Theology in Outer Space

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Space, the final frontier, the heavens, the music of the spheres: humans have long looked to Outer Space for images of transcendence. This class will examine theological questions raised by Outer Space, science fiction, and the contemporary space industry: Would aliens need salvation? Can another planet be a home? Must this universe last forever to be meaningful? In addition, we will use the techniques of political theology to examine religious rhetoric about space used in media and by governments, as well as the salvific hopes often projected onto space travel. Can seeing Earth from orbit transform our moral outlook? Is space exploration a continuation of American frontier religion or Manifest Destiny? Will space travel save us from the sins of environmental destruction? Outer Space continues to raise important questions for life here on Earth.