Is Catholic Church Ready for Extraterrestrials?

Notwithstanding numerous interpretations, by the time science proves the existence of extraterrestrial life, the Catholic Church will adapt.

The proof of existence of aliens would probably shock the secular public, but not the Catholic Church which will accept them like brethren, Wired reported.

At least that is how the Vatican’s chief astronomer and the Pope’s scientific advisor, Gabriel Funes, explained in an article he recently published in the Vatican Observatory entitled L’Osservatore Romano.

His conclusions would probably surprise unbelievers, because is that not the same church that locked up Galileo for claiming the Earth was spinning around the sun? Does it not say in the Bible that God created man “to His image”? Aliens are not mentioned anywhere.

Jill Tarter, director of the SETI research centre, believes that evidence about the existence of extraterrestrial life would not be in accordance with the belief in God. Because of this theology experts have been spinning theories about the existence of life on other planets. Also, if somebody believes in the existence of angels, it should not be difficult for them to believe in aliens as well.

God created aliens? 

As God created the universe, theology experts say, then He also created aliens. And far from it that Christianity will lose its strength, it will adjust. Its doctrines will be reinterpreted, in line with new evidence. The aliens will be welcomed with open arms and, who knows, perhaps they will carry Bibles under their arms.

The main question is – will religions survive such a contact. But since religions survived the Copernicus twist, they will probably adjust to the fact that there is life in outer space, says Steven J. Dick, author of the book “The Biological Universe” and NASA’s chief historian.

Eastern sin in space 

The chief problem for Christianity would be, if there was evidence proving the existence of aliens, the issue of resurrection, the arrival of Jesus to earth as God’s son, his crucifixion and the absolute absolution of sin through Christ’s sacrifice.

It will be possible to believe on all this as true, but if there are other “races” of beings, what is the significance of Jesus’s visit to our specific planet, Vatican’s astronomer Guy Consolmagno wonders.

Some suggest that with his resurrection Jesus paid for the sins of all being in all places. Other believe that Jesus could have taken on several life forms.

Others believe that the fact that people originated from paradise on Earth does not mean that sin became part of other beings not living on Earth. In that case, they did not need a saviour.

Notwithstanding the numerous interpretations, by the time science proves the existence of extraterrestrial life, the Catholic Church will surely find a satisfactory interpretation and adapt to the new situation.