United States Navy, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Pentagon recently released a tranche of formerly classified documents on so-called unidentified aerial phenomena — what most people simply call UFOs. The files date back to the 1940s and include reports from military sources, government officials, and even the crew of Apollo 11. One group of pastors claimed to have been briefed by military intelligence officers warning of an imminent crisis of faith once the documents became public. So far, no such crisis has materialized, and for Christians who are properly grounded, it shouldn't.
When it comes to the question of extra-terrestrial life, the Bible is essentially silent. It neither affirms nor rules out the possibility. But what Scripture does make absolutely clear is the universal reign of Christ — over all that is seen and unseen, created and uncreated, in this world and any other that may exist. If there are other worlds, Christ is Lord over them too. Now, the Bible does clearly describe beings that are neither human nor animal, but spiritual beings. These beings do not exist on different planets, but in a different realm that intersects with ours. These are angelic and demonic beings, and they do not bear the image of God. What do those have to do with UFOs? That may never remain to be seen.
Christian authors like C.S. Lewis in his famous space trilogy have entertained us with ideas about other worlds and beings connecting with our own. However, when we consider these real-world unexplained phenomena, human exceptionalism is the right starting point for us to have discernment. Human beings are unique – we alone are created imago dei, in God’s image.
The apostle Paul warned that in the last days, even the elect would be at risk for deception. That is not a reason for fear, but to form our minds so deeply rooted in Scripture and in the truth about who God is that no document dump, no unexplained encounter, and certainly no news headline can shake what we know to be true.
As poet and preacher John Donne wrote, “he that fears God fears nothing else.” Scripture’s repeated warning issued to man is boiled down in two words: fear not. In the face of uncertain information and distracting headlines — we must not be deceived or fearful! We rest in Christ’s sovereignty over all things, seen and unseen.
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