Washington National Cathedral - Our Future in Space

Space is the new frontier for humanity. NASA is planning a new generation of exploration, scientists are debating the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and military planners are developing weapons for space warfare. What does this “space rush” mean – at a moment when billionaires are launching private spaceships, and the Director of National Intelligence has released a report assessing Unidentified Aerial Phenomena? As we look toward the heavens, what does the possibility of life “out there” mean for our religious life?

Guests at the 2021 Ignatius Forum include  Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, NASA Administrator and former Senator Bill Nelson, astronomer Avi Loeb, and theologian and astrophysicist David Wilkinson. David Ignatius of the Washington Post leads this wide-ranging discussion on our common future in space, and whether we’re alone in this vast universe.

Special guests to be announced.

Speakers

• Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence 
• Avi Loeb, Harvard University Department of Astronomy. Astronomer and best-selling author.  Extraterrestrial (2021) 
• Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator and former US Senator (FL 2001-2019) 
• David Wilkinson, Durham University and ECLAS (Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science). Theologian and astrophysicist. Science, Religion, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2013)

• Jeff Bezos, American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor, and computer engineer. He is the founder and executive chairman of Amazon.

   

Please note that all attendees are required to wear a properly-fitted mask while on the Cathedral grounds and inside the Cathedral building.

This event is also available to watch online for free. Register here to receive a link to the online forum.

https://cathedral.org/event/our-future-in-space/ 

(UPDATE 11-November 2021 - Youtube link to the event)