Page - (000134) - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 04/02

133 JRFM 2020, 6/1 CALL FOR PAPERS Science Fiction and Religion Even more than other film genres, science fiction movies confront viewers with societal problems and make experimentation with other models possible. Sci- ence fiction can thus be connected to explorations of religion, faith, and belief. Does a machine (a robot, a computer, an android, or a ship) have a soul? What about the concepts of determinism and free will, the bounds between faith, magic, and experimentation? How do films deal with God and the figure of the saviour, or with prophets, priests, imams, and rabbis? How can ideas of time travel and the afterlife be linked with religious beliefs? How can science be related to faith? What about notions of the future? Why are angels and demons and concepts of good and evil (related to theodicy) so popular in science fiction movies? What is the significance of fictional forms of religion and what is their link to theocracies and dystopian universes? This issue of JRFM analyses and examines these questions by focusing on science fiction in films and TV-series, including both historical and contempo- rary case studies. It extends the concept of science fiction by also considering fantasy productions. Interdisciplinary approaches to the relationship between religion and science fiction are particularly welcome. The issue also has an open section for articles on any topic linked to the pro- file of JRFM. Contributions focusing on the use of media in teaching religion and/or discussing the role of media in transmitting academic knowledge in reli- gious studies are particularly welcome. The deadline for submission is 30 June 2019. Contributions of 25,000–30,000 characters (including spaces) should be submitted online for peer review through the journal homepage, www.jrfm.eu. We kindly ask authors to regis- ter. Publication is scheduled for May 2020. For questions regarding the call for papers or the submission and publication process, please contact the JRFM office manager (natalie.fritz@kath.ch).