A Canticle For Leibowitz: A Cycle Of Civilization

Walter M. Miller’s novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz, depicts a cycle of civilization caused by a conflict between science and religion and the Church and the State. Throughout his novel, Miller incorporated the themes of knowledge, religion, science, faith, humanity, technology, and how it affected their post-nuclear-fallout society. Miller attempts to answer some of the questions (which most religions have attempted to answer) of life: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is my purpose? According to Miller, science may be able to answer the questions on how the world works, but only religion answers the questions on why the world is the way it is. Miller’s novel also investigates the difference between religious and nonreligious ethics by conveying that nonreligious ethics violates the nature of humanity’s relationship with God. For example, some characters in A Canticle for Leibowitz have a strong sense of religious ethics, therefore, they are portrayed positively; while some characters without a strong sense of religious ethics are portrayed negatively. An interesting point regarding the Middle Ages that Miller captures in his novel, is that the characters are either Catholic, atheist, or barbarian. In other words, the Catholic Church is the only civilizing influence. Just like in the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church is the only civilizing force around, and whoever favors nonreligious

Miller’s characters are portrayed as theists who have doubts about their faith and scientists who have doubts over the meaning of science. Throughout his novel, Miller warns humanity that the future is desolate without the union of religion and science. He divides his novel into three sections with diverse themes separated by centuries: “Fiat Homo,” “Fiat Lux,” and “Fiat Voluntas