How should a Christian view the idea of Mars colonization?

Answer

Human colonization of other planets is a recurring theme in science fiction. From Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles (1950) to Andy Weir’s The Martian (2011), sci-fi authors have been envisioning human civilization on Mars for a considerable time. With technological advancements, increasing economic considerations, and concerns about the environmental stability of Earth, the drive for extraterrestrial settlement is a primary focus of the scientific community.

Mars, one of Earth’s nearest neighboring planets, is arguably the most suitable destination for human expansion beyond our planet’s confines. The surface temperature and sunlight conditions on Mars are more similar to Earth’s conditions than those on any other celestial body in the solar system. Nevertheless, due to the reduced air pressure and an atmosphere containing only 0.1% oxygen, the majority of human life would not survive without sophisticated life-support systems and protective habitats. Nonetheless, the scientific community persists in seeking a way to turn science fiction into reality on Mars.

Christians need not be apprehensive about Mars colonization endeavors. Establishing a colony on Mars is not equivalent to forsaking Earth or the world that God has bestowed upon us. The Bible teaches us that everything in God’s creation—galaxies, stars, planets, people, plants, animals—was created for God’s glory (Psalm 8:3; Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 43:7; Isaiah 48:13). We are not prohibited from exploring our world, so it is reasonable to assume the same applies to other planets.

From a spiritual perspective, humanity could honor God just as effectively on Mars as it can on Earth. God is omnipresent, and His presence extends to Mars as much as it does to Earth. The believer’s body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, regardless of where he or she may go (1 Corinthians 3:16).

(1 Corinthians 3:16; Psalm 148:1-14). Believers living on Mars in the future would not need to fear being “left behind” during the rapture in the end times (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52), because God is not limited by the bounds of Earth’s atmosphere (Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23-24; 1 Kings 8:27).

Politically speaking, one of the concerns with colonizing Mars is how civil laws and culture would be established in a Martian colony. In 1967, the United Nations created the “Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.” This treaty stipulates that “no country may take claim to space or its inhabitants.” Since colonizing Mars would present such dangerous and challenging obstacles to human life, it is assumed that community laws on the Red Planet would likely be quite different from those on Earth. If Mars colonization is actualized, Christians within the scientific and political communities should be vigilant in helping to establish moral, humane laws and practices for the new civilization.

Christians may safely view the idea of Mars colonization simply as a continued advancement of scientific endeavor and expansion of knowledge. Supporting Mars colonization efforts is to support space exploration, scientific research, and interplanetary study—it is not a subscription to doomsday scenarios, global warming hoaxes, overpopulation fears, or any other enviro-political issue.