Astrotheology

Approaches from the sciences, philosophy and theology, including the emerging field of astrobiology, can provide fresh perspectives to the age-old question ‘What is Life?’. Has the secret of life been unveiled, and is it nothing more than physical chemistry? Modern philosophers will ask if we can even define life at all, as we still don’t know much about its origins here on Earth. Others regard life as something that cannot simply be reduced to just physics and chemistry, while biologists emphasize the historical component intrinsic to life on Earth.
How can theology constructively interpret scientific findings? Can it contribute constructively to scientific discussions? Written for a broad interdisciplinary audience, this probing volume discusses life, intelligence and more against the background of contemporary biology, and the wider contexts of astrobiology and cosmology. It also considers the challenging implications for science and theology if extraterrestrial life is discovered in the future.

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Este artigo examina as implicações teológicas da prevista descoberta de vida extraterrestre, conforme anunciado pela NASA no início de abril de 2015, introduzindo à academia brasileira a recente área da astroteologia. Começamos analisando as possíveis implicações e significado teológico caso a vida microbiana for descoberta, discordando da popular crença de que nada realmente mudaria para a teologia cristã, nem mesmo no que tange à doutrina da criação. Defenderemos que esse fato, sim, terá sérias implicações para o estudo da origem da vida e, consequentemente, para a compreensão cristã de Deus como criador. A seguir, analisamos o cenário possível do descobrimento de vida inteligente, e quais seriam os efeitos para o cristianismo se isso for confirmado. Nos apoiaremos, dentre outras fontes, na pesquisa de Ted Peters que analisou como as diferentes religiões e denominações cristãs reagiriam a esta descoberta. As principais áreas de preocupação para os cristãos seriam a doutrina da encarnação e da redenção, uma vez que Jesus Cristo se fez homem (e não "homenzinho verde") para ser o redentor da humanidade. Concluiremos que a descoberta de ETs, sendo ou não inteligentes, não será devastadora para o cristianismo como alguns propõem, mas também não vai passar incólume, sendo, mais uma vez, necessário que a igreja se adapte, acomodando as descobertas científicas na sua interpretação de Deus, da Bíblia e da realidade. Ao final, defenderemos a astroteologia como possível área de diálogo frutífero e respeitoso entre as áreas da teologia e das ciências, tão marcadas por uma concepção de conflito.

Abstract: This article examines the theological implications of the prospect discovery of extraterrestrial life, as announced by NASA in the beginning of April 2015, introducing the recent area of astrotheology to the Brazilian academy. We begin by analyzing the possible implications and theological meaning if microbial life is discovered, disagreeing with the popular belief that nothing would really change for Christian theology, not even in the doctrine of Creation. We will argue that this fact will have serious implications for the study of the origin of life, and consequently, to our understanding of God's role as creator. Secondly, we will analyze the scenario of intelligent life being discovered and what the effects would be for Christianity if that is confirmed. We will draw from Ted Peters research of how different religions and denominations view this prospective discovery. The main areas of concern for Christians would be the doctrine of incarnation and of redemption, since Jesus Christ became man (not " little green man ") to be the redeemer of humankind. We will 1 Mestre e Doutorando em Teologia pelas Faculdades EST, licenciado em Ciências Biológicas (UFRGS, 2004), bolsista do CNPq e bolsista Oxford-Templeton em Religião e Ciências, Universidade de Oxford (2016). tiagogarros@gmail.com. Todas as traduções neste texto são próprias, por isso omitiremos o " tradução nossa " .

An examination of the influence of Greco-Roman and Egyptian religion, myth and symbolism. This paper gives special attention to the syncretism invoked in the Early Christian archetype of the Sun-god as conqueror, protector and healer-savior.

There are always two ways of understanding religions whose origins stem from hermetic traditions of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Babylon; namely Exoteric and Esoteric, whether they be Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. In the book Esoteric Islam, I describe Islam to be one of the reflections of hermetic philosophy, and representative of the ideals of great ancient teachings of Astrology and Alchemy.

The book Esoteric Islam includes the interpretation of Islamic traditions by use of the hermetic arts of Astrology and Alchemy. It discusses the mystical teachings of Quran from the standpoint of ancient mysteries and modern metaphysics. It attempts to understand the message of Quran in its structural designs alongside the principle tenets so as to unravel the mystique of this very impressive literature.

Astronism: the religion of the stars is a technical summary of the Astronist religion and philosophy that uses terminology unique to the Astronists and specialised knowledge of Astronist beliefs. It is the perfect brief introduction to Astronism for those with prior understanding of the academic disciplines of eschatology, soteriology, theology and philosophy as the Astronist view on all of these subject areas and more is provided. Astronism: the religion of the stars attempts to explain the narrative that underlies Astronist beliefs and presents a particular conception of how humans should not only lead their lives but also how we as an entire species should consider our collective future on planet Earth, and more importantly, all beyond. The untechnical summary of the Astronist religion and philosophy titled The Astronist Statement (full title: The Astronist Statement on the Situation of the Human Species) is coming soon in 2022.

One of the main themes of the Astronist religion is the role that traditional spirituality plays in Astronist beliefs and practices; this intersection has since created an Astronist form of spirituality aptly named astrospirituality. In the lecture, Cometan explains that Astronism is the manifestation of the combination of astronomy and spirituality as based on the Astronist belief in the role that the astronomical world (i.e. outer space and all extraterrestrial phenomena) plays in both personal and collective human existence from the meaning of life derived from astronomical phenomena for the individual person to the collective futurism of the human species as a whole. A further manifestation of the combination of astronomy and spirituality is that outer space is believed to be imbued with spiritual essence as based on belief in transtellation (the soul transmigrates to the stars upon death) which holds numerous theological, eschatological and soteriological implications. Cometan ultimately explores how his experience of astral ecstasy and afflation from the age of fifteen developed his own understanding of astrospirituality which then constituted the natural progression of his spiritual life as an Astronist.

This article explores the author Friedrich Korn (1803–1850). Korn developed a theory of universal revelation which, among other things, claimed that the Jew-ish people descended from India. His theory is an amalgamation of the Romantic ideas about India, the historical criticisms as expounded by David Friedrich Strauß, and the desire to see his own conversion from Judaism to Protestantism as congruent with the historical progress of religion. Situating Korn in the intellectual context and theological debates of his time allows us to take a closer look at how he tried to reconcile many opposing stances, namely arguing for a genealogical lineage between India and the Jewish people, while calling for the conversion of the Jewish people to Christianity, and steadfastly believing in universal revelation, while holding on to the tools of historical criticism. These different positions made Korn an untimely author, out of sync with his peers and the scholarly attitude towards Judaism, India, and religion in general.

By placing astrobiology and astrotheology into creative mutual interaction (CMI), the theologian can offer an internal critique of the science. According to CMI proponent, Robert John Russell, CMI mandates that theology point out in science any hidden ideological or religious factors that befoul the research. At work among some astrobiologists is the ETI Myth. The ETI Myth assumes that biological evolution is progressive and that progressive evolution over a longer period of time on exoplanets will have produced alien creatures with higher intelligence than Earth's human race. The more intelligent aliens, according to the ETI myth, will be more advanced than earthlings in science, technology, medicine, ethics, and secularization. When contact is made, Earth will be blessed by the aliens. In short, science saves, and more advanced extraterrestrial science will bring salvation to the less highly evolved Earth. This chapter will demonstrate that the ETI Myth is not sound science. Evolutionary biologists deny that biological speciation is progressive. By projecting progressive evolution on to alien life, the speculation of space researchers departs from what is scientifically reliable. If the field of astrobiology would eliminate the ETI Myth, its scientific research program might become more demonstrably scientific. Science should stick to science rather than practice theology without a license.

In 1758 in London, Swedish natural philosopher and mystic theologian Emanuel Swedenborg published De Telluribus in Mundo nostro Solari (Earths in our solar system), a treatise on the plurality of worlds and life on other planets. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, these topics formed a heterogenous literary genre which encompassed theology, astronomy, philosophy and satire. In De Telluribus, Swedenborg made detailed claims of communication with extraterrestrial spirits in the afterlife, through which he sought to spread his theology to new audiences. The paper will explore the role of De Telluribus in Swedenborg's career, explain its content and analyse its polarized reception. It will show that De Telluribus combined for the first time the literary codes of two popular genres during the period, namely those concerning the plurality of worlds and the dialogues of the dead. By doing so, the paper revises current scholarly understanding of Swedenborg by showcasing him as a versatile yet ill-fated recombiner of literary genres. More broadly, the paper will shed light upon previously unnoticed eighteenth-century literary interactions along with a wider overview on the reception of themes such as the plurality of worlds, mysticism and satire in Scandinavia and Germany.

I have chosen, as the title of my editorial for this special collection on 'Theology and Nature' of the HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological  Studies, the introductory words of the very last sentence of Charles Darwin's famous 'On the Origin of Species' (Darwin [1859] 1999):
"There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed [by the Creator) into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."  (p. 400)

Are there planets beyond our solar system? What may appear quite plausible now had only been a hypothesis until about twenty years ago. The search for exoplanets is driven by the interest in the “habitable” ones among them. Could such planets one day in the far future provide resources or even shelter for humankind? Will we find one day a habitable planet that is even inhabited? These kinds of imaginative speculations drive public interest in the subject. Imagining alien intelligent life in the universe is not at all new. When Ted Peters called for establishing the field of “astrotheology,” he was certainly thinking less of historical precedents than of something analogous to the emerging field of astrobiology. Will astrotheology result in the decentering of humanity in cosmic dimensions? One could also conclude that we are alone, at least for all practical purposes.

Astroethics runs speculative scenarios regarding possible contact and communication with extraterrestrial life. Within the framework of  astrobiological assumptions that exoplanets with a longer evolutionary history may have developed proportionately more intelligent life and more advanced civilizations, this article readies us on Earth for three scenarios: (1) extraterrestrial life that is less intelligent than Earth's Homo sapiens; (2) extraterrestrial life that is our peer in intelligence; and (3) extraterrestrial life superior to us in intelligence, science, technology, social organization, and civility. How might our moral obligations be formulated accordingly?

This essay considers American Catholics who, from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, reflected seriously on the religious significance of technology in general, and space science in particular. American Catholics, while no more immune from the belief that space science would create fundamental changes in human life than their Protestant, Jewish, and secular counterparts, nevertheless sought to understand the Space Age in their own distinctive terms. Catholic discussion of these issues revolved around the contributions of two theologians. From the earliest moments of the Space Age, Thomas Aquinas provided a justification for the work of Catholic scientists and astronauts within a Cold War framework. However, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's cosmic vision helped American Catholics integrate feelings of wonder and hope with darkly realistic fears about the military consequences of the space race. Thomas and Teilhard, fundamentally optimists, helped Catholics elaborate a vision of a way forward through the very real threats Americans confronted in the “long 1960s,” a vision they developed in books, articles, and speeches, but also in art, liturgy, and fiction. Ultimately, however, both extreme hopes about cosmic unification and extreme fears about total annihilation modulated, and like their fellow Americans interested in space flight during the 1960s, American Catholics turned in the early 1970s to a renewed focus on the Earth.

Ted Peters has influenced a generation of scholars, pastors, professors, and parishioners to realize that God’s work in the world can be most fruitfully understood at the intersections between theology, science, and culture. He has developed methods for theological inquiry that are born of and determined by his personal experiences, as well as by the political, historical, and scientific contexts in which he is living. Peters’ scholarly acumen and theological curiosity have given rise to his many influential works—works on genetics, evolution, cosmology, and more—works that directly address the influences of a scientific worldview upon people’s theological and secular self-understandings.

Der «bestirnte Himmel» über uns hat nicht erst seit Kant Bewunderung und Ehrfurcht befördert. Für ihn, der mit der Existenz von Bewohnern anderer Welten fest gerechnet hat, war dieser Himmel bewohnt. Er ist sich sicher: «Wenn es möglich wäre durch irgend eine Erfahrung auszumachen, so möchte ich wohl alles das Meinige darauf  verwetten, daß es wenigstens in irgend einem von den Planeten, die wir sehen, Einwohner gebe. Daher sage ich, ist es nicht bloß Meinung, sondern ein starker Glaube (auf  dessen Richtigkeit ich schon viele Vorteile des Lebens wagen würde), daß es auch Bewohner anderer Welten gebe.»  In dieser Aussage Kants, die sich an keinem geringeren Ort als in der Kritik der reinen Vernunft findet, kann man einerseits einen Reflex früherer Überzeugungen und Darlegungen Kants erkennen, andererseits sind der Kontext der zitierten Stelle und der zeitgeschichtliche Hintergrund natürlich relevant. An Kants Beispiel wird dem Sinn solcher Überlegungen über Bewohner fremder Welten nachgegangen, die aufgrund des Fortschritts der planetaren Astronomie heute von neuem auf  der Tagesordnung stehen. Das Nachdenken darüber stellt auch für die Theologie eine Herausforderung dar.

Recent remarks of Pope Francis spark anew an important discussion: are we alone in the Universe? The article follows traces of the idea of extraterrestrial life throughout philosophy, evaluates the current considerations about the probability of extraterrestrial life and discusses the potential implications for the discovery of such life from a theological point of view. This “thought experiment” covers basic insights on creation, revelation and redemption.

Hinter dem vielleicht etwas zu stark auf ein weiteres Publikum zielenden Titel verbirgt sich ein durch und durch seriöses Buch über das "faszinierendste Projekt“, mit dem der Autor sich je befasst habe (S. 7). Wenn es überhaupt Menschheitsfragen gebe, zähle die Frage, ob wir "allein" im Universum sind, mit Sicherheit dazu. Da damit die erste deutschsprachige Monographie seit mehreren Jahrzehnten zum Thema vorliegt, ist sie hier sicher einer Besprechung wert.