God and Astrobiology (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781009478656)

The perception that life on other planets would be, problematic for religious people, and indeed for religion itself, is a longstanding one. It is partially rooted in fact: astrobiological speculations have, on occasion, engendered religious controversies. Historical discussions are often far more nuanced, and less one-sided than often imagined. 'Exotheology' is a lively subdiscipline within several religious traditions. This Element offers a wide-ranging introduction to the multifarious 'problems of God and astrobiology', real and perceived. It covers major topics within Christian theology (e.g., creation, incarnation, salvation), as well as issues specific to Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. It also discusses the very different perspectives offered by other (non)religious traditions, including Mormonism, various 'alien-positive' new religious movements (e.g., Heaven's Gate, Scientology, Raëlism), and the 'Ancient Astronaunt' theories popularized by Erich von Dāniken and the History channel's Ancient Aliens.

Author: Richard Playford, Stephen Bullivant, Janet Siefert
ISBN-10: 1009478656
ISBN-13: 9781009478656
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 02/22/2024
Pages: 74
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.25d