Quantum Theology

From black holes to holograms, from relativity theory to the discovery of quarks, an original exposition of quantum theory tht unravels profound theological questions

Despite the differences of their subject matter, science and theology have a cousinly relationship, John Polkinghorne contends in his latest thought-provoking book. From his unique perspective as both theoretical physicist and Anglican priest, Polkinghorne considers aspects of quantum physics and theology and demonstrates that the two truth-seeking enterprises are engaged in analogous rational techniques of inquiry. His exploration of the deep connections between science and theology shows with new clarity a common kinship in the search for truth. The author identifies and explores key similarities in quantum physics and Christology. Among the many parallels he identifies are patterns of historical development in quantum physics and in Christology; wrestling with perplexities such as quantum interpretation and the problem of evil; and the drive for an overarching view in the Grand Unified Theories of physics and in Trinitarian theology. Both theology and science are propelled by a desire to understand the world through experienced reality, and Polkinghorne explains that their viewpoints are by no means mutually exclusive.

QUANTUM RELIGION, Enlarging from the Inside-Out These times are scary but also hope-filled scary because of degraded nature, but hope-filled because global religion is coming to new self-understanding. In a word, religion means relationship; good news is experienced in relationships. Life itself is good news because it has built-in intelligence that can avoid hurtful relationships and can choose sustainable relationships instead. Global relationship (religion) is waking up to the tragic misdirection of imperial, top-down control, in contrast to the ordered direction of organic life growing and enlarging from within. Growing from the inside out happens incrementally with experience, a little bit at a time. But the good news is that consciousness of experience (the ground of faith) is cumulative by trial and error, and reveals what is sustainable and what is not. Organic relationships originated minutely, but have grown to the point of being self-reflective in the human person. Essential to growth is change, as experience has shown. But, political forces of self-interest compete to create self-serving webs of relationships that intend to dominate and control. The monopoly control of Christian churches has been centered in Rome under pope kings. The violence of imperial overreach came to a head in medieval times; and the weight of oppression, so heavy at that time, drove people to rebel and demand change. Denominational Christianity today is made up of reform factions of original Roman Catholicism. In the present time, the coming apart of imperial Roman Catholicism is happening with the resignation of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI and with the election of Pope Francis I. For the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, it is opening up to the organic nature of life, including humankind, and the incremental nature of relationships, growing bit-by-bit from within, not from the top down. Cosmic nature informs all relationships with the possibility and necessity of continuity and holding together from within. The mentality of dominion culture underlies the waste of nature by colonial overreach and corporate capitalism. The consciousness of love grounds in the universal understandings of common wellbeing, and expands in the incremental growth of complexity-consciousness. The affirming harmony of intentional relationships is the good news of personal/ social wellbeing and the condition of an uplifting and sustainable future. The personal search for self-identity takes on new meaning in light of understanding religion as common organic relatedness in Cosmic Earth evolution. The possibility of religions coming together on grounds of universal understandings is real given the wide open potentials of communication and the continuity of diverse life inside the webs of organic evolution. Beyond the benefits of the personal uplift of consciousness, QUANTUM RELIGION provides cohesive insights for bringing communities to a higher sense of religion and civility, and the necessary sensitivity that secures natural ecologies for future wellbeing. QUANTUM RELIGION is the good news of rising consciousness.

From black holes to holograms, from relativity theory to the discovery of quarks, Quantum Theology is an original exposition of quantum theory that unravels profound theological questions. Not simply a dialogue between science and religion, this "path-breaking work" (Values and Vision) is a bold exploration of divine creativity as seen through the lens of quantum theory, one of the most brilliant advances of our time. This new edition includes reflection questions for groups, as well as updates to reflect recent developments in science. Book jacket.

"From the electron microscope to the Hubble space telescope, modern technological advances have broadened our horizons - macroscopic and microscopic - beyond anything imaginable prior to the 1930s. One of the most important discoveries of the past few decades is the fact that everything, beginning with subatomic particles and including star systems and conscious human life, emerges from an underlying, transcendent Reality that brings all things from nonexistence into being through a continuous act of creation. All things are essentially interconnected in an entangled unity, which obliges us to view the world as a great hologram in which every aspect contains information of the Whole. This book raises the question of the relationship between that Reality and the Christian understanding of God. Written in the form of a simple novel, it begins by offering an overview, in lay terms, of quantum theory as it has developed since the early twentieth century. Gradually it lays the groundwork for an exploration of the relationship between quantum mechanics and certain key aspects of traditional Christian teaching. Its aim is to make clear that our usual conception of God and the world, in the words of the English theologian J.B. Phillips, is far 'too small.' With the help of insights drawn from quantum theory, we can now see that Creation is more intricate, more interconnected and more beautiful than our forebears could ever have imagined."--Publisher.

In 1981 Robert John Russell founded what would become the leading center of research at the interface of science and religion, the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. Throughout its twenty-five year history, CTNS under Russell's leadership has continued to guide and further the dialogue between science and theology. Russell has been an articulate spokesperson in calling for "creative mutual interaction" between the two fields. God's Action in Nature's World brings together sixteen internationally-recognized scholars to assess Robert Russell's impact on the discipline of science and religion. Focusing on three areas of Russell's work - methodology, cosmology, and divine action in quantum physics - this book celebrates Robert John Russell's contribution to the interdisciplinary engagement between the natural sciences and theology.

Since ancient times man has sought to understand the origins of the universe around him, and his place within it. Such speculations were once the sole purview of religion, but since the Enlightenment, science and rationality have also attempted to explain these mysteries, but from an opposing perspective. Conflict resulted and both sides dug in, clinging to dogmas that precluded any consideration of the other side. "Genesis, Zen and Quantum Physics" enters the fray with a very unique approach. Believing that harmony, rather than conflict, defines the relationship between the Genesis account and modern science; the authors have retranslated the creation story according to the ancient Hebrew pictographic language and in the context of the nomadic culture from which the language and narratives arose. The resulting translation and its accompanying commentary challenge the common understanding of God, science, and the very reason for man's existence. By harmonizing an accurate biblical account with cutting edge scientific understanding, the authors present a mature religious ideal and an appreciation for the understanding of the ancients for modern scientific concepts. This is a book that will redefine your understanding of God, the world around you and your role within it.

The Doctrine of the Trinity is an exercise in wonder. From the earliest days of Christianity, theologians of the church have drawn upon the most sophisticated language and understandings of their time in an attempt to clarify and express that faith. But how should we attempt to articulate that faith today? In this volume, Ernest Simmons engages precisely that question by asking what the current scientific understanding of the natural world might contribute to our reflection upon the relationship of God and the world in a Triune fashion.