Religion in Science Fiction

SF Signal is discussing the question "Is Science Fiction Antithetical to Religion?" with a panel made up of a number of different Sci-fi authors. John C. Wright acquits himself well with reasoning that could be true of conservatism or religion:

Criticism of religion is an SF theme, because it is speculation. If Jesus turns out to be a Martian, or the Bethlehem Star turns out to be a supernova, that is speculative. Defense of religion is not an SF theme, because the idea that our ancestors were right on this point is not disorienting. It is not speculative.

Let us not misunderstand this point. It is not that religion is unscientific ergo science fiction is irreligious. That argument is beneath contempt. It is that science fiction readers love the roller coaster of new ideas.

Adam Roberts brings up some interesting connections between the rise of Science Fiction and the Reformation. Individual authors pieces are mixed, but the whole is still worth reading.