In the poetry of Genesis, man’s fall from grace was the result of arrogance: to think that anything within humanity’s capabilities would render the creature equal to the Creator.
Again, in the poetry of Genesis, when “Adam and Eve” took that infamous bite from that fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and denied the sovereignty of the Creator’s Will, all of creation was wounded, humanity itself most critically.
Slowly, through the agony of countless debates and persecutions, the advancement of the physical sciences have helped us realize that the Genesis story of Creation is itself a poem, with metaphors abounding to explain not only mankind’s origin but his sufferings as well.
Before Copernicus challenged the prevailing theological axioms regarding the earth being the center of the universe, before Galileo peered through his primitive optics to perceive the orbits of the stars, before Giordano Bruno dared dream that the creative power of God could have brought countless universes into being, the Church proclaimed infallibly that the incarnation of Jesus Christ was a unique event in the history of the universe and that His Death redeemed all of Creation wounded by humanity’s sinful rejection of the Divine Mind and Will.
Well, it is just over 380 years since the Church condemned Galileo Galilei.
Now it seems the Vatican has relaxed its view of mankind's place in the universe and even believes there may be intelligent alien life elsewhere in the cosmos. Astronomers at the Vatican Observatory, which has been studying the heavens since 1582, have said discoveries of new Earth like planets have strengthened their belief that there could be life on other planets.
The discovery of the Earth-like planet Kepler-452b has led the director of the Vatican Observatory to say he believes there may well be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.
Michael Crowe, the Rev. John J. Cavanaugh Professor Emeritus in Humanities at the University of Notre Dame, said that the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life “makes problems for incarnation and redemption. Is Jesus going to planet after planet, incarnating and dying on the Cross to redeem the people of that planet?”
“There’s some real tensions with two fundamental Christian doctrines, incarnation and redemption, and belief in extraterrestrial intelligent life,” the Professor stated. “I’m not saying that proves there are no extraterrestrials; that would be silly. But there’s a tension there.”
According to traditional Catholic doctrine, if extraterrestrial life has true intelligence and rationality, then such creatures would have been created in God’s image and likeness in some way. They would be directed to Him and, therefore, have some relationship to Christ.
Traditional Catholic teaching could only assert that Jesus would not have to become Incarnate again and again. There would be one Incarnation, but Jesus would reveal Himself to extraterresterial creatures in His own way and a way they could accept and understand Him.
Randall Smith, the Scanlan Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, said there is a tradition in the Church that says Christ’s work was for all creation, not just humanity. He said he did not think aliens would have another Jesus as it was a 'unique event'.
And so, Church teaching would hold that, even if there is intelligent life beyond our solar system, it is unlikely those creatures would have been sent a second Jesus to save them.
Father Jose Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory in Rome, said: “The discovery of intelligent life does not mean there's another Jesus. The Incarnation of the son of God is a unique event in the history of humanity of the universe.” In 2008 he said belief in the existence of extraterrestial life did not contradict Catholic doctrine or the bible.
Writing in the Vatican's daily newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Father Funes said: “The Bible is not a scientific book. If we look for scientific responses to our questions in the Bible, we are making a mistake. 'It answers great questions, like "what is our role in the Universe?”
He continued: “The discovery of the new planet Kepler 452b revives the idea that contact and, why not, the encounter with extraterrestrial intelligent beings of an alien civilization could happen in the near future."
I have always believed that there is intelligent life beyond the narrow confines of our solar system.
My experience has taught me one fundamental and incontrovertible truth: God loves diversity.
Just look at the myriad number of creatures which inhabit just this one planet in the vast expanse of time and space. Why would God’s creative power and potential limit itself to the creation of Man as his singular and grandest achievement?
And, given our response to the Father of All That Is, why would we ever consider ourselves to be the epitome of the Divine ability to bring forth life in its infinite manifestations?
I have, likewise, always believed that there may be an entire species of intelligent creatures who did not reject God’s Will and continue to live in the pristine condition of that first moment of their existence.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to encounter such beings wholly and perfectly in union with Almighty God?
It is likely that I will close my eyes in death, like the countless generations of human beings before me, without ever knowing whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. I would have loved to know while on this earth. Perhaps that knowledge would have made life here different, more humble, more harmonious.
But I am comforted in the hope that the blessedness of eternal life extends itself as both Promise and Reality for all those who embrace Our Heavenly Father in love.
Perhaps, I will come to meet other created beings, my extraterrestrial sisters and brothers as we gather round the table of the Lord at the Heavenly Banquet.
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