That's based on an older story, from the so-called Golden Age of SF. A
little work with Google (q=dead+world+star+of+bethlehem), and the first hit
is the Wikipedia entry for "The Star", by Arthur C. Clarke
(<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_(Clarke_short_story)>) (first pub
1955 Infinity Science Fiction, Hugo winner 1956, reprinted in collection
_The Other Side of the Sky_ [which is where I most likely read it], and in
Short Story International issue 1965 Jan.).
I read this as a teenager and found it thought provoking. The Jesuit's concerns aren't unanswerable - though they are difficult - but that's outside the scope of the TML.
However, rereading it now is not only thought provoking but got me thinking in tandem with Jeff''s request.
IF you take it as read (and many may choose not to - skip onto the next email in the thread) that the Biblical story is an accurate depiction of what went on both on Earth and 'behind the scenes' in a spiritual realm, then what if...
what if the people of The Star never experienced The Fall? (and thus lived in perfect communion with God until such time as they chose to 'transfer' to the spiritual realm - either by death or perhaps a Lord of the Rings like sailing off into the west)
what if they had a technology along the lines of the Darrian's Star Trigger?
what if they knew about the situation on Earth?
(whether by observation, visitation or because God told them - take your pick, each leads to interesting ideas)
what if they determined that they could 'save' the Terrans by sending a sign (let's see, maybe Herod kills Jesus along with the other children because the wise men don't show up)?
what if the only way they could signal Terra (or only way they could do it time) is to destroy their own star, sacrificing themselves so that some on Terra might be saved?
what if they chose to make that ultimate sacrifice... and the records that the Jesuit's team will translate, tell them that... in order to save as many from Earth as possible?
what if they chose to do that whilst NOT being in a non-Fallen state? But the vast majority are believers. However, a small part of the population don't agree with the plan... [adventure ideas for anyone wanting to set a scenario in this time and place]
Just thinking out loud really... but it leads to the beginnings of a thought for Jeff's article:
A development of present day Christianity incorporating the knowledge that the population of a planet 3000 light years away (I haven't done the work to attempt to locate this anywhere), voluntarily gave up their entire existence in order 'evangelize' Terrans.
The system would become a place of pilgrimage; their records studied as near-scripture.
Believers would attempt to emulate the lifestyles of people from The Star in as much as the records allowed them to reconstruct either day-to-day living or worship practices.
The existence of The Star system and records wouldn't necessarily prove the existence of God. Nay-sayers will be able to produce all sorts of reasons why their beliefs (those of The Star) were misguided and that they weren't a non-Fallen people but a remarkably crime free society; but believers will take it as a strong indication; perhaps its discovery will drive a new wave of missionary effort
The relationship with the Darrians (or any attempts to replicate Star Trigger technology) could be interesting. Is it regarded as something to venerate due to the significance of The Star folk's sacrifice; or something to abhor as "we're not worthy" to even think about following in their footsteps? Or is there a schism over the whole topic? :-)
Might it evolve into a deathcult where making that kind of ultimate sacrifice becomes such an obsession it overrides even evangelistic good sense?
tc