The God of Modern Physics
[ Printable version ]
by Kieran Comerford
3 Feb 2005
Many of us have been brought up to think of ourselves as sinners, as unworthy. The words “Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof. Only say the word and my soul shall be healed” are said by the congregation in Roman Catholic and Anglican services. But Jesus never told us that we were unworthy. This phrase is based on the words of the centurion whose servant was ill (Matthew: 8,8). It was his faith, not his humility, that was being drawn to our attention by Jesus because he said, ‘I have not found such great faith in all of Israel’(Matthew: 8,10).
The traditional view of ourselves as unworthy sinners is gradually being supplanted by a broader more empowered view. Gone is the angry God of the Day of Judgement, the Dies Irae. He, or even She, is seen by many people as more merciful and compassionate, understanding their situation and guiding them to find the answers they seek. This view of a more all-embracing God is supported by current thinking on the nature of reality as expressed by Modern Physics.
The breakthrough ideas of Relativity and Quantum Theory in the last century have now stood the test of time and been confirmed by experiment. The reality we experience is seen to be something created by us through our consciousness. In scientific terms the observer is seen to be part of the experiment, a participant rather than objectively separate. This leads to the conclusion that we do not exist as separate beings unconnected from everything and everyone else. In fact we are not nearly as real as we think we are. Most of what we see around us is empty space but it appears as solid. If we look at a wall we are seeing something which consists of atoms held together by strong electromagnetic forces which reflect light and create the illusion of solidity. The atoms themselves are mostly empty space held together by electromagnetic and nuclear forces which are so strong that they resist us if we try to push against the wall and hurt us if we collide with it.
In fact matter (including ourselves) is now seen as merely a concentration of energy in an infinite energy field. We are like whirlpools in a river, part of the whole, yet also having a separate identity. It depends on whether you look at it from the viewpoint of a whirlpool or a river. If you think you are a whirlpool you see yourself as separate from the rest of the river. If you think of yourself as a river, you see yourself as one with all the whirlpools. Similarly with the traditional perception of God. If you think of yourself as separate, then you create that reality. If you see yourself as one with God you then participate in a much greater and more empowered reality.
This is the traditional unity versus duality conflict. In the traditional view, God is separate and transcendent, overlooking our feeble efforts to appease him. In the modern view, God is dwelling in us or “immanent”. If God is everywhere He must be in us. The problem has been in reconciling these apparently irreconcilable views. However it is merely a question of perspective. Modern Physics shows us that both can be true. It just depends on your viewpoint..
In Quantum Physics it has been shown that you can measure the position of a particle but not its velocity and vice versa. In another famous experiment called the “Two-slit Experiment” it has been shown that particles of light passing through slits in a piece of card can be shown to behave either as separate particles or as particles connected together and behaving like a wave. It all depends on your perspective. If you try to measure particles you get answers for particles. If you try to measure waves you get answers for waves. Both realities are true. They are not in conflict because the measurement of particles can only give the right answers for particles and the measurement for waves can only give the right answer for waves. As long as you don’t try to apply one reality to the other there is no problem.
When people apply this approach to religious belief some interesting possibilities begin to emerge. Suppose they accept that God can be both transcendent and immanent and that it just depends on their viewpoint. They can say that when they need God’s help they can pray to a God who is separate from them and able to help them when they feel weak and disempowered. But they can also say that they feel God’s presence or power in them and feel their connection to God and to other people. These points of view are not in conflict unless they insist on one view to the exclusion of the other.
The conflict between the two viewpoints often emerges when people speak of God as a person. This traditional and separatist view is resisted by the modernists who see “personhood” as far too limiting a concept for God. To them, personhood represents separateness in the physical sense. It is an earthly concept applied to a heavenly being. The dictionary definition of a person is “a human being”. Yet traditional beliefs state that there are three persons in one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The problem is partly due to the limitations of language and the difficulties which existed in the past in explaining theological concepts to a people who were largely uneducated.
The God of Modern Physics is both transcendent and immanent, and perhaps a new and acceptable terminology is needed to address the immanent God. Some parts of the Bible appear to give some guidance. Psalm 82 states ‘I said you are gods, you are all the sons of the Most High’. Jesus refers to this psalm when He says in John: 10,34 ‘Is it not written in your law ‘I have said you are gods’’? In John: 14,20 He says, ‘On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you’. Maybe recognizing the Divinity in others might be a start.
Eastern religions also give some clues. Buddhists do not recognize God as such but talk about reaching Nirvana. It is interesting to note that Buddhists do not worship Buddha but instead follow his teachings. Hindus recognize God as Brahman the ultimate reality but not a person. Their many deities are aspects of God, something like saints in the Christian church. Both Buddhists and Hindus recommend meditation as a practice which connects the individual to the cosmic self. In the East, gurus and other spiritual figures are respected not because of their power and influence but because of their spirituality.
One of the difficulties in recognising a new terminology to describe the connectedness among people and oneness with God may be the continuing confusion between religion and spirituality. Religion (from the Latin word religare ‘to bind back’) is worship within a particular set of beliefs. Spirituality is a knowledge of the spirit or higher aspects of our self. For many, spirituality is considered to be something found within religion while the more modern view holds that religion is an aspect of spirituality. This may be seen as a threat by traditionalists.
The Modern Physics view of God emphasises the connectedness of all beings. It becomes clear that to harm someone else is ultimately to harm yourself. This is not immediately obvious to people until the effect is magnified by the wrong behaviour of the many. Once this is understood, people are less likely to do harm to others. In terms of physics we are all part of the same energy field. It is a field of infinite energy which has existed for all time and will continue for ever. It is everywhere and it is every thing and it even existed before the Big Bang. It’s similarity to the attributes of God should not be ignored. Perhaps Modern Physics can become part of the curriculum for religious formation in the future. Then Theism and Pantheism can co-exist without conflict.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kieran Comerford is author of The Christian’s Dilemma: A guide to the new spirituality. Details at http://www.kcomerford.com.
Copyright © Kieran Comerford 2004. This file may be copied and circulated provided that is copied whole and without modification. Copying under any other circumstances is an infringement of copyright.