Young adults at Catholic a la Carte discussed the possibility of life on other planets Jan. 18 when Father Shane Baxter, director of Campus Ministry, presented “Extraterrestrial Life and the Church.”
Father Baxter talked about different theologians, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, who had presented theories about life elsewhere in the universe.
“St. Thomas was one of the theologians that wrote about it. He believed it was possible for God to have created other life but not in this universe. This was a typical way of thinking about it back then. It’s possible but probably not,” Father Baxter said.
The possibility of life on other planets also raises questions about their place in the faith of the church.
“One of the most common things you’ll find in these theories are the questions about salvation for these other beings. Are they in need of redemption? Have they already been redeemed on their own world?” Father Baxter said.
