The interplay between Christian faiths, the existence of extraterrestrial life, and the application of science have been topics of great debate and speculation throughout human history.
While science aims to investigate and explain the natural world, religious faith delves into the supernatural and the realms beyond human understanding. This relates to but differs from articles I have written about ET Compatibility with Christianity and the Crossroads of God and science.
Divine Creation and Intelligent Design Religious faith asserts that a divine being created the universe, particularly within Abrahamic religions. According to this perspective, Earth and humans hold a unique creation position. The belief in divine Creation often leads to the assumption that humans are the sole repository of God’s grace and intelligence. Consequently, the possibility of extraterrestrial life becomes a theological challenge, questioning the centrality of human existence in the cosmic plan.
Expanding the concept of Creation, however, religious interpretations can also evolve to accommodate the idea of extraterrestrial life. Exponents of religious faith argue that a compassionate and omnipotent creator could have fashioned life on other celestial bodies, expanding God’s Creation beyond Earth. This more inclusive understanding acknowledges the vastness of the universe and the potential diversity of life within it without negating religious principles.
The Drake Equation and the Fermi Paradox Scientific inquiry, guided by empirical evidence and mathematical calculations, explore the possibility of extraterrestrial existence. Using tools like the Drake Equation, which estimates the number of civilizations in our galaxy capable of communication, scientists attempt to quantify the likelihood of encountering intelligent extraterrestrial life.
Astrobiology and the Search for Life Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary scientific field that studies life’s origins and existence in the universe. Through the examination of extremophiles, the search for exoplanets within a star’s habitable zone, and discovering of organic compounds, astrobiologists strive to uncover the conditions necessary for life as we know it.
The existence of extraterrestrial life raises theological questions related to the nature of God, God’s relationship with Creation, and the purpose of humanity. Religious scholars and theologians engage in nuanced debates to reconcile religious tenets with emerging scientific discoveries. The existence of extraterrestrial life inspires new theological insights, calling for a reinterpretation of traditional religious texts and doctrines.
The discovery of extraterrestrial life challenges theological perspectives and presents ethical dilemmas. Concepts such as stewardship, compassion, and coexistence by various religious traditions can inform discussions around the responsible exploration and potential interaction with extraterrestrial life forms. Religion can contribute to the ethical frameworks needed to guide our actions in a universe that extends beyond the boundaries of Earth.
The trend in the number of people of faith in the world looks like this: Notice that:
- The combined Abrahamic Religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism) are the overwhelming majority.
- The trend in the population of Muslims and Christians draws closer to equality.
- The number of Christians changes by only 1%
- The Jewish population has not changed from 0.2%.
- The number of Muslims increased by 7%
- All other religions remain equal or show a slight decrease.
- There is a decrease in the number of unaffiliated people. Considering item 5 above, this means that the majority of people who change or find faith will become Muslim.
Christianity is the Abrahamic monotheistic religion with the most followers. It developed in the first century CE out of Judaism. Christians adhere to revelations described in a series of canonical texts, which include the Old Testament. The Old Testament is comprised of texts that were inherited from Judaism. The New Testament contains the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (narratives on the life and teachings of Jesus), as well as events and teachings of the early Christian churches (e.g., Acts of the Apostles, letters by Paul), and Revelation, a prophetic book on the end times.
The relationship between science and faith is described in something called the two-books metaphor[1]. God revealed Godself through the “Book of Nature,” with its orderly laws, and the “Book of Scripture,” with its historical narratives and accounts of miracles.
The Book of Nature is not an actual “book” but a religious and philosophical concept originating in the Latin Middle Ages. The metaphorical book explores the relationship between religion and science. The concept views nature as a book for knowledge and understanding. Early theologians, such as St. Paul, believed the Book of Nature was a source of God’s revelation to humankind. He believed that when read alongside sacred Scripture, the “book” and the study of God’s creations would lead to knowledge of God himself. It is the root of Pantheism.
Pantheism is the philosophical, religious belief that reality, the universe, the cosmos, and nature are identical to divinity and a Supreme Being or entity. The physical universe is thus understood as an immanent deity, still expanding and creating, which has existed since the beginning of time.
The term pantheist designates one who holds that everything constitutes a unity, and that this unity is divine. The unity consists of an all-encompassing manifested god or goddess. All astronomical objects are viewed as parts of a sole deity.
Pantheist belief does not recognize a distinct personal god, anthropomorphic or otherwise. Instead, it characterizes a broad range of doctrines differing in relationships between reality and divinity. Pantheistic concepts date back thousands of years, and pantheistic elements have been identified in various religious traditions. The term pantheism was coined by mathematician Joseph Raphson in 1697. Since that time, it has been used to describe the beliefs of multiple people and organizations.
Pantheism was popularized in Western culture as a theology and philosophy based on the work of 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza, particularly his Book Ethics. Philosopher and cosmologist Giordano Bruno also took a pantheistic stance in the 16th century. Advaita Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy, is thought to be similar to Pantheism in Western philosophy.
This type of revelation is commonly referred to as a general revelation. The concept corresponds to the early Greek philosophical belief that humans, as part of a coherent universe, can understand the design of the natural world through reason. Philosophers, theologians, and scholars frequently referenced this concept.
The phrase’s first known use was by Galileo, who used the term when writing about how “the book of nature can become readable and comprehensible.”
It has been argued that the Book of Nature was more accessible since Scripture requires literacy. Illiterates and literates could both read the Book of Nature. During the Middle Ages, scholars and theologians began to claim that the Book of Nature needed to be more straightforward to read.
Given that original sin has marred our reason and perception, what conclusions could humans legitimately draw about ultimate reality? It was argued that sin has clouded human reason so much that the Book of Nature has become unreadable and that Scripture is needed to aid as it contains teachings about the world.
Christian authors in science and religion continue to debate how these two books interrelate. Concordism is the attempt to interpret Scripture in the light of modern science. It is an approach to Bible interpretation, where one expects that the Bible predicted scientific theories, such as the Big Bang theory or evolutionary theory. Some will argue many scientific-sounding statements in the Bible are scientifically invalid. Any accurate integration between the Book of Nature and Scripture will require more nuance and sophistication.
Several Christian authors have attempted to integrate science and religion, making integration a prevalent view on the relationship between science and religion. Historians have argued that Christianity was instrumental to the development of Western science. They maintain that the doctrine of original sin played a crucial role. It was said that there was a widespread belief in the early modern period that Adam, before the Fall, had superior senses, intellect, and understanding.
Because of the Fall, human senses became duller, our ability to make correct inferences diminished, and nature became less intelligible. After the Fall, humans can no longer exclusively rely on experience-based reasoning to understand nature. They must supplement their reasoning and senses with observation through specialized instruments like microscopes and telescopes.
Another theological development that may have facilitated the rise of science was the Condemnation of Paris (1277). The Condemnation forbade teaching and reading natural philosophical views considered sinful, such as Aristotle’s physical treatises. As a result, the Condemnation opened up intellectual space to think beyond ancient Greek natural philosophy.
By embracing the establishment of two-way communication with intelligent extraterrestrial life, religious faith and science can evolve and deepen, offering fresh perspectives on divine Creation. Likewise, science can benefit from incorporating the profound questions and insights that religious faith provides.
The inherent complementary nature of these realms encourages us to appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty and complexity of a universe that transcends our current comprehension. Let us embark on this journey of exploration with open hearts and curious minds, celebrating the unity that can emerge from the intersections of faith, extraterrestrial communication, and science.
References:
1.De Cruz, Helen, “Religion and Science,” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (fall 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman
2.Tanzella-Nitti, Giuseppe, 2005, “The Two Books Before the Scientific Revolution”, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 57(3): 225–248.
3.Wikipedia – multiple references