Can ET Enter Into Salvation?

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Hello brothers and sisters in Christ!

I have been having this discussion with many different people recently, and although it seems to be on a ridiculous topic, I believe it is a very important topic because it helps to understand the method of salvation through Jesus Christ and his Church.

I am a student at Benedictine College studying theology and this question really intrigues me:

Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven? I say no (Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit), but I would like some feedback.

The only way humans enter into salvation (by participating in Trinitarian life) is through active participation in Christ’s sacrifice to the Father through incorporation into his Mystical Body, which is the Church. This is the Missio of the Son and Holy Spirit, to incorporate humanity into Christ’s flesh so that we may share in God’s life and love. This was the purpose of the Incarnation, so that Christ may take on a human nature so that we may be incorporated into his divine life. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus said, “What has not been assumed has not been healed.” or “Whatever is not assumed cannot be redeemed.”

Also, there is the belief that even if Adam and Eve had not fallen (which I don’t think could have happened because it was a part of God’s divine plan), the Incarnation still would have to have taken place in order for an unfallen human nature to be elevated in order to enter into heaven to see God face to face. Adam and Eve, even in their graced state, did not know God fully. If they did, they would not have sinned in the first place.
This website helps to affirm this argument: irishanddangerous.blogspot.com/2007/04/franciscan-scotistic-thesis-absolute.html

ALSO, Jesus has been in heaven since the beginning, as pre-incarnate, which means nearly 2,000 years ago was the first time that Jesus had entered into a physical existence with a physical body. To believe that Jesus had come before the Incarnation “that we know of,” would be to accept that he has multiple Incarnations, which seems very heretical to me. And Jesus from now until the time of his second coming, has ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. To believe that he is away on other planets attempting to bring other beings into salvation seems very contradictory.

ALSO, Bible verses such as John 14:6, John 3:36, Hebrews 11:5-6, Romans 10:9-10 and MANY MORE, state that the only way to the Father in Heaven is through Jesus Christ.

Again, I know this seems like a very silly question, but I do believe that it has A LOT to do with the salvific nature of Christ and his bride, the Church.

GOD BLESS!
 
If God deems that extraterrestrials are in need of Salvation, then I am sure that He will provide the means. This could be either by Jesus coming to them as He came to us, or by we Christians spreading the Gospel to them when we make contact, just as we spread the Gospel beyond the confines of the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost.

Perhaps some of the extraterrestrials might not have suffered the Fall, as we did, and they live in an everlasting Paradise. I hope we wouldn’t be bringing our sinfulness to them.
 
I was immediately tempted to jokingly mention ET when I read the title thinking that you may be referring to some serious theological thing the abbreviation for which was ET. Then I thought, no jokes and started to read your post, 🙂 only to realize that you are talking about an interesting theological topic the abbreviation for which is ET for Extra Terrestrial. 🙂

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/...F3xDWsT55d4MZE3EzUTsiKFDkOpYEWOP7t4jtGUbpsVdw

I really enjoyed the movie when it came out, but, many years later I learned of how Spielberg invests his money and I am not fond of his productions any more.
+++

I have ponder on this question in the past and have not arrived at any conclusion not even speculative ones. It seems to me that God can do whatever He wants and if He wants to continue to express His creative powers it seems to me that nothing we know of Him so far can tell us conclusively that He has stopped creating. Even though, as you noted and I myself have considered, that Jesus now has a glorified spiritual body that has a human form. I love that little last part, it really demonstrates to us how much He loves us. At any rate, even if God creates or has created other beings (aside from the angels) He would still have a human form and the importance of humans to God would certainly remain.

It’s funny that you should mention how even before creation God had a plan to be reincarnated, I was thinking about that just this week for a thread regarding women in society and religion. I was thinking that it was in God’s plan that Eve and Adam would sin as He may have known this when He decided to give them free will and knowing the composition of what it is to be human. Knowing that Eve and Adam would sin and permitting this to happen allowed God to express His Mercy. We say that God is Love and Mercy Himself, well, with Love the Triune God can share and express it to each other. But, what about Mercy? They really cannot. The Triune God is Good and all powerful and does not need Mercy. Humans provide God a means to express His Merciful Self and so -humans fall and need to be saved…just thinking out loud. The fall permits God to express Himself His Merciful Self and also His Love.

As to your questions; 🤷 I don’t see what would oblige God to stop creating and redeeming.
 
jwhafey said:
… snip …

Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven?** I say *no ***(Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit)…
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I am trying to understand what you are saying. So please correct me if I am wrong.

It appears that you are claiming without knowing absolutely anything about these ETs, that humans are somehow superior or more privileged or more spiritual that any ET (unless they have been evangelized by someone like you).

Is this some kind of interstellar racism? Why are you so certain that they are not more spiritually advanced (as well as technically if they get here before we find them)? Why are you sure that they cannot get into heaven just as easily as you or even more easily?
 
There is no obvious reason why salvation is restricted to inhabitants of this planet but it need not be achieved in precisely the same way. 🙂
 
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the
gift of God.”

Humans are not saved because they are better than anything else (even though they have been given dominion over the planet earth [see Genesis 1:26-29]), but because God gave salvation to man as a GIFT.

This gift is His Son, Jesus.

God has made it to be that the only reason we are saved is because Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. If Jesus were 100% God and 100% Dog and not man, humanity would have been able to participate in his divine nature to enter into Trinitarian life (salvation).

In fact, I argue that animals perform their proper action more than many humans do, due to their created nature and lack of free will… But Jesus is only 100% God and 100% Man.

“What is not assumed (by Jesus) is not redeemed.”
If you accept this quote, an alien would have to have a human nature in order to be redeemed. Because Jesus (who is God) assumed a human nature.

Also, as I argued before, Jesus’ mission was on earth, and to think that he was/is anywhere else but earth/heaven, seems contradictory to the bible and Catholic theology. So aliens would have to come to earth in order to hear the good news and receive from the bread of life and fully incorporate themselves into the Body of Christ.

Not saying that Humans are any “better” or “more moral” than any other race, but Christ was a God-Man. God chose humanity. Humanity didn’t choose God.
 
jwhafey said:
Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven? I say no (Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit)
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What I meant by “technically the same creature as we are,” I meant that they must have a human nature.

I’m not arguing that any intelligent extraterrestrials do not have a human nature. And I’m not arguing that those ETs who have a human nature look/act anything like humans on earth do.

If this is the case (that ETs have human natures and do not look/act anything like us), there definitely is not any hierarchy of races.
 
jwhafey said:
What I meant by “technically the same creature as we are,” I meant that they must have a human nature.

I’m not arguing that any intelligent extraterrestrials do not have a human nature. And I’m not arguing that those ETs who have a human nature look/act anything like humans on earth do.

If this is the case (that ETs have human natures and do not look/act anything like us), there definitely is not any hierarchy of races.
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Do you believe ETs are excluded from heaven?
 
“This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved” (Lumen Gentium - Second Vatican Council)

“Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.” (CCC 846)
 
Thank Heaven for that! Many must be saved but only God knows the means by which they have been redeemed.
 
jwhafey said:
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ!

I have been having this discussion with many different people recently, and although it seems to be on a ridiculous topic, I believe it is a very important topic because it helps to understand the method of salvation through Jesus Christ and his Church.

I am a student at Benedictine College studying theology and this question really intrigues me:

Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven? I say no (Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit), but I would like some feedback.

The only way humans enter into salvation (by participating in Trinitarian life) is through active participation in Christ’s sacrifice to the Father through incorporation into his Mystical Body, which is the Church. This is the Missio of the Son and Holy Spirit, to incorporate humanity into Christ’s flesh so that we may share in God’s life and love. This was the purpose of the Incarnation, so that Christ may take on a human nature so that we may be incorporated into his divine life. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus said, “What has not been assumed has not been healed.” or “Whatever is not assumed cannot be redeemed.”

Also, there is the belief that even if Adam and Eve had not fallen (which I don’t think could have happened because it was a part of God’s divine plan), the Incarnation still would have to have taken place in order for an unfallen human nature to be elevated in order to enter into heaven to see God face to face. Adam and Eve, even in their graced state, did not know God fully. If they did, they would not have sinned in the first place.
This website helps to affirm this argument: irishanddangerous.blogspot.com/2007/04/franciscan-scotistic-thesis-absolute.html

ALSO, Jesus has been in heaven since the beginning, as pre-incarnate, which means nearly 2,000 years ago was the first time that Jesus had entered into a physical existence with a physical body. To believe that Jesus had come before the Incarnation “that we know of,” would be to accept that he has multiple Incarnations, which seems very heretical to me. And Jesus from now until the time of his second coming, has ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. To believe that he is away on other planets attempting to bring other beings into salvation seems very contradictory.

ALSO, Bible verses such as John 14:6, John 3:36, Hebrews 11:5-6, Romans 10:9-10 and MANY MORE, state that the only way to the Father in Heaven is through Jesus Christ.

Again, I know this seems like a very silly question, but I do believe that it has A LOT to do with the salvific nature of Christ and his bride, the Church.

GOD BLESS!
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Flawed theory.

#1 Only humans have souls.

#2 There are no ET’s.

#3 The bible clearly states that man fell via sin from God in Genesis. There was no mention of ET so even if there was an ET, how would we know that ET fell from God in sin.

#4 Salvation is still possible without knowing Jesus or his church if such a person leads a good moral life according to one’s conscience. This God given conscience can be developed or abused through our choices to avoid sin or to sin. This implies that we can get to God via Jesus without really knowing him and his church. Jesus is the bridge but our conscience can lead to this bridge though we may recognize the bridge per se.

#5 Jesus is the Savior of humankind. No mention of ET’s again.
 
Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven? I say no (Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit), but I would like some feedback.Can extraterrestrials enter into Heaven? I say no (Unless they are technically the same creature as we are and they are evangelized by members this planet through the Holy Spirit), but I would like some feedback.
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The simplest definition of Heaven is being in Gods presence. So, I will say YES ET theologically can be welcome into heaven. Angels may be labeled ET’s for all practical puroses. They have decided if they want to stay in Gods presence at the begging of time. Since angels are eternal creatures of Gods creation who chose their salvation already, they don’t need saving.

ET would also be God’s creation; all of Gods creation is good. The examination of this then leads us to ask if they are like the angels, mankind, animals, or other (God has not revealed).
 
Also, there is the belief that even if Adam and Eve had not fallen (which I don’t think could have happened because it was a part of God’s divine plan), the Incarnation still would have to have taken place in order for an unfallen human nature to be elevated in order to enter into heaven to see God face to face. Adam and Eve, even in their graced state, did not know God fully. If they did, they would not have sinned in the first place.
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The question of Eternal Salvation through JC is indeed for the family lineage of Adam & Eve. We believe that Jesus was the “Tree of Eternal Life” that Adam & Eve exchanged for the “Tree of knowledge of good and evil”. Good news for us (mankind) is in the end we get both fruits from the trees. Idk about seeing God face-to-face, but they did hide from Him when they were disobedient.

Would God create a species who choose to never eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”? Maybe. We see how “Cain & Able” & “the prodigal son” show this doxology. What if God gave us a clue in these stories he shared with us about His plan for other planets.

Then my mind questions Realms (heaven, earth, purgatory, hell, pre-existence) Do all realms of existence exist in our known universe; or are spiritual realms overlapping . Did thegarden of Eden exist on earth or a different realm? How does God know us before he formed us in the womb?
 
ALSO, Jesus has been in heaven since the beginning, as pre-incarnate, which means nearly 2,000 years ago was the first time that Jesus had entered into a physical existence with a physical body. To believe that Jesus had come before the Incarnation “that we know of,” would be to accept that he has multiple Incarnations, which seems very heretical to me. And Jesus from now until the time of his second coming, has ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. To believe that he is away on other planets attempting to bring other beings into salvation seems very contradictory.
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Yes, it’s been revealed to the Church that Jesus is the “Tree of eternal life” from the Gauden of Eden (brain fart: How long were Adam & Eve in the Garden eatting eternal life before they got evicted for disobedience?). I’m lost with the “multiple incarnation” thread … This paragraph reminded me of the story how the Devil loved God until God showed his wholness to the Devil. The Devil was offended at the revelation of JC and this is the part of God which made him reject all of God. I guess the multiple incarnation (do you mean to other planets/ species?) made me think of how thi may cause some to reject God like the Devil did.
 
God created all things- and it was good.

Should God create intelligent life on other planets, it would be good. John Paul II shared a wealth of scientific research with us. He taught us that there are natual laws, spiritual, and supernatural laws. The laws are concise, and consistant. We see how gravity is consistent (even the exception of blackholes, gravity acts the same in similar blachole). Therefore, I would conclude that the Commandments given to us are universal. The first three comandments ask us to love God without whole heart and soul. This tells us that God wants t be in communion with His creation (which would include ET).

Even in animals we have witnessed how He calls them to love him. Here’s A story about God and dogs. A police squads was called in for a bomb threat at a Catholic Church. When the dogs entered the Adoration Chapel with the exposed Eucharist ( the real presence of the body, blood, soul, and divinity of JC) the dog whimpered and lay postrate in front of the Eucharist. So, even with creatures of less conscience ness of Gods plan do acknowledge and worship Him.

We have learned from the bible that longevity of life is bestowed upon Gods chosen. I would imagine that ET would have longevity to travel from Their God created plant to our God created planet. Hey, light years sounds like a long time. Additionally, they would have graces of peaceful communities to exist on long travels with each other (have u ever been on a long road trip with the family --grace :)). Following John Paul’s observation that grace must also have the same principals universally, we can see Gods hand in ET’s.
 
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