August 6-10, 2008
Denver, CO
The Worldcon, or World Science Fiction Convention, is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS). Worldcons are wild and wonderful, with 20-30 panels and events to choose from at any given time. Although many who attend Worldcon are going strictly as Science Fiction and Fantasy fans, there are many panels that deal with the craft of writing, and usually several that deal specifically with how religion is depicted (often quite differently) in both Science Fiction and Fantasy.
The panels on Religion, Spirituality and Consciousness at the 2006 Woldcon included:
- New Maps of Heaven
Recent times have seen an explosion of science fiction and fantasy tales centered in cosmologies and mythologies outside of the North American mainstream. Writers discuss what draws them to these other mythos and what lessons they offer.
- Religion in SF Books and Movies
Religion is frequently ignored in science fiction and fantasy. But sometimes it isn't. How is it treated? Do we see standard Earth religions or all-new ones? Or ones that just think they're all new? Some authors seem to think that, come the future, all people will just abandon their religious beliefs. Does that seem likely?
- Is the Scientific Method the Death of God?
Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein have included religion in their commentary. How have scientific methods changed over the centuries and how has it affected science's relationship with religion? When all actions can be described by physics and all life can be described by biology and chemistry, is there any room for the miraculous, the ineffable?
- The Rise of Theocracy
Was Heinlein right? Is this our future? Who will be Nehemiah Scudder?
- The Future of Religion
What should we expect from our many religions as we enter the new century? If we ever leave Earth will we take our religions with us? Should we?
- The Tarot and Writing
Everyone knows the hero/heroines journey, the basis for nearly everything written in fantasy fiction. But what about other archetypes? The Tarot has 22 in all. How do these other archetypes reflect in fiction? Forget the hero/heroine, let's talk about death, the empress, the hanged one, the universe, the priestess, the fool...
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