The Bible in Space
When monumental experiences drive us to look for meaning or turn to God in gratitude, Americans open the Bible.
It was December, 1968. The United States had experienced a turbulent year including the assassinations of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, riots in American cities, a tumultuous presidential election, and the on-going Vietnam War.​
In the midst of this chaos, America had kept pursuing the dream President John F. Kennedy articulated in 1962: to reach the moon and come back safely by the end of the decade. While Apollo 11 was the mission that ultimately landed American astronauts on the moon, Apollo 8 was a test run. Its purpose was to carry people to the moon and back, but without landing.
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As Apollo 8 orbited the moon on Christmas Eve, providing a never-before-seen view of Earth, its crew shared a Bible reading, which was aired around the world. It was reportedly the most-watched TV broadcast to date.​
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​“For all the people on Earth," began William Anders, “the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you. ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and earth.'"
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He read the first four verses of Genesis before Jim Lovell took over. “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Four more verses, and it was Frank Borman's turn.
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“...And God saw that it was good," Borman read, completing verse 10. “And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you—all of you on the good Earth."
Are there other Bible passages you would want to share with the world if you orbited the moon?
