If ETs landed on Earth tomorrow, what would the Catholic Church's next step be?

[edwest211]

This is an example of atheist thinking. Today, the more educated are diverted from studying religion by science. In the future, as knowledge increases, God disappears, leaving man as god.

 

[angel12]

It would seem doubtful that such an advanced species would think they’d need the religion of a perceived lower intelligent one.

On the other hand, if they’re really advanced, they may have had their arrogance stripped away, and know that there may be something to learn anywhere and everywhere.

 

[Wife.of.Gabriel]

I suppose it would depend on whether they’re homosapiens or a different species. If homosapiens, missionaries would be sent to learn their language, help them with their temporal needs and evangelize them.

 

[joseie]

If one really believes in bible ,there cannot be any aliens for the following reasons.

1. Genesis gives the creation story of not only the earth but also the heavens(skies and beyond). (Genesis 2:4).In the skies creation of sun ,moon and stars are mentioned but not any living things.
   2.A rare chance is that along with creating earth and things on it,God would have created another world in the skies with those alien creatures though it’s mention is not made in the Genesis.
   But having created men in his image which means that man is his dearest and most important creation than any other creation, and all other things necessary for him to live on earth,why he should create some less important creatures ?No chance.Man is his most important creation is also evidenced from the fact that He sent his only son to earth to die for humans and not for any alien creatures.
   3.As per Revelation,this earth and heaven will pass away and new earth and new heaven will come.But there is no mention of any alien creatures living outside this earth during such a change.Means no such thing exists.
   The fact that till now there is no evidence of any alien creatures may be incidental.

 

[Neithan]

I listened to a fun audiobook by two Jesuits of the Vatican Observatory, called, Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? While they don’t actually get around to answering the eponymous question until the last chapter, it was thought-provoking (and funny); there are so many other questions to ask before we consider whether ETs could be included in the church.

C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy raised the interesting idea that ETs might not be fallen, actually, and that we would be a negative influence on them.

This topic always reminds me of the Third Part of Aquinas’ Summa where he discusses the Incarnation. Not only could the Son assume another physical nature than the human Christ, according to St. Thomas; but the Father or the Holy Spirit could also assume created natures, either alone or together (and even the Divine Nature, abstracted from the Persons, could assume). It was “more fitting” for humanity, however, that the Son alone incarnated. I remember reading that for the first time, fascinated at all the possibilities of how God might be revealed on alien worlds — assuming of course, which is a monumental assumption, that ETs would need God to intervene in a similar way that He did with us, or that He would.

 

[DaveBj]

C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy raised the interesting idea that ETs might not be fallen, actually, and that we would be a negative influence on them.

I used that concept in my own novel, at the end of which the aliens departed and restricted the spread of humanity and human technology to within the circumference of the lunar orbit.

D

 

[RealisticCatholic]

But we’re talking about a completely different species of creatures.

Taking God and Grace out of the equation, since Providence would be the ultimate cause of whether or not aliens convert, just imagine if we humans stumbled across another intelligent species with their own religion.

 

[Limoncello4021]

Those who like this kind of speculation might enjoy Mary Doria Russell’s novel, The Sparrow. Jesuits evangelizing on a planet where life was discovered. With all the mishaps Jesuits typically get themselves into

 

[tafan2]

The Son is two nature’s, not three, not four, etc… Could you please give us the reference in the Summa to which you are referring?

 

[Dante221]

I read somewhere that there already is a Vatican department to
decide this very question if ET decides to visit

 

[Seeksadvice]

***n it… why did we left Phillip the Fair axe the Knights Templar?

 

[Neithan]

Sure, it’s Question 3, Third Part. The Son has a human nature because of the Incarnation; Aquinas argues how that doesn’t limit either the Son or the other Divine Persons as to other created natures. Article 7 discusses the possibility of multiple human natures: “Therefore it seems that after Incarnation the Son can assume another human nature distinct from the one He has assumed.”

We are certain from our dogma that the Son has two natures; but our faith is about our own salvation story. We don’t know what God has done, is doing, or will do, elsewhere in His creation.

 

[Sbee0]

Maybe the church would have “no official position on these… phenomena”. /Ghostbusters