Things All
- marierhamilton3
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
Science and religion may seem like strange bedfellows, but as ironic as it may seem, the natural processes that science has uncovered for us in the last century and more can get us closer to an understanding of the “something more” that makes more sense than the god of traditional religion.
Dr. Brian Swimme (born 1950), a mathematical cosmologist, has written several books about the story of the universe from its tiny, distant beginnings. His work has been influenced greatly by his relationship with cultural historian, Fr. Thomas Berry (1914-2009), who was a mentor and close friend. In a DVD series called The Powers of the Universe,[1] Swimme outlines 11 potent forces at work in the universe that science has verified empirically.
0. Seamlessness: The universe is interconnected and whole. There’s no real separation between things. This is identified as #0 since it’s the foundation of all the rest.
1. Centration: Everything has a core at its center that gathers inward and gives that thing a unique identity.
2. Allurement: The universe has a “pull” about it that draws things together and motivates it to evolve, create, and connect on deeper and deeper levels.
3. Emergence: Entirely new wholes arise from simple parts which have greater, novel capacities beyond what the parts simply assembled can have.
4. Homeostasis: Systems have a tendency to maintain balance or stability.
5. Cataclysm: Sudden, disruptive events can happen, which leads to change, growth, and renewal.
6. Synergy: The union of parts together results in greater capacity than the sum of their individual efforts.
7. Transmutation: Things can change their forms (e.g. water, ice, steam).
8. Transformation: Things can change their entire natures (e.g. caterpillar, butterfly).
9. Interrelatedness: Everything is connected. Everything affects and is affected by everything else.
10. Radiance: The universe is filled with light and energy.
These capacities or powers tell us something about the “something more.” To me, they indicate that there’s some sort of mystery that involves them, something not “supernatural” but within nature at work. Something we might think of as divine if we can let go of the old-man-in-the-sky notion of God. And the crazy thing is that it’s science that’s gotten us there.
The Gap
That gap between things large and things small that I discussed in the last couple posts isn’t much of a gap at all. Galaxies sometimes behave like protons; molecules share some traits with planets. But there is a gap the size of the Milky Way between the religious language and practices that originated many centuries ago yet are largely still affirmed today and the truth about the universe confirmed by science. Helen Keller said that even “worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Thanks to science, we have some wicked-clear sight of the universe and our place within it. But our vision remains stuck in an ancient worldview that was proven inadequate long ago.
Unfortunately, many people believe that the only alternative to supernatural theism is atheism. I get that. Certainly, countless well-known scientists have gone that route. But I think the choice between theism and atheism is a false dichotomy. I think this may be what French philosopher Albert Camus meant when he wrote, “I do not believe in god, and I am not an atheist.” I think both parts of that sentence can be true at the same time. Yes, the Santa Clause God most of us grew up with is dead. Never did. But there is “something more” that is within, beyond, and ahead of what we know of existence that may be very much alive… if only we take the leap from mere sight to true vision.
[1] Swimme, Brian. The Powers of the Universe. DVD. Directed by Dan Anderson. Tulsa: The Center for the Story of the Universe, 2009. As of 2021, it is also available as an audiobook.