2009.03.05: March 5, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Kenya: Vatican: Religion: Catholicism: Astronomy: Science: BBC News: Guy Consolmagno writes: The idea that there could be other intelligent creatures made by God in a relationship with God is not contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian thought
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Kenya:
Special Report: Astronomer and Kenya RPCV Guy Consolmagno:
2009.03.05: March 5, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Kenya: Vatican: Religion: Catholicism: Astronomy: Science: BBC News: Guy Consolmagno writes: The idea that there could be other intelligent creatures made by God in a relationship with God is not contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian thought
Guy Consolmagno writes: The idea that there could be other intelligent creatures made by God in a relationship with God is not contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian thought
Our cousins on other planets may even have their own salvation story – including other examples of the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity. We are open to whatever the Universe has for us. I am, however, sceptical that we will be able to have these conversations with any life form that is discovered... certainly, not in my lifetime! The idea that there might not only be us is a wonderful one. It does not question our uniqueness or contradict our belief in God. For most people, if new forms of life were to be discovered, it would not mean everything they believed was wrong, it would only reinforce what they believed all along. For the past 13 years, Kenya RPCV Guy Consolmagno has held one of the most secure and prestigious posts in the planetary sciences, as one of the Pope's 12 personal astronomers, dividing his time between the Vatican's observatory at the papal summer palace at Castel Gandolfo in Italy and a giant telescope in Tucson, Arizona.
Guy Consolmagno writes: The idea that there could be other intelligent creatures made by God in a relationship with God is not contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian thought
Brother Guy Consolmagno studies the nature and evolution of small bodies in the solar system. He is curator of the Vatican meteorite collection - one of the largest in the world - at the Vatican Observatory
We Jesuits are actively involved in the search for Earth-like planets.
The idea that there could be other intelligent creatures made by God in a relationship with God is not contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian thought.
The Bible has many references to, or descriptions of, non-human intelligent beings; after all, that's what angels are.
Our cousins on other planets may even have their own salvation story – including other examples of the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity. We are open to whatever the Universe has for us.
I am, however, sceptical that we will be able to have these conversations with any life form that is discovered... certainly, not in my lifetime!
The idea that there might not only be us is a wonderful one. It does not question our uniqueness or contradict our belief in God. For most people, if new forms of life were to be discovered, it would not mean everything they believed was wrong, it would only reinforce what they believed all along.
John Herschel, son of the discoverer of Uranus and a founder of the Royal Astronomical Society, argued that it would have been a waste of a Universe if God had only created one place where there were people He loved. This is not an argument based on logic, science or philosophy, but an aesthetic one.
The important thing is to keep in mind that the Universe is the deliberate creation of a loving God. Catholics should not be afraid to embrace such speculations, but we should always remember that they are just speculations. We don't know. But reflecting on these possibilities lets us appreciate in a deeper way what God's redemption actually does mean for us.
My science tells me how God created the Universe and that he loves that Universe.
We shouldn't be afraid of the truth.
I would be delighted if other Earths harbouring intelligent life were discovered. For most people, however, it would be nothing more than a nine-day wonder. I think that we've lived with the idea so much, from speculations by scientists to creatures in science fiction movies, that the human race is already well used to the idea that we are not alone.
We need to look beyond ourselves – that's what religion does when it's done right and what astronomy does when it's done right.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: March, 2009; RPCV Guy Consolmagno (Kenya); Figures; Peace Corps Kenya; Directory of Kenya RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Kenya RPCVs; Religion; Catholicism; Astronomy; Science
When this story was posted in March 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: BBC News
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Kenya; Vatican; Religion; Catholicism; Astronomy; Science
PCOL43066
34