Exotheology
| Exotheology | |
|---|---|
| Family | Modern / Theological field and speculative worldview |
| Origin region | Global theological and scientific discussion |
| Founding period | Modern and contemporary, especially 20th and 21st centuries CE |
| Estimated adherents | Not a religion with adherents; a field of theological speculation and belief formation. |
Exotheology is the study and speculation about how theology, religion, ethics, salvation, creation, and sacred meaning would relate to extraterrestrial life or non-human intelligence.
Overview
Exotheology is not a single faith, but it is important for modern religion because it asks how existing and future theologies might change if intelligent extraterrestrial life were discovered. It overlaps with UFO religions, astrobiology, science fiction, Christian theology, space ethics, and cosmology. On Wikitheism it can serve as a bridge page for faiths and ideas about life beyond Earth.
Key beliefs
- Extraterrestrial life could have religious and theological significance
- Human-centered theology may need reinterpretation in a populated cosmos
- Creation, incarnation, revelation, salvation, and ethics can be reconsidered beyond Earth
- Some versions are speculative within existing religions; others are independent spiritual ideas
- Claims about aliens should be distinguished from evidence-based astronomy and astrobiology
Practices
- Theological writing and debate
- Speculative liturgy or prayer about cosmic life
- Study of astrobiology and philosophy of religion
- Discussion of UFO religions and space ethics
- Science fiction as theological imagination
Places of worship
- Academic or interfaith setting
- Online discussion group
- Existing religious communities exploring the topic
- No standard exotheological temple
Sacred texts
- Theological essays on extraterrestrial life
- Astrobiology and philosophy writings
- Science fiction with religious themes
- UFO religion writings in related movements
Holidays and observances
- No universal observances
- Space exploration anniversaries in some communities
- Community-defined reflection days
Branches and related traditions
- Raelism - A modern UFO religion with extraterrestrial creator beliefs.
- Terasem - A technology and space-oriented modern spiritual movement.
- Technotheism - A related category when technology and cosmic destiny are interpreted religiously.