The challenging implications for Christian theology and ethics

Abstract Until now, there has been no evidence of the existence of life forms other than on Earth. The philosophical, ethical and theological corpus that has been built up on this subject over several millennia is therefore based on a thought experiment or a posture of belief. Between dealing with a heresy and applying the precautionary principle, extraterrestrials represent a special opportunity to question the boundaries of our systems of thought, and sometimes to shake up dogmatism.