Back in November 2009, The Vatican completed a five day conference where scientists convened to discuss the detection and implications of extraterrestrial life. The conference itself was officially convened by the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences, chaired by its religious leader Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, and was held on private Vatican grounds from November 6-10. The Vatican’s openness to discussion of extraterrestrial life is no accident. It is part of an openness policy secretly adopted by the United Nations in February 2008. In fact, the Vatican is playing a leading role in preparing the world for extraterrestrial disclosure.
For most observers, the conference was an innovative scientific gathering sanctioned by the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences to show the Holy See’s support for modern science in the detection of extraterrestrial life. The conference primarily focused on the detection of primitive extraterrestrial life forms, and featured presentations from nearly 30 international experts in astronomy, physics and biology.
Discussion of the implications of intelligent extraterrestrial life, both scientific and theological, did not appear prominently in the conference agenda. One of the presenters, however, Prof Paul Davies commented on the religious implications of discovering intelligent extraterrestrial life: "If you look back at the history of Christian debate on this, it divides into two camps. There are those that believe that it is human destiny to bring salvation to the aliens, and those who believe in multiple incarnations," Davies pointed out that the multiple incarnations theory, the idea that multiple examples of Jesus Christ would be found in the universe “is a heresy in Catholicism."
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A major driving force behind the conference was the Director of the Vatican Observatory, the Jesuit priest Father Jose Gabriel Funes. Father Funes, an Argentine named to his position by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. In May 2008, Funes gave an interview to the Vatican’s L’Osservatore Romano newspaper saying that the existence of intelligent extraterrestrials posed no problems to Catholic theology.
Father Funes said it was difficult to exclude the possibility that other intelligent life exists in the universe, and he noted that one field of astronomy is now actively seeking "biomarkers" in spectrum analysis of other stars and planets.
These potential forms of life could include those that have no need of oxygen or hydrogen, he said. Just as God created multiple forms of life on earth, he said, there may be diverse forms throughout the universe.
"This is not in contrast with the faith, because we cannot place limits on the creative freedom of God," he said.
"To use St. Francis' words, if we consider earthly creatures as 'brothers' and 'sisters,' why can't we also speak of an 'extraterrestrial brother?'" he said.
Asked about implications that the discovery of alien life might pose for Christian redemption, Father Funes cited the Gospel parable of the shepherd who left his flock of 99 sheep in order to search for the one that was lost.
"We who belong to the human race could really be that lost sheep, the sinners who need a pastor," he said.
"God became man in Jesus in order to save us. So if there are also other intelligent beings, it's not a given that they need redemption. They might have remained in full friendship with their creator," he said.
Father Funes went on to say that Christ's incarnation and sacrifice was a unique and unrepeatable event. But he said he was sure that, if needed, God's mercy would be offered to aliens, as it was to humans.
On another topic, the priest said he saw no real contradiction between evolutionary science and the Christian faith, as long as evolution does not become an absolute ideology.
"As an astronomer, I can say that from the observation of stars and galaxies there emerges a clear evolutionary process," he said.
He said that in his opinion the big-bang theory remains the best explanation of the origin of the universe from a scientific point of view. Above all, it's a reasonable explanation, he said.
As for the biblical account of creation, Father Funes said it was wrong to expect a scientific explanation from the Bible.
"The Bible is not fundamentally a work of science," he said. "It is a letter of love that God has written to his people, in a language that was used 2,000-3,000 years ago. Obviously, at that time a concept like the big bang was totally extraneous."
He said he was convinced that astronomy was a science that can open people's minds and hearts and bring them closer to God. The idea that astronomy leads to an atheistic view of the universe is a myth, he said.
Most importantly, Funes’ statement makes possible the idea that Christianity can be exported to extraterrestrial worlds that have not experienced a ‘fall’ and are free from original sin.
The Vatican’s new openness on extraterrestrial life is consistent with reports of secret discussions held at the United Nations that began in February 2008. The Vatican’s permanent representative to the UN, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, was reported to have attended along with a number of other prominent government officials to discuss increased UFO sightings and the implications of extraterrestrial visitation. Significantly, Migliore's position requires that he maintains close relations with the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences. At the time of the secret UN discussions, Migliore made a presentation on moral issues associated with scientific problems such as climate change. Most importantly, the UN discussions reportedly led to a new policy of openness being adopted by approximately 30 nations that would begin in 2009.
Another noteworthy participant reported to have attended the 2008 UN discussions was Britain’s Permanent representative at the time, Sir John Sawers. Sawers was later appointed to head Britain’s prestigious foreign intelligence service MI6. The appointment of a diplomat to head an intelligence service was highly unusual. According to a BBC report: “giving the job to someone more recently associated with diplomatic service was regarded as a break from the tradition.” Seen in the context of the February UN meetings, perhaps MI6 was acknowledging the need for greater diplomacy in dealing with problems posed by a new openness policy on UFOs, and eventual disclosure of extraterrestrial life.
The Vatican sponsored astrobiology conference was a landmark event. It showed that the Vatican was willing to officially sanction public discussions on the existence of extraterrestrial life. More significantly, it showed that the Vatican was willing to initiate a comprehensive dialogue on the theological implications of the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life. The Vatican’s astrobiology conference is yet one more sign that major global institutions are preparing for some kind of formal disclosure concerning UFOs and/or extraterrestrial life. This is a direct outcome of a series of landmark meetings at the UN beginning in February 2008 that led to the adoption of a new openness policy.
It seems the Vatican is taking the openness policy to a new level, and preparing the public for some kind of formal extraterrestrial disclosure announcement. Numerous independent sources have predicted such disclosure is imminent, and that the Obama administration is expected to play a prominent role. The Vatican is also positioning itself to play a major role in such an announcement and in a post-disclosure world. Its emerging theological position that extraterrestrials “are our brothers” is a welcome departure from more hostile depictions of extraterrestrial life found in some religious denominations and in Hollywood movies. On the other hand, the idea that the Vatican could justify sending missionaries to convert extraterrestrials born without original sin, does raise major concerns. The Vatican, nevertheless, is currently playing a constructive role in preparing the public for the imminent disclosure of extraterrestrial life.
Sources:
www.catholicnews.com
www.area51et.com
examiner.com
www.cbsnews.com
paranormalspy.com
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