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firefly - What Is Shepherd Book's Religion?


While Shepherd Book has quoted some Christian scripture, Firefly takes place far enough in the future that many people speak a mix of Mandarin and English. It's never made clear whether, in this time, Christianity resembles current Christianity, or if Shepherd Book's religion is one that's evolved from a mixture of different religions.


Is his religion Christianity as we know it today, or is it a belief system that has evolved from a mixture of influences, including Christianity, but also including other beliefs as well? And if it is a mixture of religious influences, then what is it called?




Answer



Book follows some form of Christianity, though it's hard to tell whether it is a denomination that exists today. He carries a Bible (or at least an Old Testament/Torah- but he does refer to it at least once as "The Bible") containing, to River's dissatisfaction, the familiar story of Noah's Ark. That narrows it down to one of the Abrahamic religions. As razummy pointed out, there seem to be some Catholic elements to his background, notably his apparent history with some kind of monastic order in an abbey. (Given the heavy Chinese influence in the Verse, some crossover from Buddhism makes sense too.)


The most explicit reference to the nature of his faith comes in Serenity when,



after shooting down the ship that had attacked Haven,



he says it "wasn't very Christian of me." So clearly he identifies himself as Christian.


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