Subscribe to feedAccording to a BBC article, a scientist working at the Vatican, Father Gabriel Funes, has said that alien life could well exist on other planets and might be free from the effects of original sin.
Christians have debated whether or not there are aliens out there. The basic argument is that since the Bible does not mention intelligent life created elsewhere, such life does not exist. Others have pointed out that since the Bible is silent on the subject, we are free to assume that aliens might be out there.
Father Funes believes there may be aliens out there, and I assume he means intelligent aliens with a cognitive ability similar to ours. Such aliens might be free from original sin.
Here is my take. I believe some form of alien life can and probably does exist in the universe. We could go to other planets and we would find plants and animals. But I do not believe we will ever find intelligent alien life. Romans 8 explains why.
Romans 8:19-23 says:
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (ESV)
This passage includes everything in creation. It says that all of creation has been “subjected to futility” because of the fall of mankind into sin. We humans are profoundly affected as well. Here is the question to ask. If there existed other moral, intelligent beings who were somehow like us, would God have subjected those beings to decay because of our sin? Everything in creation was impacted by us. I do not think God would subject other moral, intelligent creatures to the effects of our sin. It is possible, but I don’t think so. And since the Bible tells us that everything in creation has in fact been subjected to the effects of our sin, moral, intelligent alien life must not exist.
I haven’t even touched on the question of whether or not aliens would be sinless, and if they were not how salvation might work for them. But that factors into the discussion as well.
