispassionate scientific inquiry. This book was not prepared, licensed, approved, or endorsed by any entity involved in creating or producing the Star Trek television series or films.

About the Author

Ross S. Kraemer is professor of religious studies at Brown University, and she has a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University.

William Cassidy is professor on human studies at Alfred University.

Susan L. Schwartz is associate professor of religion at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.