God and the Galaxy

L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time is fascinating for so many reasons. In particular I was fascinated by how religion continued to exist in the work and that while it wasn't explicit for Meg, Cal, or Charles, an essentially human take on religion existed on other planets. Traveling through space and time didn't call into question human religion religious beliefs as is so often suggested, and in fact the work simply revealed that the believe in a God is universal. Science fiction is so interesting in that it can change everything we know believe about society by creating a different one. 

I find it interesting that while L'Engle intentionally changed the looks of the other, the sensory perceptions of the other, and the lifestyle of the other, she created a world in which God remained nearly the same. Is this heartening or frustrating? Is it more effective to suggest what we know about god is as much as any sentient creature can know about God?or is it more effective to see God as totally differently conceived in all walks of life's?

L'Engle explores many human experiences through the lens of seeing the other perform them differently. She she advocates a sort of cultural relativism in order to promote a love of differences. Interestingly, she never promoted cultural relativism in relation to religion or in relation to love. It's possible that this is intentional there's a direct parallel for L'Engle between love and God.

Twice, L'Engle has two different  characters whom Meg associates with love, speak passages about the glory and praise as well as the great grace of a divine being. In the first case Mrs what attempts to translate a song with the help of Charles, another person who Meg loves and who loves Meg, that translates into a psalm of praise. In the second instance, Aunt Beast talks about how "we are the called according to His purpose, and whom He calls, then He also justifies " ( L'Engle 173). In the sense the police echo of bringing universality that Christianity often strive for. 

On another level, it is uncomfortable to hear the other speaking of earths God. With the all of the differences between the many worlds, and the celebration of difference in the book, it is confusing to see a refusal to celebrate religious difference as well. While I haven't done any research on it, I could understand the book being banned for its challenging view on religion. Is it trying to speak to the universality of one God, or is it trying to associate God with the occult and the impossible in science fiction?

In my reading of the work, L’Engle celebrates the beauty of the living God and that love active in this world and any other world in our universe. I found the book's take on religion surprisingly challenging, but enjoyed considering how the concept of God might look to a creature can't see.