page_title: Religion in space
section_title: Apollo 8 Genesis Reading
hierarchical_section_title: Religion in space / Christianity / Apollo 8 Genesis Reading
caption_attribution_description: English: Three of the six crew members aboard the International Space Station peek out of their sleeping quarters on Christmas morning to view the station's decorations and gifts. Shown, from left, are European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Expedition 26 flight engineer, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, Expedition 26 commander, and NASA astronaut Catherine (Cady) Coleman, flight engineer.
context_page_description: Astronauts and cosmonauts, and spaceflight participants have observed their religions while in space; sometimes publicly, sometimes privately. Religious adherence in outer space poses unique challenges and opportunities for practitioners. Space travelers have reported profound changes in the way they view their faith related to the overview effect, while some secular groups have criticized the use of government spacecraft for religious activities by astronauts.
context_section_description: On Christmas Eve, 1968 astronauts Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman read from the Book of Genesis as Apollo 8 orbited the Moon. A lawsuit by American Atheists founder Madalyn Murray O'Hair alleged that the observance amounted to a government endorsement of religion in violation of the First Amendment, but the case was dismissed.       On August 2nd, 1971, Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Scott left a Bible on the Lunar rover during an Extravehicular activity.
caption: Christmas morning in Node 3 in 2010.
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