Could Aliens Exist?
A Brief Theological Reflection on the Question of Non-Human Intelligent Life
Okay. Take a deep breath and go with me on a theological journey around the possibilities of non-human intelligence, won’t you?
I tend to believe non-human intelligence exists. I have believed it for a long time, and I have honestly been surprised by how quickly global culture has evolved to accept this idea as almost a fact. Twenty years ago, talking about UFOs or aliens was still considered fringe, and people were mocked for believing in “little green men.” Yet over the past decade, the consensus has shifted. Even our most skeptical scientists now acknowledge the high likelihood that in a universe as vast as ours, other intelligent life probably exists.
The bigger question today is whether non-human intelligence has ever interacted with humanity. Again, I think this possible, and many newly released government documents seem to be inching closer to that possibility. Do I think there are alien beings at Area 51? Probably not. Do I think some people in government know something about some form of non-human intelligence based on interaction with a craft, a being, or some other evidence? I also think that is a real possibility.
We are certainly in an age of disclosure. Over the coming decades, we will learn much more about what we do and do not know regarding non-human intelligence, and I believe our political and military leaders will speak more freely about it. Humanity has already proven it is ready. A serious discussion about other forms of life is not likely to destabilize society, wreck the economy, or unleash mass chaos.
What interests me most is how people of faith will respond. Theologians have been speculating about the implications of non-human intelligence for Christian theology for decades. Vatican astronomer Fr. Richard D’Souza suggested in 2025 that if non-human intelligence is found, they would be candidates for baptism. This idea is a bit odd, since it assumes that according to traditional Catholic theology these beings would have been affected by original sin and would need saving grace, but I digress. Orthodox and conservative Christians would face significant theological hurdles, especially because much of Protestant theology assumes that humans are the pinnacle of Creation and that God’s entire plan of salvation is centered on humanity.
Many conservative Christians, including those in government, are already responding to the possibility of disclosure by claiming that any such beings would be “demons.” Conservative commentator Michael Knowles said as much in response to a video I made about UFOs years ago, and in the documentary Age of Disclosure there is testimony from high-ranking Pentagon officials claiming that whatever these flying crafts are, they must be demonic. This reaction makes sense within their worldview. Conservative theology often demonizes anything it cannot explain or anything that challenges its assumptions, no matter how scientifically verifiable it may be. They already claim that LGBTQ+ people are demonic, women preachers are demonic, evolution is demonic, those with different beliefs are demonic, and so on.
As a progressive Christian theologian, whose theology emphasizes human finitude and the infinite nature of the universe, I see the idea of non-human intelligence as potentially enriching to our theological imagination. My understanding of God is eternally expansive, the ground of all being, the foundation of reality itself. It makes sense that an eternally expansive Creator would spend eternity creating wonders far beyond the scope of the human mind. If we ever encounter non-human intelligence, it would be an opportunity to glimpse the creativity of the Divine in ways that might leave us in a posture of worshipful awe.
Another pillar of my theology is that progress is good and potentially endless. There is a line from the Latter-day Saint hymn “If You Could Hie to Kolob” that has always stuck with me: “Improvement and progression have one eternal round.” (The whole hymn reflects on the wonder and vastness of the universe, though it also contains some rather strange LDS theological ideas woven throughout. Still, it is worth a listen if you have never heard it.) I believe humanity has the potential to continue improving ethically, spiritually, technologically, and in every other area of life. If we can keep our destructive impulses in check, we have endless potential to evolve toward what Jesus called the Kingdom of God, or the world as God intended it to be. If this is true, then it is certainly possible that humanity may someday travel to other galaxies and encounter other beings, which makes it reasonable to believe that some of those beings may have already done the same.
If we were to learn definitively that non-human intelligent life exists, I believe the discovery could help bring humanity together. It might help us recognize what makes us unique, acknowledge our potential, and repent of the absurd divisions we have created that push us closer to destruction every day. Such a discovery could also reset our posture toward God and the limits of our knowledge, encouraging a hopeful agnosticism rather than fundamentalism or hard skepticism. It might fuel exploration in science, philosophy, and theology. And yes, many people hope that non-human intelligence could help us overcome some of the greatest challenges we face through unprecedented technological advancement. That kind of messianic hope has always been part of the public imagination around extraterrestrial life. Here’s to hoping.
My one fear is our human tendency to worship anything we perceive as more powerful than ourselves. Humanity has done this since the dawn of consciousness, and we already see people showing reverence toward artificial intelligence, which is literally a creation of our own hands. While we can only imagine what non-human intelligence might be, I suspect many will be tempted to treat such beings as gods rather than as fellow creatures. That instinct could create problems we are not prepared for. I think the Jewish and Christian impulse to resist idolatry is wise here. Great powers exist in the universe, intelligent or not, and while wonder and awe are appropriate responses, it is a mistake to form a co-dependent relationship with things that we perceive as more powerful than ourselves, or to place hope that such things will save us from ourselves. As a progressive Christian, I believe God created us and gave us responsibility for progress, justice, and healing in our world. It would be a mistake to offload that responsibility onto any other things- intelligent or not.
Of course, it is possible that humans will never discover non-human intelligent life. It is possible we will destroy ourselves before we ever have the chance. It is possible such life does not exist at all. But it is still worthwhile to consider what it would mean if we were not the only intelligent creation in the universe. These reflections remind us of our proper posture. We are finite. The universe is infinite. And if God exists, God must be larger than the ever-expanding cosmos. Our minds cannot begin to grasp what infinity looks like or what wonders exist at the edges of existence. A posture of humble awe may be exactly what we need in a time when greed, hubris, and arrogance dominate so much of our world.
“But do you really mean, sir,” said Peter, “that there could be other worlds--all over the place, just round the corner--like that?” “Nothing is more probable,” said the Professor, taking off his spectacles and beginning to polish them, while he muttered to himself, “I wonder what they do to teach them at these schools.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe