Astrosociology and the Capacity of Major World Religions to Contextualize the Possibility of Life Beyond Earth

As the scientific view of life as an emergent property in the universe continues to gain traction, it has become increasingly necessary to assess the potential for religious engagement with astrobiological issues. Astrobiology is an endeavor conducted on behalf of all humanity, and the fruits of its continued progress promise to have a far-reaching impact on every belief system and worldview. While the body of literature gauging the religious implications of the possibility of life beyond Earth continues to expand, there has, to date, been a disproportionate emphasis placed on the examination of Christian theology. Given that more than two-thirds of the world's population is non-Christian, astrosociological outreach to the religious community should strive to encompass all of the major religions of the world. This paper seeks to provide an overview assessment of the world religious landscape as it relates to astrosociology through an examination of the nineteen largest religious groups in the world. The analysis contained in the paper relies on surveys of religious leaders and adherents, religious literature that directly and indirectly addresses astrobiological issues, conference and workshop proceedings, and the astrobiological literature addressing society and religion. This paper illustrates the capacity of religion to act as a mutually beneficial partner with science in helping to contextualize astrobiological issues in diverse societies across the world. Most studies on the religious implications of astrobiology have tended to focus on whether Christianity is flexible enough to reconcile life beyond Earth with human-centered doctrines such as a special creation, a unique incarnation, and vicarious redemption. This paper shows that while there is reason to believe that most of Christendom would be amenable to astrobiological evidence, the larger religious landscape of the world seems to be philosophically constituted to not merely survive astrobiological pursuits, but to be explicitly compatible with, or even validated by, evidence of the universe harboring life beyond Earth