SUREFISH COLUMNS
From 2006 to 2009, I wrote regular monthly columns for Surefish, the Christian Aid webzine, originally under the byline "Science fiction author Philip Purser-Hallard looks at faith in an increasingly futuristic world."
The columns have been archived at the Surefish website, and can be accessed through the links below.
2006
- November: It's been unreal (Philip K. Dick and virtual reality).
- December: Santa Claus conquers the Martians (the spirituality of Martian life).
2007
- January: Getting needlessly messianic (mostly Battlestar Galactica).
- February: Through an Orbital Mirror, Darkly (faith, hope and futurology).
- March: The Shape of Kingdoms to Come (religion and the far future).
- April: Back to reality (religion and the near future).
- May: I baptised an alien! (more on the spirituality of alien life).
- June: Follow the Master (Doctor Who season 3).
- July: Apocalypse Now? (religious and S.F. apocalypses)
- August: Feeling Listless? (lists).
- October: Turning a Prophet (S.F. and prediction).
- November: The Church Expectant (future church history).
- December: Worstworld (dystopias).
2008
- January: What If... (alternative history).
- February: Heroes All (Heroes).
- March: Bad Robot (the spirituality of Artificial Intelligence).
- April: Time for a Change (time travel and prophecy – no longer online at Surefish, for some reason).
- May: Requiem for the Undead (vampires).
- June: It's All in the Mind (cognitive science).
- July: Heavens Above (planetary and solar religion).
- September: Master of the Lists (more lists).
- also September: Fandom and Fundies (religious and fannish fundamentalism).
- October: A Tale of Two Planets (a parable).
- November: The World Shapers (worldbuilding and subcreation)
2009
- January: Doctor of Theology (the recasting of Doctor Who).
Surefish also published my obituary of Arthur C. Clarke, 2008: A Space Obituary, and my review of Michael Ward’s book Planet Narnia.
www.infinitarian.com created and maintained by Philip Purser-Hallard.
All material © Philip Purser-Hallard 2007 to 2009 except where otherwise noted, and not to be used without permission.
Surefish logo © Christian Aid 2007.