Another opinion.
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Theology and Physics
1.1 The New Physics
The 20th Century has been revolutionary for the study
and understanding of physics, which in turn has had profound
implications for contemporary history and society. Quantum mechanics
has opened up for us the very strange world of atomic and sub atomic
processes – which follow a very peculiar set of rules. Einstein’s relativity
theory has given us a new cosmology – a new understanding of gravity
and motion.
These are now established theories, supported by a very large number
of experiments, and lie behind the design of silicon chips and nuclear
reactors. The theories are complex, in many ways they are counter
intuitive, and the mathematics (as my aching brain still remembers
from my physics course 20 years ago) is just horrendous.
The question is what difference, if any, does modern physics
make for theology?
We draw our theology, our understanding of God, from a number of
different sources: the Bible, the church, our society, history, personal
experience of life and personal experience of God, and our experience
of the natural world. How we blend these ingredients together and form
any kind of consensus is not my topic here.
The new physics is of course reaching us through society, history and
contemporary life i.e. computers, smart weapons and nuclear devices,
and TV. Even now I am typing this on a PC. How does that affect the
content?
Again this is not my topic here. I am going to restrict myself
to the way the new physics changes our understanding of the natural
world and by that route affects our theology.
Even this is far too big a field so I propose to tackle the following:
the general impact of science on theology (the role of nature as a source
for theology, the relationship of science and religion, the ultra
Copernican revolution), quantum mechanics, cosmology
and a few final thoughts.
http://www.alansharp.co.uk/physics.htmRev Alan Sharp BSc. B.D.
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