Any Space Opera Out There Written by Christians or from a Christian perspective?

By using the Latin phrase one presumes a comparison of these times to the Roman era. If so, I'd say we're now a lot more peaceful and civilized than most any comparable length of time then.

Hmmm... did a bit of looking around, looks like Empyrion by Stephen Lawhead is a well recieved Christian sci-fi book, about a lost colony with two rival nations that act as an allegory between heaven and hell.

Well, then the whole fourth season of Lexx counts as well.

There are plenty of Christian allegories in the new Doctor Who, for that matter.

I think what Dayton is looking for is a galactic empire bringing salvation to the heathen planets of the rim.

You know, winning wars, exploring space, all that. Basically the Pax of Hyperion, only he'd have a different perspective on them.

I seem to remember a novel about a priest who is sent by the church to resolve disputes on colony worlds, only for the whole situation to change in the time it takes his ship to get there (and then again on the way back)... can't remember much more than that, though.

There may be a market for this, come to think of it.

However, one would have to be careful. Christianity, as I understand it, is not exactly compatible with warfare, which is kinda what space opera's all about, IMHO.

Years ago, George RR Martin wrote a collection of short stories more or less set in the same universe. In that universe, Earth was attacked and nearly destroyed by two alien races (who, I gather, hit Earth at nearly the same time). The war led to a repudiation of Christianity, as some people saw Jesus as "weak" and adopted a new Christ-like figure called (IIRC), the "White Child" - personified as a baby wielding a sword. The central tenet of the new religion was to assert Human superiority over the rest of the 'verse so that nobody could ever destroy Earth again.

In those stories, it was hinted that this religion (The Steel Angels, again IIRC) came about as a result of the mental attacks used by one of the alien races who attacked Earth.

(For reference: The book is "Nightflyers" - some good stories in it, though it's out of print now )

Pax Americana implies the military capability to enforce said peace.

Events in Iraq have rather disproved that. If we can't enforce peace on one conquered country, how do we do it with the entire planet (without nuking cities, which would quickly become problematic when you think of drifting fallout, etc).

While it's not quite what Dayton is looking for, Ben Bova's series on the exploration of our solar system deals with how religion will cope with discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Hmmm... another one might be the Seafort Saga, by Feintuch. Not sure how religious it is, as it's one of those that I want to but haven't quite gotten around to reading yet. But I know the Church plays a major role in it - though more politically than spiritually.

Foster's Humanx Commonwealth has an interesting take on the Church structure - it's pretty much become the official government of mankind, but along the way it dropped almost all of the religious themes. It's more like the democrats than what we think of as the church.

Oh, and for a scientific outlook on what might actually consist of an afterlife, the Night's Dawn Trilogy by Hamilton is interesting.

The new Dune trilogy struck me as vaguely Christian.

Oh yes POTN.

An occupation of a country of 25 million with barely 8 percent of the active duty U.S. military that suffers only two fatalities per day and still treats the Iraqi population with kid gloves.

And yet the United States has clearly gained the upper hand.

Oh yeah, that shows just about everything regarding American capabilities.

And yet the war is unpopular, Dayton.

Wars are not won by guns or soldiers alone.

For a democracy like America, they're won by the will of the people.

Now, a "Pax Americana" would work...IF the United States were a dictatorship, where public opinion did not matter.

But a democracy or a republic? Doubtful. VERY doubtful. Can you imagine what the public mood would be if we were not only trying to keep Iraq under occupation, but also Iran and North Korea?

What about countries larger than us? Russia? China? How does a nation of 300 million dominate 5-6 billion people?

That's the kind of thing you have to keep in mind for ANY world domination story.

Read the Draka novels to get an idea of what sort of national mindset that would require.

If I ever get the book published (hell, right now I would settle for edited) and the middle of it fixed then maybe you'll see POTN.

Perhaps you'll understand that domination can utilize more than military strength.

Economic, social, demographic et cetera

Well, yeah.

Tell you what, I'll hold off judgement until you're done with it.

At the rate I write stuff we both might be retired first.

I hear ya, Dayton.

My writer's group friends keep wondering why I laugh hysterically whenever they bring up NaNoWriMo.