The Parallax View #167: A Tarot Reading

In this short story, a group of space explorers return from an expedition to a remote star system where they found the remnants of an advanced civilization destroyed by a supernova. The chief astrophysicist, a Jesuit priest, is deeply affected by the discovery and the knowledge that the supernova was the Star of Bethlehem, which heralded the birth of Jesus Christ. This revelation shakes his faith, prompting him to question the nature of God and the moral implications of such a catastrophic event. The story delves into themes of faith, science, and the existential questions posed by the vastness and indifference of the cosmos.