Abstract

A new mythos is emerging: that of the extraterrestrial as savior. For centuries, humankind has looked to celestial bodies for deliverance from worldly strife. In biblical times, these saviors were the stars themselves. Curious lights in the sky continue to hold humanity’s gaze, but rather than luminous orbs light-years away, many people claim that the saviors of the human race have descended from the stars. With their advanced intellect and technology, these beings are believed to be able to aid a spiritually backwards humanity from self-obliteration and ecological foibles. Many go so far as to worship extraterrestrials outright in what are known as UFO Religions, yet not all members of the human race welcome the idea of alien life forms with open arms. In the conventional Christian conception of the cosmos, Jesus is understood as the lone savior of humanity, leaving some Christians to reject the notion of extraterrestrials as saviors and the notion of extraterrestrials altogether. Other followers of Christ, however, are embracing the possibility of life elsewhere. This paper explores the variety of ways in which ideas about the possibility of alien life is being challenged, incorporated, and rejected by Christianity, as well as more “secular” writers who nonetheless glimpse some religious connections here and even point to the Bible as evidence for their claims. Many view extraterrestrials in a salvific manner. These “sacred” spacemen are becoming a modern, “secular” mythology—even within Christianity itself.

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