“Is There Prayer on Mars?” is an essay on Andy Weir’s book, The Martian, that considers the positivist worldview of the book (and perhaps the movie). Students can consider this example as a representation of an outlook distinctly different from the sort of narrative that would be informed by the Bible. There is no traditional religious significance in the novel, but Weir offers a vision in which there is deep religious faith in humanity: very smart, very nice, very funny, very kind people all working together in a world without sin, only technical difficulties. The Martian is an extended tract for this new religion.
