Space exploration and belief in God may initially seem worlds apart. But is that really the case? Insights from some of the world’s most celebrated astronauts can bring a fresh perspective to this question.
In recent decades, extraordinary advances in science and technology have enabled humankind to reach new frontiers—from orbiting the Earth to walking on the Moon. For some atheists, these accomplishments represent the triumph of human reason over faith, which they argue has often led to negative outcomes, such as religious persecution. The reflections of astronauts who have gazed upon the universe from beyond Earth may, however, offer a more complex view, suggesting that science and spirituality do not need to be at odds.
Setting aside the obvious absurdity of such an arbitrary statement,1 atheistic circles often seem to disregard the significant, positive contributions that religion and faith in God have made to science and space exploration. One might expect that astronauts, devoted to science and the exploration of the cosmos, would be unlikely to embrace what some call ‘superstitions’. However, as the following examples show, this assumption overlooks the complexity of their views
Yuri Gagarin – Atheist or Believer?
The first human to cross the Kármán line2 and enter outer space was Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin. The rocket launch took place on April 12, 1961, marking a monumental achievement for humanity. A well-known story among atheists suggests that upon returning from space, the astronaut said, ‘I looked and looked but I didn’t see God’. In a variation of the story, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is said to have asked Gagarin if he saw God during his mission. Gagarin reportedly replied with a wink, ‘Yes, of course!’ to which Khrushchev, in the same tongue-in-cheek spirit, supposedly responded, ‘I thought so! But don’t tell anyone’.3
However, it turns out this might all be a fabrication spread by the communist Soviet Union, which pursued a policy of state atheism. Although the book The Road to Space, published under Gagarin’s name but written by ghostwriters, spoke critically of religion, his friends had a very different view. Anton Pervushin, in his 2011 biography 108 Minutes That Changed the World, stated that Gagarin was a member of the Orthodox Church and a deeply religious man.4 He even had his daughter baptized in the Orthodox Church before his launch.5 This suggests he was not an atheist, as Soviet atheist propaganda would have us believe.
Was Yuri Gagarin the only Soviet cosmonaut with religious beliefs? As it turns out, several of Gagarin’s colleagues were also people of faith. Among them were Georgi Grechko (who passed away in 2017) and Alexei Leonov (who passed away in 2019), the first man to conduct a spacewalk.6
The Apollo 8 Mission and Bible Reading
In the Soviet Union, astronauts’ expressions of religious faith were constrained by the state’s strict ideological stance, leaving little room for openly acknowledging belief in God. American astronauts, however, were afforded considerable freedom to express their personal faith, even citing the Bible in their broadcasts from space.
On 21 December 1968, Apollo 8 launched with astronauts Frank F. Borman II, James A. Lovell Jr., and William A. Anders. During a broadcast on Christmas Eve, 24 December, the crew read from the Bible’s creation story. Bill Anders read verses 1–4, Jim Lovell 5–8, and Frank Borman 9–10, each presenting their reading as a message to humankind.7 This broadcast reached audiences across many countries within a day.
This left atheists stunned, but they did not rest. Madalyn Murray O’Hair, founder of American Atheists, filed a lawsuit against the United States government and NASA over the public broadcasting of the Bible reading. She argued that it violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the principle of separation of church and state. Her case was, however, dismissed.8
The Apollo 11 Mission and Communion on the Moon
Apollo 11 stands as the most iconic mission of the Apollo program, forever remembered as the first time humans set foot on the Moon. This achievement took place on July 20, 1969, capturing the world’s attention and symbolizing America’s success in the space race against the Soviet Union.
However, few realize that before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their historic descent to the lunar surface (while their teammate Michael Collins continued orbiting in the command module), Aldrin took communion.9 He did so without broadcasting it to the world, as NASA was dealing with the aforementioned O’Hair lawsuit and did not want to stir up further controversy. After sending a transmission to NASA and reading John 15:5 from a slip of paper, Aldrin took bread and wine. This was the first, and so far the only, communion taken on the Moon.
Buzz Aldrin sought to commemorate the Moon landing with a personal, reflective act. As an elder at a Presbyterian church in Webster, Texas, he was inspired to take communion on the Moon after discussing the idea with his pastor, Dean Woodruff. The pastor gifted him a small silver chalice, carefully chosen for its light weight to fit within Aldrin’s limited personal storage. The bread and wine, similarly compacted into plastic bags like other space-bound provisions, allowed Aldrin to conduct this quiet ceremony—a profound gesture marking humanity’s first steps on another world.10
Today’s Astronauts
The examples of astronauts mentioned above are far from isolated cases. Even today, many astronauts hold personal beliefs in spirituality or in God, with a significant number identifying as Christians. Among them is Victor Glover, an astronaut who participated in the first operational flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which docked with the International Space Station on 17 November 2020.11 He is also a member of the Churches of Christ and arranged for communion cups and a Bible to be sent to the International Space Station ahead of his mission. His faith clearly complements his scientific work, rather than obstructing it, and provides solace during the isolation of space—a feeling shared by many astronauts.12
These examples clearly demonstrate that faith and religion do not stand in opposition to science and technological progress. On the contrary, faith and religion can indeed complement humanity’s scientific achievements. In other words, it is not necessary to be an atheist to practice science effectively; the experiences of these astronauts illustrate this well. Thus, the notion of an inherent conflict between religion and science should be reconsidered.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- Are There Planets Better Suited for Life Than Earth?
- Is the Biblical Age of the Universe Plausible?
- Göbekli Tepe – A Great Mystery for Historians
- The Tower of Babel – Extra-Biblical Narratives
- Exploring the Origins of Religion
Footnotes
- Religion is the source of many moral principles, and institutional atheism itself has millions of victims to its credit, especially in the communist USSR and PRC.
- The Karman Line is the conventional line between Earth’s atmosphere and open space, at an altitude of about 100 km.
- Shevchenko, N. (2021). Did Soviet cosmonauts believe in God? Russia Beyond, 7 May. Available at: https://www.rbth.com/history/333770-did-soviet-cosmonauts-believe-in-god.
- Ibid.
- Interfax Religion (2011). Gagarin’s family celebrated Easter and Christmas, Korolev used to pray and confess. Interfax Religion, 11 April. Available at: http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=8361.
- Shevchenko, N., op. cit.
- Apollo 8 Flight, Day 4 Transcript (n.d.). Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20090109121732/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap08fj/15day4_orbits789.html.
- O’HAIR v. Paine, 312 F. Supp. 434 (W.D. Tex. 1969). Available at: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/312/434/1468840/.
- Neil Armstrong, who was a deist, did not participate in the ritual; he simply watched.
- Carter, J. (2019). 9 Things You Should Know About the Communion Service on the Moon. The Gospel Coalition, 17 July. Available at: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-you-should-know-about-the-communion-service-on-the-moon/.
- Ross, B. (2020). Christian astronaut – and his communion cups – lifting off on space station. The Christian Chronicle, 10 November. Available at: https://christianchronicle.org/astronaut/.
- Schratz, P. (2019). Astronauts Found God in Space. Echoes, 26 July. Available at: https://www.thebostonpilot.com/opinion/article.asp?ID=185546.
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