in the open space: God & culture

Above is the trailer shown at Comic-Con 2010 for the second season of Caprica , the Battlestar Galactica prequel series that began earlier this year. This trailer begins with both written and spoken words that accentuate one of the main themes of the series—one with overt religious language and undertones. The first words spoken in the trailer ask: "So you want to serve God--or do you want to be God?" As we listen to these words and watch images from the upcoming season, we also see these words scroll over the screen: On Caprica, controlling life and death is just the beginning. From the producers of Battlestar Galactica comes the epic story of humanity’s fall. Interesting turn of phrases, as many see the biblical Fall a result of man's desire to be God. It will be interesting to see how these themes play out next season. While Caprica has not been as solid as its predecessor , it has brought God-talk into these open spaces . And I must admit, I’ve missed it lately....

Last night, I finally got around to watching the pilot to the Battlestar Galactica prequel series, Caprica (which will begin airing in 2010). The pilot opens 58 years before the events of BSG , with the tragic intersection of the lives of Joseph Adama (Admiral Bill Adama’s father) and scientist Daniel Graystone, who both lose daughters in a bombing by a monotheist teenager associated with a radical terrorist group (the vast majority of religion is polytheistic). When the grief-stricken Graystone realizes a combination of technologies could bring back a semblance of his daughter Zoe, Joseph struggles with the ramifications of the chance to bring back his own daughter. And so in these personal stories and choices we begin to follow the events that lead to the fall of Caprica and humanity’s way of life. We see how theses struggles, choices (good and bad) and events funnel BSG’s humanity down the road on which we know they end up. And, you know what? It’s a pretty good story. It feels s...