A former church leader has put forth a controversial theory suggesting that passages in the Old Testament, traditionally interpreted as encounters with God, may actually describe interactions with advanced non-human intelligences. Paul Wallis, who spent over 30 years in church ministry, believes that clues within the Bible, when compared with narratives from ancient civilizations, point to humanity's past encounters with what he terms 'sky people.'
Wallis, a former Anglican archdeacon in Australia, based his conclusions on a re-examination of biblical texts and their linguistic roots, alongside ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, Mayan, Chinese, and African traditions. He argues that recurring themes of powerful beings, advanced weaponry, and metallic or flying objects in these diverse accounts are too similar to be coincidental.
He proposed that the Hebrew term 'Elohim,' commonly translated as God, might instead refer to a group of 'powerful ones.' This interpretation, he claims, aligns with ancient Mesopotamian stories of the Anunnaki. Wallis also noted parallels with stories of feathered serpents in Mesoamerican and East Asian cultures, and narratives from African and Native American peoples. Many of these ancient stories, he observed, follow a pattern where humanity survives a catastrophe, and then visitors arrive to help rebuild civilization.
Wallis's analysis extends to specific biblical passages, including those in Ezekiel and Exodus. He interprets descriptions of a large object with metallic and fiery elements, as well as accounts of advanced weaponry, as potential references to technology rather than spiritual phenomena. For example, he views Ezekiel's account of being carried within a capsule, describing metallic surfaces and engine-like noise, as a description of a craft.
However, Wallis's theories are based on unconventional interpretations of ancient texts, treating passages often considered mythological or metaphorical as literal eyewitness accounts. Critics point out that parallels in ancient narratives could stem from shared cultural traditions, diffusion of ideas, or modern interpretations of symbolic language, rather than literal extraterrestrial visits. NASA and the U.S. government have consistently stated there is no evidence of extraterrestrial visitation to Earth.
Wallis acknowledges that his views have faced significant opposition, including threats from some religious conservatives who see his work as undermining faith. Conversely, others have found his interpretations offer solace for passages that previously challenged their understanding. He maintains that the possibility of non-human intelligence being embedded in scripture means humanity should prepare for such a revelation.
