The only kind of SF that goes into religion is the sub-genre of sociological SF, in general. The writers in Hard-science SF are not usually dealing with supernatural causes for natural effects. So use Google and try the key words " sociological" "science fiction" "religion."

Do you have any specific authors in mind?

A case has been made that works by Isaac Asimov, Philip K Dick and William Gibson play with elements of the divine, mainly by suggesting that human reactions to advanced technology (especially artificial intelligence) mirror the fear and fascination ascribed to experiences of the holy.

In other words, I am not mainly looking for "supernatural causes for natural effects".

I suggest reading what Asimov said in his F & SF editorials about religion in general. If you are looking for religion in literature there are more direct paths than SF and this is one reason why so little that is called SCIENCE fiction actually is that. Large swathes of sociological SF are almost (physical) scientific concept free zones.

Ray Bradbury made an attempt in The Martian Chronicles to posit religion in cosmic rather than geocentric terms. I liked it, but it was not based upon science per se.

Thanks Gloria,

Those are excellent routes to explore. I'll plot a course for them.

High Weirdness by Erik Davis

Splendid. Thanks.

Parable of the Sower/Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler.

Just placed those on my wishlist. Thanks.

Dear Georga,

Do you happen to know of any reputable academic work on Octavia Butler's Parable series?

Dear Mathinus,

In my opinion, the most interesting hard SF writer today consistently exploring the relations between religion and science is probably Greg Egan. _Distress_ (1995) comes to mind, but 'Unstable Orbits in the Space of Lies' (1992) is a most intriguing take, entangling ideologies and chaos theory.

Then, most influential if not exactly 'recent", there's always Robert Heinlein, with such pieces as the _Job. A Comedy of Justice_ (1984), 'The Man Who Traveled in Elephants_ (1957) or the paranoid 'They' (1941); but also his key religious satire, deeply rooted in the Valentinian Gnosis, _Stranger in a Strange Land_ (1961) (note that Scientology was literally invented in Heinlein's backyard, by his (then) close friend L. Ron Hubbard).

Thanks Eric,

I am putting those on my reading list. While I am familiar Heinlein, I have not yet engaged with Greg Egan. So thanks for putting that on my radar.

الدين الحقيقيي لا يتعارض ابدا مع العلم

Dear Hayet,

Could I ask for a translation?

ابذل جهدا لترجمتها اذا اردت فعلا معناها.

Marthinus Stander Conradie

Dear Marthinus:

Your reply (above) indicates you are "familiar with Heinlein," so I am curious to know if you are also knowledgeable about one of his adherents, Ray Bradbury? When I saw your Question at Research Gate, I thought almost immediately of Ray Bradbury's lesser known short fiction, such as "Father, Bless Me For I Have Sinned." Might this sort of short story stand as a prototypical example of the type of hybrid science fiction and religion to which your question is directed?

Best regards,

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

Thanks for your reply. I know of Bradbury's landmark Farenheit novel, but I never got around to reading it, and I did not eve know about: Father, Bless Me For I Have Sinned.

Thanks for this! I will add it to my list.

How about Octavia Butler and religion? Does anyone know about studies in that direction?

Dear Marthinus,

This is an interesting subject. Christian Coleman wrote about Butler ('Her eyes weren't watching God') but it's not a reputable academic text. Maybe it will help you?

Best regards,

Janneke

I am still willing to read it. Do you have a link perchance?

https://www.beaconbroadside.com/broadside/2017/06/her-eyes-werent-watching-god-the-empathetic-secular-vision-of-octavia-butler.html

Here you are!

Thanks!

لم اقرا الروااية بعد.

Translation?