Links to Spiritual Fantasy and Science Fiction Sites

The largest collection of online writings about interfaith fantasy and science fiction, Original Literary Resources at Adherents.com, has an extensive links list, as well as links to various sites within its other pages. This page attempts not to duplicate those links except where necessary. Visitors should supplement this page by visiting Adherents.com, and should take special notice of the page devoted to Religious References in Science Fiction; this, along with the other pages at the site, contains information on speculative fiction about many faiths, including hundreds of faiths not mentioned on this page.

The easiest way to locate a specific author on this page is to use your "find" button (if your browser allows this); in addition, authors' names appear in bold face. Christian fantasy authors in particular are found at a number of the sites mentioned on this page.

This page is no longer updated.

[This page was updated in October 2000.] 

Religion and Literature 
Spiritual Fantasy and Science Fiction 
Arthurian Tales
Bahá'í Fantasy and Science Fiction
Buddhist Fantasy and Science Fiction
Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction
Humanist Fantasy and Science Fiction
Jewish Fantasy and Science Fiction
Pagan Fantasy and Science Fiction
Zoroastrian Fantasy and Science Fiction
Specific Authors
Specific Works

Religion and Literature 

English Literature and Religion. An academic bibliography of "religious aspects and backgrounds of English literature, from the Middle Ages to the present century, with primary (though not exclusive) emphasis upon writers within the Anglican tradition." Electronic texts and related links are included.

Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion

Religion and the Arts. An academic journal.

Religion, Literature and the Arts. An academic site.

Spiritual Fantasy and Science Fiction 

Christianity, Paganism, and Literature. By Steve Hayes. A discussion of how fantasy literature bridges the gap between Christians and Neo-Pagans.

EN 258: Science Fiction and Fantasy. This course includes an introductory lecture that discusses the use of mythology in science fiction and fantasy, as well as essays on the use of Taoism by Ursula K. Le Guin, the use of Manicheeism by Susan Cooper, and the use of Christianity by Stephen Lawhead.

Fantasy and Mythology. A panel discussion; includes a discussion of Native American fantasy.

The Mythopoeic Society. An "international literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, and enjoyment of fantasy and mythic literature, especially the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams." 

Original Literary Resources. Tucked into the major interfaith site Adherents.com is a large subsection devoted to religious speculative fiction. The site includes lists of authors divided by name and by faith community (with descriptions of some of the authors' faith beliefs); a list of authors who are converts to a different religion; 6,300 citations in speculative fiction literature referring to "church, religions and tribes"; a list divided by faith community of "science fiction novels and stories in which specific real-world religious groups are prominently featured"; pages devoted to Amish, Baha'i, Baptist, Christian Science, Jesuit, Latter-day Saint, Quaker, Seventh-day Adventist, Tibetan Buddhist, and Zoroastrian speculative fiction; general reflections by editor Preston Hunter on religious speculative fiction (including this piece, hidden in another portion of the site); and enough links to keep the visitor clicking to the end of his days. [Adherents.com]

Realms of Thought: Myth and Fantasy in the Balance of Literature. By Curtis R. Campbell. A look at the role that mythology plays in fantasy. [Phantastes]

Theological Romances, Shaggy God Stories, and Other Metaphysical Speculations: A Selected List of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Theology: Science Fiction or Fantasy about Religion. Covers the following topics: Afterlife, Angels, Apocalypse, Aztec, Celtic, Christian, Demon, Devil, Egyptian Pantheon, Elder Gods, God, Goddess, Greek/Roman Pantheon, Haiti and Voodoo, Heaven, Hell, Hindu Pantheon, Islamic, Jewish/Hebrew (linked separately below), Limbo, Mayan, Messiah Figures, Native American, Oriental Fantasy, Original Pantheon, Pseudo-Religions, Purgatory, Scandanavian Pantheon, and "those miscellaneous others." [The Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide]
 

For more sites, see Links: General Essays and Lists of Science Fiction Dealing with Religious Themes [Adherents.com]

Arthurian Tales 

The Camelot Project. This site offers extensive links to primary texts and images related to King Arthur. The sections on the Holy Grail and Galahad address religion most directly. Ray H. Thompson's Interviews with Arthurian Authors contains a number of discussions of the authors' use of mythology.

The High Fantasies of Lawhead and Kay. By John J. Doherty. This chapter of Athurian Fantasy, 1980-1989 explores the religious symbolism in the Arthurian works of Stephen Lawhead and Guy Gavriel Kay.

Bahá'í Fantasy and Science Fiction

Baha'is in Science Fiction and Fantasy [ Adherents.com]

Buddhist Fantasy and Science Fiction

Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama in Science Fiction [Adherents.com]

Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction 

Christian Fandom Home Page. Among other activities, this group aims to "share information about SF and fantasy that is being done from a Christian perspective, in all mediums (literary, music, art, etc.)." The site includes a recommended reading list, as well as links to other Christian fan sites.

Christian Fandom Homepage. Not to be confused with the above site, this page refers to the same organization but is part of Avenging Aardvark's Aerie by founding member Ross Pavloc. The page includes links to such topics as Christians in the arts and the Inklings, as well as a recommended reading list that is quite thorough.

Xianworldview. An Internet community of Christians who enjoy fantasy and science fiction. Includes book reviews and lightly used forums.
 

For more sites, see Links: Christian [Adherents.com]

Humanist Fantasy and Science Fiction 

Jewish Fantasy and Science Fiction 

Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy. A list of books, and information on joining the Jewish Speculative Fiction Discussion Group, an e-mail list.

Jews and Jewish Science Fiction. Part of The Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide. Scroll down from the entry on Israel. 

Pagan Fantasy and Science Fiction 

Fantasy and Magic for Older Readers. By Starhawk. A prominent Wiccan offers a reading list for children in Neo-Pagan households.

Pagan Fiction Bibliography

Zoroastrian Fantasy and Science Fiction

Zoroastrians and Parsis in Science Fiction [Adherents.com]

Specific Authors (alphabetical by author)

Orson Scott Card: On Religion in Fantasy and Science Fiction. By Moira Allen. In this interview, Card describes some of the reasons why religion is inadequately portrayed in current fantasy and science fiction, and offers reasons why writers should consider religion when creating a fictional world. [Phantastes]

G. K. Chesterton: The "Colossal Genius". Mega-links.

The Susan Cooper Home Page

Welcome to Damnation. "A virtual Inferno from Dante's The Divine Comedy." Includes a link to the academic Digital Dante Project.

Sylvia Engdahl Home Page

Guy Gavriel Kay: Bright Weavings – The Authorized Website [new]

Websites on Stephen Lawhead

Le Guin's World. On Ursula K. Le Guin.

Bonastra – The Madeleine L'Engle WWW Resource

C. S. Lewis: 20th Century Knight. In addition to its extensive listing of Lewis sites, this page also contains links to sites on the Inklings, George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams.

The Golden Key: The George MacDonald WWW Page

The J. R. R. Tolkien Information Page

The Charles Williams Society

Specific Works (alphabetical by author)

Prophetic and Apocalyptic Eschatology in Ursula LeGuin's The Farthest Shore and Tehanu. By Mara E. Donaldson.

Study Guide for Walter M. Miller, Jr.: A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959). By Paul Brians. Notes and bibliography for the classic science fiction novel about the Catholic Church in post-holocaust America.