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.
- Imprint:
- TAN Books
- Format:
- Hardcover
- Publication Date:
- 06/28/2022
- Author:
- Paul Thigpen, PhD
- Pages:
- 456
- Pdf:
- https://tanbooks.com/content/Preview_ET_CatholicFaith_Text.pdf
- Height:
- 7.00
- Width:
- 5.00
6 Reviews
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Good, balanced presentation
This is a well researched book on ET intelligence for Catholics.
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I gave this book to
I gave this book to my daughter for Christmas. Nicole Katrina absolutely loved it !!! She takes it to work with her. This book will bring her back to Mass. Thank You!!!
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Appalling
I love TAN. I have bought over 200 of their books and just enrolled my children in TAN Academy. I trust them, and don't want that trust broken. That's why I am appalled that they released this book. I looked at the other reviews and agree that the book is well researched and well written... but only for the first half. He explains the many times throughout history that extraterrestrials have been discussed in and outside the Church. But then the book takes an ugly turn. Being well researched gives way to citing documents and quotes which do not mention ETI, followed by him expanding on how they could be talking about aliens, about assumptions that could be made, and how interpretations could be made based on omissions or inclusions of certain words. But the worst part for me is when he gets to Mary. He says, and I'm paraphrasing, that it would not be against our faith if Jesus were born in multiple worlds to multiple mothers, and how the Mary he knows would be humble and happy with her sisters in heaven. That's how far out he goes from the truth... he doesn't even bother pretending to extract an alternate meaning from a source, he just makes all of this up from nowhere. I still have about 50 pages to go, but I can't see any redemption after reading that part. In my opinion, TAN should stop publishing this book before it ruins their reputation.
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Amazing!
Dr. Thigpen is excellent in this! I love how the information is presented, very academic and rooted in the Catholic faith. Well done!
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Maybe?
I did not know some of the Saints quotes, especially St. Pio. I'm still reading it. It's making me think.
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Excellent
It is excellent because it makes you think from a scientific perspective but most of all from a theological perspective and it is faithful to the Church. I highly recommend it.
