Heiser_1999abstr

 

“BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY”—

DIVINE CREATION AND THE MOTIVATION TO COLONIZE MARS

 

 

The Rev. James D. Heiser*

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Given the resources that will be required to explore and colonize Mars, it will be necessary to explain the need for such colonization in terms that appeal to the broadest feasible segments of society. Approximately four out of five Americans identify themselves as Christians; therefore efforts should be made to address their potential motivations for supporting Mars exploration and colonization.

 

Some of the current ‘popular’ motivations for colonization of other worlds are likely to be less effective with a Christian audience. The ‘threat’ of universal destruction (due to collision of the earth with a comet, for example) is one line of argumentation that would be unlikely to be effective with Christians, particularly Evangelicals, conservative mainline Protestant churches, and Roman Catholics, in light of traditional Christian eschatology.

 

Outreach to Christians must engage the doctrine of creation; that is, the belief that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) The issue here is not so much an argument over a ‘young‑earth’ (the earth is only a few thousand years old) versus ‘old‑earth’ (the earth is billions of years old) Creationism; this is a dialog that can only be concluded within the Church. Rather, what is needed is an appeal rooted in a two‑fold understanding of creation as (1) giving testimony to its Creator (“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” Psa. 19), and (2) a requirement of careful stewardship of the creation (Gen. 1). Such appeals should be based in the Scriptures, the Church fathers and later significant theologians—preferably theologians representing as broad a historical perspective as possible. Toward this end, the Mars Society should focus on involving representatives of various denominations to present such appeals to members of their own communities.