Introduction 

Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek Voyager was known for her reliance on science without regard for spiritual explanations. I recently saw that reliance challenged when I watched Season 3: Episode 7 of the TV show. She was put into a position where reliance on science wasn’t working. In that episode of Star Trek Voyager: Capt. Janeway walked in faith.

Plot Summary

Kes was struck down when she tried to pass through a sacred energy field. Capt. Janeway attempted to plead for her life before the Ancestral Spirits by performing religious rites in preparation to speak to them. Those turned out to be meaningless.

Before that, though, Janeway encountered three elderly people in a room, waiting to be called. They urged her to sit and wait with them. She became impatient and pounded on the door. So, Kathryn was led to the preparation rituals. 

After learning how meaningless those rituals were, Janeway returned to the room with the three people. They urged her to simply sit and talk with them. One commented that they were quite sociable. The Captain wanted answers, which they were unwilling to answer.

Ultimately, the three people urged Kathryn to lay down her need for scientific explanations. They wanted her to simply trust them when they told her to subject Kess again to the energy field. She had to believe and take the risk of further harm.

When she decided to go ahead, Chakotay threatened to relieve Janeway of command due to mental instability. “This isn’t like you.” Neelix proclaimed his trust in her but said he couldn’t ask her to take the risk. “Too many people depend on you.” After all, these people had refused to help Kes themselves.

Scientifically- minded Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Fleet took the risk in trust of what the three people said. She was protected and Kes was revived.

Parallels with Faith in God

As I watch the older and newer Star Trek TV shows, I wonder if there are believers among the writers and producers of the shows. I’m planning a series of posts to show parallels between the Federation Star Fleet ideals and Kingdom principles. Today, I point out the similarity between this episode’s call for proceeding in trust without having a rational explanation.

Janeway wanted to appeal for help from the local gods. Since the rebellion of Adam and Eve, people have always appealed to one god or another for some need or other.

The three people in the waiting room urged Kathryn to sit and wait. Yahweh also urges His people to “wait upon the Lord.” Doing so “will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40) In His love, Yahweh can be quite sociable.

The three people told Janeway what she needed to do, which was what had hurt Kess in the first place. Yahweh always calls His people to go through something that will risk their lives or the lives of loved ones. The fact that both solutions are counter- intuitive does not matter.

The three people argued that the Captain’s need for scientific understanding stood in the way of her accomplishing her goal. King Solomon wrote, 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding

(Proverbs 3:5)

Janeway had to simply trust what she had been told just as believers believe what God has said.

Finally, the Captain had to ignore threats to her authority and appeals for her safety from her crew. Chakotay spoke about relieving Janeway of her command. Neelix told her not to risk herself; these people didn’t deserve her trust and obedience. The Enemy of believers threatens them with the loss of their ability to be effective. He gets family and friends to tell the faithful to not put themselves at risk. “Certainly, don’t risk yourself for people who don’t deserve your trust.” Nevermind that is just what Jesus did.

Epilogue 

In Star Trek techno-speak, the Doctor explained to her and Kes the scientific reasons why Janeway wasn’t hurt by the energy field and Kes was revived. It all sounded plausible. Seeing that Janeway looked dissatisfied, the Doctor asked if there was anything incorrect about the facts. Janeway replied that it was very scientific.