Re: Life (?) on Mars
Murphy (gmurphy@imperium.net)
Thu, 08 Aug 1996 21:10:14 -0400Sweitzer, Dennis wrote:
>
> ----------
> >>>From: William T. Yates
> >With the news of possible (emphasis!) evidence of primitive life forms
> having existed on Mars, there are bound to be discussions of the
> theological implications of this discovery. ...
>
> >Thoughts?
>
> As a matter of fact, yes, I do have thoughts.
>
> And on this subject, no less.
>
> THIS THROWS THE PROGRESS OF THEOLOGY BACK 200 YEARS.
>
> In this case, it could be an improvement.
>
> 200 yrs ago, the possibility of life on other planets was commonly accepted,
> and presumably by educated Christians as well.
>
> However, I don't know about what they thought about the salvation of such
> extraterrestials. (Would the big word for the topic be 'Exosoteriology'?).
>
> Grace & peace,
>
> Dennis Sweitzer
Questions about the religious status of ETs etc revived by the claims
about past Martian life are important. However, let's not foregt the
more immediate implication. IF the claims for Martian life hold up,
they lend very strong support to the idea that chemical evolution from
non-living to living systems CAN take place through natural processes -
even though we still wouldn't understand the mechanism. That is, God
can limit himself to working with and through natural processes, and
those processes are able to be instruments through which God brings
forth life.
Pax,
George Murphy