My article from this week's edition of the Rockford Squire:
During my first decade as a pastor in Iowa, I had a regular “Ask the Pastor” column in the local paper where I answered over 200 reader-submitted questions. Since I’ve heard one question asked many places in past weeks, it seems like a good time to return to those roots here:
What
does the Bible have to say about aliens or extraterrestrial life?
I
guess the short answer would be, “They are not mentioned.” However, there is a great deal of teaching in
scripture that would inform how a Christian would think about the
possibility.
To
begin with, we know from observation of that natural world that the conditions
necessary for life to exist and survive are extremely narrow. When one considers the precise combination of
the placement relative to the sun, rotation, and revolution of the earth, the
tilt of its access, the necessary atmospheric conditions, availability of
oxygen, water, and nutrients, and all the other factors necessary to sustain
life, the odds of this occurring even once are in the trillions-to-one. Odds of the existence of an environment with
different elements sustaining a different sort of life are similarly slim.
Since even one occurrence of this perfect combination necessitates a creator,
it follows that a second or further occurrence would also require a personal,
intelligent creator. The lack of
Biblical reference to such life, or of a prophecy that we will encounter it,
leans in the direction that such life either does not exist, or at least if it
does we will not encounter it before Jesus returns.
Secondly,
the scriptures consistently portray Earth as the focal point of God’s creative
activity, and humanity as the pinnacle of that creation. The sun, moon, stars, and other heavenly
bodies are all described in their relation to the earth, and their role is
described as marking time and seasons here--as created for the benefit of
earth, and not as locations of alternate creations themselves.
Likewise, humanity is described as a unique creation of God and bearing His
image in a way unique from the rest of creation. This would lead us to conclude that even if
we were to find life from other planets, it would have more in common with
animal life, and be in service to earth and humanity, rather than being a parallel
or rival creation to us.
A
final consideration is that the natural world is not the extent of creation,
and the spiritual world contains both good and evil. If it ever seems you’re personally
encountering something extraterrestrial, consider it might be something
supernatural, and ask what it thinks of Jesus.
The answer will likely reveal a lot about its nature and intentions.
