Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

What Can Catholic Theology Say About Extraterrestrials?

By Faith and Science  |  8 Apr 2022  |  Resources

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email
  • Article
  • 6000 words
  • Level: high school and above

This 2022 article by Christopher Baglow, published in Church Life Journal, was originally a lecture given at the Society of Catholic Scientists Annual Conference on 4 June 2021. Baglow is Director of the Science & Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Faith, Science and Reason: Theology on the Cutting Edge and is the co-recipient of the 2018 Expanded Reason Award in the Teaching category.

In this article, which Baglow takes pains to make clear is of an entirely speculative nature, Baglow argues that any extraterrestrial rational species (ETRS) in the universe would be expected to have a relationship with God that is highly analogous to the relationship that human beings have with God. He writes:

An important axiom of Christian soteriology, or theology of redemption, is that the personal history of Jesus Christ is the triune life of God reenacted in time and space within our human history. God descends to take us up into that life, to make us partakers of the divine life, because God is love, and solidarity is the hallmark of perfect love. And so, in the case of any fallen ETRS, we should expect that the Lord would make their lot his own—that he would go the distance…. Because God is love, any ETRS Incarnation would be no mere show, be it a joyous Incarnation with no suffering and death, or one which, like in the human case, is horrifying and sad although ultimately triumphant. 

Click here to access the article from Church Life Journal.

The talk Baglow gave at the 2021 Society of Catholic Scientists Annual Conference is below.

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Astronomy in Art & Architecture: A “Laudato Si” Mural on the Highway to Climate (and Light Pollution) Hell

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  28 Jan 2023

The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything: The Story of Maria Mitchell

By Faith and Science  |  24 Jan 2023  |  Resources

Matteo Ricci and Astronomy

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  21 Jan 2023

How this astrophysicist and Jesuit priest balances science and spirituality

CBC  |  20 Jan 2023  |  Press

Archives

      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

Related Posts

Here on this Spot, “The Sisters” Taught Science

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  6 Aug 2022

Science Fiction and Catholic Sensibility

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  9 Sep 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Young People Leaving the Church Because of “Science”

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  26 Sep 2020

Discovering the “New Creation”

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  19 Sep 2016

The Vatican Negotiating Darwin: Science and Galileo

By Mr. Christopher Graney, Robert Trembley  |  18 Dec 2021

Astro-Theology, Astro-Biology?

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  1 Apr 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

  • *
Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard