Life in the Universe Response Paper
Religion and Rocketry was written by Lewis as a response of what he thought about the possibility of discovering life on another planet and the implications this would have on Christian theology. I agree and disagree with his arguments about the possible states of extraterrestrial life. Discovering life in another planet will have theological consequences that will challenge beliefs such as his plan for mankind. Discovering that there s life on another planet will make mankind question why God came for the sake of them and not for others, and if the men on earth are just part of a wide race of millions of men that are scattered how they could blindly believe that they were favored over all the other species (Clive, n.d).
In one of his argument he asks if extraterrestrial animals are discovered would they have a soul. He argues that if these animals have no soul or are not spiritual animals they should not be treated differently from the human race. I agree with him since there would be no need to offer these animals something they do not desire or something that they were incapable of having by nature (Clive, n.d). Since the human race has not met these extraterrestrial animals it is hard to decide whether these animals are spiritual and in case the human race meets these animals it will be hard to decide whether these animals have a soul or not since Christian will look at them from a theological perspective as just animals that can talk and are clever and can only enjoy nature compared to them. Despite this they will believe the appearance of these animals is false and something lurks behind the appearance.
His other argument is that if there are other species other than man or other species that are like man and have fallen short of the grace of God would these species need redemption. He argues that if these creatures deserve redemption they will not need to be redeemed. He supports his argument with the claim that no creature that is worthy of redemption would have the need to be redeemed since they are whole and they would not require a physician. He gives an example and cites that the man species was not worthy of redemption that is why Christ had to die for this species so that they can be worthy of redemption. I disagree with him on this argument from a theological perspective that human kind fell after committing sin and these species will have to have committed a sin in the past that is why they have fallen and can still be redeemed (Kurland, 2013). Jesus who is referred as a cosmic savior died for man and as he proposed earlier that man on earth is just part of a long species then if the species that have fallen are part the man species just on a different planet they are worthy of redemption (Gould, n.d).
According to the above argument if the other species are part of the man species but in a different planet they were redeemed by the incarnation and passion of Christ (Kurland, 2013). If other species have fallen they are worthy of redemption and they have been made worthy by Christ since we have no knowledge if Christ has been incarnated in other worlds in the universe and he is a cosmic savior.
If I learnt that there was life on planet Jupiter following discovery of bacteria that was found to be growing and thriving under volcanic vents which is the same bacteria that is seen on planet earth in the continent of Europa. My view on creation would not change since this are only bacteria’s and are not a threat to humanity and humanity would still continue being the center of God’s creation Here on earth. The presence of Bacteria has not changed the role humanity takes and the role it plays in creation. The discovery of bacteria which is a sign of life thriving in Jupiter would not make me adjust my views on Gods plan for humanity. Views such as God’s plan to restore human kind from sin would remain unchanged (InTouch Ministries, 2017). The only thing I believe would change this belief is if another species similar to that of man was found thriving in Jupiter. Bacteria do not threaten the plans God has for mankind. God is the creator of the universe. God as the creator of the universe has the right to create life and place it where he sees fit, Jupiter is part of the universe and God has not limited his creation to planet earth. The fact that this creation of God is bacteria and not intelligent beings makes me appreciate his creation and conclude he placed it there with a reason and a mortal being like me cannot question this.
If humans on planet earth received a signal from planet Kepler 22 stellar system in 2034 from a race of intelligent beings for the first time thus confirming that intelligent life existed out of planet earth. This discovery would affect my view on creation and the place humanity has in it. First with the discovery of other intelligent beings I would question the superiority of man in creation; man is the superior being in God’s creation as it is now but if another being intelligent like man exist how superior is man or has man being believing that he is the superior being of God’s creation yet he is not. With this discovery the place of man in God’s creation would have to be redefined. God has plans for man such as restoration of man from sin (InTouch Ministries, 2017). Such a discovery would make me wonder if God really had a plan for mankind all along.
The fact that no spiritual information of these intelligent being has been given would make me question if they are part of God’s creation that has fallen and is not worthy of redemption or Christ has not been incarnated in their world. My views on Gods plan for humanity would have to be adjusted since the presence of a superior being like man, challenges the place of man in creation and whether man is headed for extinction (InTouch Ministries, 2017). In contrast to the first response presence of a bacteria and one that still exist on earth does not challenge the presence of man as the superior being in God’s creation thus my believe about God’s plan for humanity does not change but the presence of a superior being makes me adjust my views about Gods plan for humanity since the superior intelligent beings are part of God’s creation. In conclusion God’s has the right to put his creation anywhere in the universe and has a plan for that creation that he intends to fulfill and Gods plan for life remains a secret and unknown to man. The discovery of intelligent beings out of planet earth does not make us learn more than what we already know about him.
References
Clive L., (n.d). The World’s Last Night and Other Essay’s. retrieved from; https://archive.org/stream/worldslastnighta012859mbp/worldslastnighta012859mbp_djvu .txt
Kurland B., (2013). In His Image- Does Yoda Have a Soul. Retrieved from; https://www.catholicstand.com/image-yoda-soul/
Gould P., (n.d). C.S Lewis, Religion, Rocketry and Other Worlds. Retrieved from; http://www.paul-gould.com/2013/11/22/c-s-lewis-religion-rocketry-and-other-worlds/
InTouch Ministries, (2017). God’s Plan for Humanity. Retrieved from; https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/margin-notes/gods-plan-for-humanity
