Sigh. I knew this would happen. The Press is going sensational again on the Catholic Church. No doubt You have heard. Lets us Look at this headlines:
Vatican: Aliens would be our brothers courier-journal The ...
Vatican says little green men are part of Creation -Times Online
Vatican: Space aliens would still be 'God's creatures'
Vatican: Space aliens are God's children, too
Now of Course the "Vatican" did not make any grand announcement on this. All this comes out of a 2000 word interview in the Vatican Newspaper with a Catholic Scientist. The meat of the article is not talked about. Father Jose Gabriel Funes was quoted that it is possible "to admit the existence of other worlds and other forms of life, even those more evolved than ours, without necessarily questioning faith in the Creation, in the incarnation (of God as man through Jesus) and redemption"
Now of course Father Funes does not represent the Official Teaching Office of the Church and it is of course just an interview. But out of this you would think the Vatican is making some huge doctrine of faith looking at the headlines
Anyway, it might shock people but the Catholic Church has been contemplating what if as to life on other planets for a very very long time. Go to Vox Nova and see this very interesting entry on how long!!!
8 comments:
I find it compelling that there was such an interview. I am a Christian but also believe in the vastness of the universe there must be other intelligent life. So while I wrote a headline that makes you sigh (http://blogs.pioneerlocal.com/religion/) I also share how I respect the Catholic Church for addressing the issue. How would Christians react to other life? Would aliens have souls? Should they be baptized? Fascinating thoughts.
Thanks for commenting. Indeed that link was interesting to see how this has been talked about for a while. I intend to try to research that more. I am looking for the entire article to be translated today perhaps and If I can I will post a link to it
The best series of books to get an overview of the discussion and debate (although it is only an overview) is a three volume set which explores the debate from pre-Christian times to the 20th century:
Steven Dick, Plurality of Worlds: The Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant; Michael Crowe, The Extraterrestrial Life Debate 1750-1900: The Idea of a Plurality of Worlds from Kant to Lowell; and Steven Dick, Life on Other Worlds: The 20th-Century Extraterrestrial Life Debate .
Dick also edited a collection of essays on the topic, Many Worlds: The New Universe, Extraterrestrial Life, and the Theological Implications.
When I first read them years ago, they led me to Nicholas of Cusa, who I had heard of before but had not yet read. Once I did, I found one of my favorite theologians of all time. It's only a side issue in his works, but, as the quote I offered shows, it helps put things in perspective and how extended this debate has been.
The big questions I have about the possible existence of alien life with immortal souls are:
1) Did Jesus die on the cross on their planet for their sins?
2) If so, does that mean he didn't die on the cross on earth for all, but only for all on earth?
3) If he died on both planets, would that mean his one sacrifice wasn't meant to save all, but only earthlings?
4) If he died only on earth, and there are beings on other planets, how would they even know that Jesus died for them? Would preaching of His mission rely solely upon the shoulders of Earthlings?
I read that it was said that to claim there is no life on other planets would "limit God". Here's another way of limiting God. He can't create a stone so big he can't throw it.
Yes, I also find it disturbing that a Catholic in the Vatican would issue a statement like this. matts brings up the perfect problems to a belief in aliens: Jesus died for our sins and our sins alone. I hope some higher tier Vatican official comes out and corrects this. One book that debunks the whole alien theory: "Darwin's Black Box" by Michael J Behe, who is a Roman Catholic I may add.
An interesting exploration into this subject is C.S. Lewis' space trilogy (Out of Silent Planet, Perelandra, and The Hideous Strength). I am currently finishing Perelandra so I can't explain all of Lewis' thoughts on the matter, but it is a very good source to read to spur some deeper and guided reflections on the subject.
In Matt's post the last thing he stated about "limiting God" was actually a logical contradiction, since it took the concept of God's Infinite Power in creation and put it against His Infinite Power (I suppose in the sense of strength). God's Infinite Power does not mean he can do things logically impossible. He cannot make 2+2=5 for example.
The main part of Matt's questions, about whether or not Christ died for aliens sins, has an important pre-supposition attached. Namely, that one bares original sin. Christ's death was to redeem us back from original sin. We believe we inherit original sins through Adam and Eve, our first parents. If intelligent willful alien life exists then they probably don't have original sin (or at least not through Adam and Eve) and so it would seem that they wouldn't necessarily require Jesus' sacrificial blood to redeem them. If the alien life retained original sin it would probably be through a different original sin made by different parents and thus require a different sacrifice or an Earthly evangelization.
Ultimately, when we find out whether or not intelligent alien life exists it won't be a big challenge to the faith of Catholics. Faith and Reason are gifts from God and if both are properly used and understood they will pose each other no challenge in living faithful lives.
...they are here.
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