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The Unknown Future: God in Foundation

The Unknown Future: God in Foundation

Last updated on: October 18, 2024 at 12:25 am by J.H. Moore

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The Unknown Future: God in Foundation 2024-10-18T00:25:28+00:00 J.H. Moore

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Reading regularly in Science Fiction without reading about the future is nearly impossible. Many stories are set in the future. We’ve already discussed several, such as A Brave New World and Life. Others, like Edge of Tomorrow and Kindred use time travel as a central concept. The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov does not go in the most obvious direction. It focuses on making the unknown future known is one of the more important ones in the science fiction genre. More importantly, I think it gives Christians a beautiful pattern to look at for our trust in the Lord regarding the future.

Familiar Setting

Science Fiction has patterned itself after a couple of essential works. One of those is Isaac Assimov’s Foundation series. Several books and movies in the genre draw from the classic work. Space Opera in particular recycles ideas such as failing empires, traders traveling the outer reaches of space in rickety ships, and warring factions.

Foundation introduces us to the empire at the beginning of its end. While most citizens don’t see the looming failure of their government, the signs are already there. This is the fact that sets the events of the story in play. In the first portion of the book, we are introduced to the central character, Hari Seldon.

Hari Seldon is a psychologist and a historian. He is a contentious figure in the Empire’s ranks. His invention of what he refers to as Psychohistory (the study of how humans will behave as a social structure in various situations based on historical examples) allows him to functionally predict the future.

When Seldon sees that the powerful Empire, will inevitably fail, he begins preaching about it in academic circles. For his efforts, he and his students are essentially exiled to a tiny planet without natural resources at the very edge of the Empire. This group is given the title “the Foundation”. From what they understand their only goal is to collect all the information in the universe and compile it into one massive encyclopedia to retain the essential progress they have achieved. The audience discovers that this is a lie. They are, essentially, the foundations of the next Empire.

The rest of the story, and much of the series, records events in history called “Seldon Crises” or crises that Seldon foresaw as endangering the Foundation. In each of these events, a Seldon-esque hero rises and resolves the crises through intellect and faith in past psycho-historian’d work.

For someone familiar with the Old Testament, this reads very much like the Biblical account of Isreal’s history. I find them so similar I found myself wondering often if Asimov used Genesis and Judges as a pattern for his book.

Foundation is a series that focuses on time and the future, though it does not use time travel. One of the ways that Asimov incorporates the theme of time02 is the usage of anxiety, both in the reader and the characters. Despite being written in the 40s and 50s, these are themes as potent as ever.

The Comfort of Knowing.

John Lennox, a mathematician and great theological mind, spoke in his teaching “Where is God in Suffering” about how suffering without reason, is the worst of all human experiences. I don’t think we need to dig deep to find that to be true. One of our first most basic questions when pain comes to us is “Why?”

The Seldon-esque heroes featured throughout Foundation and much of Foundation and Empire share a specific common trait. Each hail from different backgrounds has different theories of politics and even different stances on Seldon and the mission of the Foundation. However, these heroes all display a strong sense of calm when facing an unknown future.

The most popular “Seldon” quote, one which I feel should be taught in our schools, is “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent”. The heroes of the Foundation are nothing if not competent. I cannot say these Seldon heroes do not react to fear with violence, though, because they seem not to feel fear.

While in some cases it’s the unwavering trust in Hari Seldon that creates their fearlessness, other times they have orchestrated the events themselves. By their intelligence, charm, and basic understanding of human nature, they save their planet from destruction despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Through it all they remain unphased, no matter the threats or anger thrown at them.

The only notable stand out in these two books is the one female lead, Bayta. While she is intelligent she frustrates the enemy’s plans not through careful planning but through kindness. Even in that story, though, the character maintains composure even through incredible grief.

I can’t help but compare these admirable characters to Biblical figures such as David in his battle against Goliath, and Samson, as he ended his own life along with his enemies. These are not the only examples that arise in my mind. Fox’s Book of Martyrs is full of examples of Christians who faced their death with dignity and peace. One of the foremost examples to me is Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie suffered through the concentration camps after her family was discovered hiding Jewish refugees. Her sister died in that camp. When I was a teenager one quote from her book “The Hiding Place” was posted on my wall. It says “Our unknown future is safe in the hands of an all-knowing God.”

Image by Bella H. from Pixabay

Safe in the Unknown Future

Recently, I and another family member have been walking through tragedy together. Both of us submitted to wait on the Lord in the hope of restoration. In that wait, we spoke often about the pain of suffering without an end in sight. I said many times “I would be willing to suffer anything if I just knew why.”

As my world was caving in, I found a new lifeline. The overwhelming, hour-long panic attacks that broke me down did not stop immediately. I wish it were that simple. I did, however, find a pattern much like that of the Israelites before me, and that of the citizens of foundations. Crises fall and I believe that everything has ended. The world is reduced to smoke and ruin. Yet, despite that, there is a seed of hope that grows again and makes something new. The non-essential things may burn away, but God has made a plan for my future.

Anxiety can have a physical basis, yes. We can treat them in part with medication, planning, and therapy. That doesn’t mean we can dismiss the spiritual side. Just as there is help for the physical needs of an anxiety disorder, there is help for the spiritual aspects as well. A quote from Pastor Kevin DeYoung says “Anxiety is living out the future before it gets here. Faith is trusting that when the future comes, our Father will be there to give us what we need.”

In The Foundation, the greatest source of hope when faced with an unknown future was the knowledge that someone had come before them who already knew what was ahead. Hari Seldon had known the future. He’d known the threats his people would face. In that knowledge, he had set certain things in motion that may have seemed out of control and chaotic, but they served a future goal.

Like Hari Seldon, the founder of our faith knows what lies ahead of us. Since the beginning of time, He has orchestrated every event, good or bad, to serve a purpose. Scripture makes it clear that God is working for His glory and our good. Romans 8:28 assures us “All things work together for the good of those who love God” Again and again scriptures ask us to rest in God’s providence. It reminds us that He already knows what is coming, and He has already made a way through it.

Isaiah prays to the Lord in chapter 26 verse 3 “You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

In Matthew 6:34 the words of our savior remind us “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

God commands the Israelites to “Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid.” (Joshua 1:9)

In one of the most tender encouragements in scripture, Peter says “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Fear drove this same disciple from Christ’s side.

The citizens of the Foundation had hope that their future was secure because they knew that their founder had seen the road ahead and had set plans in place to rescue them. If the heroes of The Foundation series had stood back and placidly done nothing in the face of chaos without that essential truth, it would have been foolishness. Because their trust was in something greater than themselves, they were not only wise but great.

Our creator and the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) knows the unknown future. He promises us that He is strong enough to bear our trust. How much more peace should we have when facing the future?

Join me next Monday, October 14, 2024. We will look at the delightful fantasy cartoon, The Song of the Sea.

Progressive Christian

About J.H. Moore

J.H. Moore grew up in the mountains and jungles of the South Pacific with missionary parents where she saw the gospel changing lives. From a young age, she loved the Word, spending hours in study, reading, and listening to the wisdom around her. Foundational books like The Hiding Place, Narnia, and Pilgrim's Progress grew in her a life-long passion for pursuing Christian biographies, theology, and philosophy. Her home in Papua New Guinea was a world full of adventure and excitement, but at seventeen Moore started a new adventure and moved back to the U.S. Immediately she threw herself into her new mission field, volunteering and later working in ministry with at-risk-teens and foster children. She still craves adventure but finds it in the pages of books as a science fiction author. She found her new ministry between the pages of books. She's authored seven books, The Raventree Society, The Malfunction Trilogy, and more, under various pen names, with more poised for release in the future. Her truest passion is finding ways to get her readers to think more deeply about questions that will lead them to God. She primarily does that through Science Fiction and fantasy. You can find her wrapped in a world of neon lights and neuro-pathways, writing about the collision of technology, theology, and humanity, and inhaling as much knowledge as she can. You can read more about the author here.

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