QUANTUM THEOLOGY

PROF. M.M.NINAN

Chapter One

Observable and State Functions – Seen and Unseen

1.1 Introduction

The subject matter of Physics is matter in motion, and the subject matter of theology is man in motion. Though the realms of interactions and dimensions of space of their existences are different, there are many similarities. While Physics has developed into an exact science, theology is not even viewed as a science. Very few have ever tried to tap this similarity to get better understanding of each other.

Recent advances in Physics have led to the boundaries of knowledge that the theoretical physicists assert that what is seen are made up of what is not seen. Theoretical Physicists have been trying to develop a unified field theory to explain all known phenomena in terms of abstract models whereby the unseen could be made to account for what is seen.

 Heb. 11:3  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

As such both the fields have common grounds. As far as I know very few have tried to do this comparative study to get further insight into theology. As I grappled with the problems of soteriology, I was compelled to find explanations for the conflicting propositions in terms of Quantum situations where such conflicts are effectively removed. I was therefore forced into this study. These are only initial thought patterns that may require extensive studies. I am several years outdated in terms of Quantum Mechanics and related Theoretical advances. There may be others who could pick up the thread and add to these strings. I believe that this could open up a new field of vision, not only for the theologians but also for the theoretical physicists.

1.2 Knowing through Interaction

To begin with, we should note that quantities such as justification, sanctification, salvation, good etc are not directly observable quantities – things not seen. These are moral realities and are very much like the state functions of the Quantum Mechanics. It is the fundamental assumption here that there exists a Real State (represent able as a function or as a Vector) from which these observable can be deduced. Though all the relevant properties are inherent in the state function, - in the state of the person and that includes God - we cannot actually measure or observe it directly. All measurable parameters can be deduced only by the action of proper operators on the state function. (In Dirac’s matrix formulation the state functions are replaced with state vectors. Here the operators are matrices as opposed to differential operators of Schrödinger. The principle behind both is identical. Only the mathematical formalism is different.) That is to say, the state (the person or object) is expressed and determinable only in terms of its reaction to a concrete historical situation and in the relationship of the person with the rest of the world – material, people and situations. These reactions and relations are observable. The measurable or observable in human life are simply the actions of the people– generally referred to as "works".

This is also true regarding the nature of God. We have to deduce the non-observable quantities (the state) from the observable. Moses wanted to know God. He asked God in the mount of Sinai for a revelation of his name. In the Hebrew, thought knowing a name meant knowing the properties. However, God refused to give him a name or a definition and simply said, "I am that I am". The implication simply was that no man could know God in His absolute state. Nevertheless, we may know God in God’s action through history. If God does not act, we have no means of knowing God. In other words, God was enunciating the principle that properties are determined in terms of the measuring equipment – in experience.

We shall see that this is a reality the Physicists learned with pain. If we need an answer to a question, we have to ask that question in terms of a given situation to get an answer for that situation. In Biblical hermeneutics, we insist that the Word of God should not be interpreted outside of the context of the bible. This is usually given by the dictum "A text taken out of context is a pretext". . This is also true of any person. In fact, this is also true of everything. The property of a substance is nothing but the collection of its reaction with other substances. In Chemistry, we tabulate the reaction of the element or chemical with others. These observables constitute the properties of the element or chemical. In Physics, we tabulate the reaction of the particle in the presence of various fields and forces. These reactions are observed as movement in space and time. In Life sciences, we look at the response of the life form in various environments. Even extensions and movement are relational. What we really observe in nature of matter is its reactions to other matter around it and its relative variations. The absolute nature of matter is understood only in terms of the observed. In Advaita this has led to a proposition that external realities do not exist or they are Maya or Midhya meaning unreal. We cannot arrive at that conclusion in Physics. The correct statement should be “While the external realities are real we cannot understand it except in terms of our relation with it. The knowing decides what property of the known is knowable in that context.”

On the judgment day, God uses the observables to differentiate the Righteous from the Unrighteous

(Property) P =>å Relations

The sum of the properties defines the state. However, the State is not equal to the sum of the properties

Mat. 25:34' Come, you, who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

1.3 How do we know God?

We often conceive God as existing before all creation as a Person, alone. The Christian argument is however that even though we can reason back to a monadic (single person ) self existent Brahman, such a Brahman, even though Omnipotent, will have no reason to act. He is without any property because properties arise only in relation to others. The pure Non-Being, or the unmanifest is the First principle Of the Ancient of days, the one without a beginning and without an end and the one without a second, the alpha and the omega, very littlecan be known. Yes He is Eternal, Imperishable, and the unchangeable principle. Can I say “He”? We are only creating more confusion in trying to clarify. There the mind does not go, nor the senses, nor our understanding. We cannot even describe this First Principle as existing or as a being. It is simply non-existence and non-Being. It is doubtful whether any one can really experience something which does not exist or which is simply non-existence or non-Being or even describe.

1.4 Incomprehensible and Comprehensible

If there are no others beside him, these properties are not even potentially defined. Further, this Nirguna Brahman (Brahman without properties) will have no purpose beyond himself. (Calvinism, which defines an Omni God therefore, has to define God as an egoistic, self-centered God - a concept that is directly in conflict with the character of God as seen in the Bible and in itself are indefinable properties without external beings in existence) The egg in mythical symbolism in all ancient religions usually represents this stage. A monadic God can have no purpose, as purposes are to be something, which is not realizable within him. Therefore, even if such a monotheistic God exists, he cannot initiate a creation process outside of him. We will then simply fall back to a Nirguna Brahman, which is totally inactive and purposeless, and no information of such Godhead can ever be obtained by us. We have at our hands a mathematical black hole. Information on such a state of God will be totally inaccessible. He certainly cannot be the God of creation.

When we refer to God or as Father in Heaven we are actually referring to this eternal principle. However we need to go beyond this monadic God into a active creative God which is IswaraBeing divine consciousness, who ever immerses himself in it becomes immortal. It is eternal because it is the highest consciousness, which human beings are capable of attaining – God who has qualities, who can be experienced. When God wakes up from His sleep and become aware of himself - He becomes Iswara ! In His awakened state He exercises His creative will and sets in motion the creative process. Thus Iswara is the creative Spirit, the Being, the awakened Non-Being, the Saguna Brahman, the Brahman with qualities, who exercising His will, His Power and His wisdom creates the cosmos. He is the Consciousness, the combination of Will, Word and Wisdom , the directing and causative aspect of the comprehensible God . In the early Indian Christian throught the creative aspect – the Word was called Purusha the Person – the Primal Conscious Being.

If Iswara has to have any property He needs to have a knower beside himself with whom he can relate. This being beside him must be uncreated for he/she/it will need a creator otherwise. Thus we come to the concept of God as a Trinity who emerged out of the Absolute Non-Existent, Non Being Father. In descriptive process we begin with the Trinity of Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. The word Father God has actually two connotations – The Primal Nirguna Brahman, and the One within the Saguna Brahman (Trinity) known as Father.

1.5 Why God cannot be simple

There is an inherent assumption in the monadic concept of God that God has to be simple. However, this is a self-defeating concept. If God created what we see, he himself has to be more complex than us if not in the domain of our existence, but in some other at least. This is very similar to the theoretical physicist's attempt to create a unified field theory. As we try to unify various fields into one, the theory becomes more complex. It has to be, because it has to resolve into the complex fields we see in nature. Thus, God has to be a unity, while being complex within him, if we have a God who created the visible cosmos and all the consciousness therein. An organic unity is the solution to this enigma.

Just as a point cannot exist in reality, a monadic God cannot exist in our real world or in any real world whatever dimension it may be as an entity. It needs extensions and uncertainty in its properties. A monadic God is an imaginary God, an abstraction. It is essentially a singularity of which we cannot guess or know. The only God we can know must be a real non-singular God. God has to be complexity within him.

Consider a single particle (in Physics terms) before everything. Will that particle be White? Black? Good? Evil? We cannot assign any property to it. In other words, a single particle or an element alone cannot exist by itself. Properties are defined in terms of relationships. There has to be at least two particles to define a relationship. The same applied to God. God has to be complex within him in order that he may have property and be active.

Objects, molecules, atoms etc have properties because they are complex within themselves.

Scientifically therefore it will not make sense to talk about a monad God existing before anything. Such a God cannot have any properties and is nonexistent for all purposes. We cannot say God exists, because existence implies a space in which to exist. Therefore, a real God will have to coexistent with a complex structure within himself, which gives God his characteristics including existence.

A Real God will have properties and this can come only through relations. This is probably the strongest argument against monism. So there has to be at least two persons (I will leave out the aspect why God has to be a Person for now) in Godhead and they have a basic relation, which defines God. The early Christian Fathers conceived Father and Son as the two persons in the Godhead within God with a relationship which they called Divine Energy or Divine Emanation which when quantized gives the third Person – the Holy Spirit. This relationship is what we call as Love. This is a binding “Force” and exists as a quantum exchange between the First and the Second Person. (Remember filoque controversy?) Thus one of the defining statements in the bible about God is, “God is Love” We will take up this concept later

According to Leibniz, monads are the ultimate indivisible units or "true atoms" of all existence. Monads are not material: each monad is a self-activating, unique, center of "purpose" and "perception." Monads cannot interact, but are in a "pre-established harmony" with each other.