Unpublished 198. Moon Shot (typed)
[1958. Moon Shot: Its Meaning to 25 Scholars (Contributor). Christianity Today 13 Oct.]
Moon Shot: Its Meaning to 25 Scholars
Recent Developments in astronautics are affecting many areas of human thought and action. The Christian may well ask how it affects his faith.
Consider the attention now focused on a shot to the moon. Is there a moral, even a spiritual side, fro which this concentration of interest may be viewed? What may be said to be the religious and ethical implications of a successful shot to the moon (or even an unsuccessful attempt?) What does it indicate above man as created? As fallen? Where may it lead us? Away from God Nearer to God?
For a religious assessment of lunar exploration, CHRISTIANITY TODAY put these questions to Protestantism’s foremost theologians and philosophers. Most of the 25 distinguished leaders quoted herewith are evangelicals, but not all.
GORDON H. CLARK, professor, Butler University: “The attempt to shoot the moon has no more religious significance than any other great scientific advance. To suppose so is on a level with interpreting the Apocalypse by the morning newspaper. God’s first command to Adam contained the injunction to subdue nature. Shooting the moon, therefore, is so divinely appointed task. Unfortunately, however, the ungodly are generally reputed to have obeyed this commandment more successfully the devout Christians have.”
