ETI and the Catholic Church? An Interview with Dr. Paul Thigpen about his new book
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
- Are we alone in the universe with God and the angels? TAN Books Publisher Conor Gallagher speaks with longtime TAN author Dr. Paul Thigpen about his book, Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith.
Get the book: tanbooks.com/p...
Does intelligent life exist beyond earth?
For more than half a century, the question of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) has been widely dismissed in our culture. That wasn’t always the case. Some of the best minds of the last twenty-five centuries in Western civilization have grappled with this mystery.
In Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith, best-selling author Paul Thigpen begins with a fascinating historical survey of the public conversation about ETI, tracing the thought of prominent Catholics and others. Well-known figures such as Plato, Saint John Chrysostom, René Descartes, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, and C. S. Lewis all speculated about the possibilities of life beyond our planet. Even Catholic saints and blesseds spoke of ETI, such as Pope Saint. John Paul II, Saint (Padre) Pio of Pietrelcina, and Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich.
In light of this history, readers will discover answers to these questions:
How do Scripture and Catholic teaching shed light on this topic?
-Are alleged encounters with ETI simply a form of demonic deception?
-Is belief in ETI compatible with the Catholic Church’s teaching?
-What might be the spiritual and moral status of ETI, and what relationship might they have to Jesus Christ?
-Would the confirmed existence of ETI undermine the Christian faith, as some have claimed?
-How can thinking about ETI deepen our faith and enhance our understanding of the Church’s teaching about God and His creation, Jesus Christ and salvation, and God’s ultimate intention for His creatures?
Still more, a concluding appendix addresses the related issue of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and the speculation surrounding them.
Recent developments in astrophysics, technology, and UFO-related disclosures by the Pentagon have reawakened the public discussion about ETI. Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith is a thorough guide to navigating the conversation from a faithful Catholic perspective.
Catholic Catechism 356 : “Of all visible creatures only man is "able to know and love his creator".He is "the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake",and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God's own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity.”
We alone are called to know, love and serve and share in the life of God Our Father.
Emphasis on the word visible. The entire point of the conversation is to discuss what has been invisible to us as a result of time and space.
Good to hear others are having this conversation. I am writing two books (one non-fiction and the other fiction) on this topic. I will be purchasing Dr. Thigpen’s book to add to my thoughts as I write.
Thank you.
Have you published anything yet?
Fantastic Episode. Thank you.
I teach OCIA and 1st grade catechism so I must read this book. I know something is coming soon, and it could be a deception but on the other hand it could be a new revelation that we need to include in Catholic teachings. God has been impresing on my heart that I approach this with humility.
Loved this interview . I'll be starting this book tomorrow
Although Lewis was not a Roman Catholic, his 'Space Trilogy' is a fascinating exploration of what off-earth intelligence might be like.
I thank God for His Glory that is revealed in the universe. HOWEVER, I do NOT think that the Catholic Church is the true Church. St. Peter's only official role in the 1st century Church was only that of "an apostle," (1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1). We learn this from St. Peter’s own inspired writings (1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1). Yes, St. Peter help to lead the early Church in Jerusalem during the 1st century (along with James and John, ... Galatians 2:9), with James heading up the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:19--21). Note in Galatians 2:9, St. James’ name is mentioned before St. Peter, and likewise, the book of James is placed before the epistles written by St. Peter. Moreover, it should be remembered that St. Paul, far and away, overshadowed St. Peter in feeding the flock of God by His prodigious output of epistles to the 1st century Church--13 epistles or 14 (if you include the book to the Hebrews). Compare St. Peter’s 2 small epistles. And then we have the book to the Romans--no apostle wrote anything close to it, including St. Peter. Peace and Health, through our incomparable Christ.