God and Nature Summer 2021
Using Physics to Understand Some Concepts in the Bible
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By Gary Cao and Helen G. Hammond
The inspired word of God: magnificent, incomprehensible, amazing truth. Yet many biblical events leave us in wonderment as to how they happened (Hathaway, 2021). Always curious, humans crave to know, and they search for proof. As we ponder whether a given biblical event is possible, we may find structure, proof, and understanding from a scientific point of view.
There is nothing wrong with investigating the logic or reasoning of certain biblical statements through the lens of scientific models and life experiences. Even though God is above all sciences, physics—explains Canetta (2019)—can be used in tandem with philosophy and theology to give us the ability to ask “big questions” about the universe and increase our understanding.
The inspired word of God: magnificent, incomprehensible, amazing truth. Yet many biblical events leave us in wonderment as to how they happened (Hathaway, 2021). Always curious, humans crave to know, and they search for proof. As we ponder whether a given biblical event is possible, we may find structure, proof, and understanding from a scientific point of view.
There is nothing wrong with investigating the logic or reasoning of certain biblical statements through the lens of scientific models and life experiences. Even though God is above all sciences, physics—explains Canetta (2019)—can be used in tandem with philosophy and theology to give us the ability to ask “big questions” about the universe and increase our understanding.
"The truth always is the same, whether people understand it or not." |
The greatest scientists today are those who have discovered scientific laws and theories; but none of these scientists could create those discovered laws. Genesis 1:1 explains: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This creation indisputably includes all physical laws governing the heavens and the earth. If God had not created the laws of physics governing these created bodies, could God be qualified as God?
Therefore, we must not forget that things that we as humans cannot do with our limited ability or cannot comprehend using our limited knowledge can be possible for God, since God is omnipotent and has unlimited power (Hay, 2021).
1. Did God create the world from nothing?
The general understanding is that God created the universe from nothing. This is in reference to materials, since the Bible never mentions what materials God used when He created the world. However, God spoke when he created light, as written in Genesis 1:3. God said, “Let there be light,” and then there was light—in other words, God created the world with His voice. In physics, sound carries energy, so one could reason that God created the world with energy.
It is a scientific fact that matter and energy can convert to each other, as described in Einstein’s famous formula E=mc^2, where E is energy and m stands for mass of matter with c as the speed of light. God has unlimited energy, making Him able to create the material world.
How God created the physical world with his voice is unknown to us because these details were not recorded in the creation story. The “how” may in fact be too complex for the human mind to understand—it is important to realize that there are some things that are mysteries of faith. God reveals things according to His own timing, but we must be ready and willing to accept teaching (Mark 4:22).
The importance of understanding and willingness to accept instruction is demonstrated throughout Scripture. For example, God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25-31). Here, God told Moses the “how.” God let His people know the details when He knew it would or could be understood. In other instances, He leaves things hidden, to be revealed at a later time. This balance of inquiry and instruction is a valuable attribute of His design. If things were all told and made obvious, there would be no inquiry, no discovery, and humans would be bored to death!
2. Is it fathomable to us when God treats one day as a thousand years?
“With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). This calls to mind Einstein’s Special Relativity, which treats the speed of light as a constant value in any moving reference frame, while both distance and time are changeable. In the Earth reference frame, a time of one day can become a thousand years for an observer viewing the Earth from a reference frame moving relative to the Earth at a speed close to the speed of light. The required moving speed is v=0.999999999996c, calculated according to the relativistic time-dilation formula Δt’=Δt/[SQRT (1 - (v/c)^2)] where Δt is 24 hours and Δt’ equals to a thousand years. In other words, for someone traveling at this speed v, an Earth day (24 hours) will be time-dilated to one thousand Earth years (24 365 1000 hours). God is of course outside of His created universe and not subject to its laws, but this illustration might help some people understand how time is in fact relative and God’s perspective is not the same as ours.
We believe this verse implies the patience of God to wait for people to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God is not slow to fulfill His promises because God is eternal, not limited by time, and the difference between a day and a thousand years is negligible (a short period of time like a twinkle) in God’s eternal time frame.
3. Is the Trinity conceivable to us?
The concept of the Trinity means that God is three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who nevertheless remain as one indivisible God. The Trinity is the truth of God, whether we fully understand it or not. There are many analogies aimed at illustrating the Trinity in order to help us grasp its meaning. Some compare it to the three different roles of a married man who is at the same time the father of his children, a son of his own parents, and the husband of his wife. Others have used an egg consisting of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white to explain the triune nature of God. One Irish legend says that St. Patrick once said that the Trinity is like a shamrock that has three leaves.
There are many others: in science, the three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—can also help to illustrate the Trinity. They all serve to emphasize the two most important points: that God has three distinct persons, and yet they are united and indivisible. None of the analogies is perfect, since the nature of God is not something resembling any physical object known to us. Nevertheless, since each person finds some analogies more helpful than others, we propose yet another one.
In modern physics, light has what scientists call dual properties, or dual nature. This means that in some cases, light can be treated as—or it behaves as—a continuous wave, while at other times, it appears to consist of separate particles (called photons). Both wave and particles carry energy. Light has multiple properties such as wavelength, frequency, traveling direction, energy, speed, and momentum, but no mass.
When treated as a wave in physics, light is an electro-magnetic wave. It has three orthogonal directions, meaning that each direction is perpendicular to one another, just like the three directions of x, y, and z in the Cartesian coordinate system of mathematics. The three directions are the electric field [E] oscillation direction, the magnetic field [B] oscillation direction, and the wave-traveling [S] direction, which is the energy flowing direction of the Poynting vector. These three directions co-exist as the light travels, and each is unique and has its own property. The energy is imbedded in the electric field [E] and magnetic field [B] but is propagated in the light traveling [S] direction. Additionally, the electric and magnetic fields’ energies are convertible to each other, always alternating between the two, but their changes in direction are always linking to the traveling direction. Together they define the nature of light. This is another natural phenomenon in our physical world that can analogously reflect the triune nature of God. God wants His people to know Him. Light is indispensable to people’s lives. Understanding the three directions of the light wave can also help physics students to grasp the concept of the Trinity.
There are other biblical concepts that could be illustrated using ideas and analogies borrowed from physics. The truth is always the same, whether people understand it or not. What God wants people to know is already told in the Bible, and what is mentioned but not described with details is something that God wants us to believe even if it is not presently fathomable.
At the same time, God is logical and reasonable. Understanding the logic and reasoning in the Bible helps to strengthen our belief in God. As human beings, we are limited in knowledge and understanding, but with a faith foundation rooted in trust, God’s light can shine brightly. Believing and trusting in Him brightens us all, as God is our light and wisdom. He is the creator!
References
Canetta, E. (2019). Can there be a Catholic approach to the teaching of physics to students in Catholic universities? International Studies. https://research.stmarys.ac.uk/id/eprint/3331/1/Canetta-Can-There-Be-a-Catholic-Approach.pdf
Hathaway, W. L. (2021). Integration, Biblical counseling, and hermeneutics. Journal of Psychology and Theology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091647121992425
Hay, A. (2021). Reflections on human and divine authority: History, Christology, omnipotence. The Heythrop Jou
Dr. Gary Cao is a full-time faculty primarily teaching university physics lecture and lab courses in the College of Science, Education, and Engineering at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his teaching career, he worked as an engineer in Intel Corporation for nearly 20 years. He became a Christian in the year 2000.
Dr. Helen G. Hammond is Assistant Professor of Management in the Colangelo College of Business at Grand Canyon University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate business courses. Dr. Hammond holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Therefore, we must not forget that things that we as humans cannot do with our limited ability or cannot comprehend using our limited knowledge can be possible for God, since God is omnipotent and has unlimited power (Hay, 2021).
1. Did God create the world from nothing?
The general understanding is that God created the universe from nothing. This is in reference to materials, since the Bible never mentions what materials God used when He created the world. However, God spoke when he created light, as written in Genesis 1:3. God said, “Let there be light,” and then there was light—in other words, God created the world with His voice. In physics, sound carries energy, so one could reason that God created the world with energy.
It is a scientific fact that matter and energy can convert to each other, as described in Einstein’s famous formula E=mc^2, where E is energy and m stands for mass of matter with c as the speed of light. God has unlimited energy, making Him able to create the material world.
How God created the physical world with his voice is unknown to us because these details were not recorded in the creation story. The “how” may in fact be too complex for the human mind to understand—it is important to realize that there are some things that are mysteries of faith. God reveals things according to His own timing, but we must be ready and willing to accept teaching (Mark 4:22).
The importance of understanding and willingness to accept instruction is demonstrated throughout Scripture. For example, God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25-31). Here, God told Moses the “how.” God let His people know the details when He knew it would or could be understood. In other instances, He leaves things hidden, to be revealed at a later time. This balance of inquiry and instruction is a valuable attribute of His design. If things were all told and made obvious, there would be no inquiry, no discovery, and humans would be bored to death!
2. Is it fathomable to us when God treats one day as a thousand years?
“With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). This calls to mind Einstein’s Special Relativity, which treats the speed of light as a constant value in any moving reference frame, while both distance and time are changeable. In the Earth reference frame, a time of one day can become a thousand years for an observer viewing the Earth from a reference frame moving relative to the Earth at a speed close to the speed of light. The required moving speed is v=0.999999999996c, calculated according to the relativistic time-dilation formula Δt’=Δt/[SQRT (1 - (v/c)^2)] where Δt is 24 hours and Δt’ equals to a thousand years. In other words, for someone traveling at this speed v, an Earth day (24 hours) will be time-dilated to one thousand Earth years (24 365 1000 hours). God is of course outside of His created universe and not subject to its laws, but this illustration might help some people understand how time is in fact relative and God’s perspective is not the same as ours.
We believe this verse implies the patience of God to wait for people to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God is not slow to fulfill His promises because God is eternal, not limited by time, and the difference between a day and a thousand years is negligible (a short period of time like a twinkle) in God’s eternal time frame.
3. Is the Trinity conceivable to us?
The concept of the Trinity means that God is three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who nevertheless remain as one indivisible God. The Trinity is the truth of God, whether we fully understand it or not. There are many analogies aimed at illustrating the Trinity in order to help us grasp its meaning. Some compare it to the three different roles of a married man who is at the same time the father of his children, a son of his own parents, and the husband of his wife. Others have used an egg consisting of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white to explain the triune nature of God. One Irish legend says that St. Patrick once said that the Trinity is like a shamrock that has three leaves.
There are many others: in science, the three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—can also help to illustrate the Trinity. They all serve to emphasize the two most important points: that God has three distinct persons, and yet they are united and indivisible. None of the analogies is perfect, since the nature of God is not something resembling any physical object known to us. Nevertheless, since each person finds some analogies more helpful than others, we propose yet another one.
In modern physics, light has what scientists call dual properties, or dual nature. This means that in some cases, light can be treated as—or it behaves as—a continuous wave, while at other times, it appears to consist of separate particles (called photons). Both wave and particles carry energy. Light has multiple properties such as wavelength, frequency, traveling direction, energy, speed, and momentum, but no mass.
When treated as a wave in physics, light is an electro-magnetic wave. It has three orthogonal directions, meaning that each direction is perpendicular to one another, just like the three directions of x, y, and z in the Cartesian coordinate system of mathematics. The three directions are the electric field [E] oscillation direction, the magnetic field [B] oscillation direction, and the wave-traveling [S] direction, which is the energy flowing direction of the Poynting vector. These three directions co-exist as the light travels, and each is unique and has its own property. The energy is imbedded in the electric field [E] and magnetic field [B] but is propagated in the light traveling [S] direction. Additionally, the electric and magnetic fields’ energies are convertible to each other, always alternating between the two, but their changes in direction are always linking to the traveling direction. Together they define the nature of light. This is another natural phenomenon in our physical world that can analogously reflect the triune nature of God. God wants His people to know Him. Light is indispensable to people’s lives. Understanding the three directions of the light wave can also help physics students to grasp the concept of the Trinity.
There are other biblical concepts that could be illustrated using ideas and analogies borrowed from physics. The truth is always the same, whether people understand it or not. What God wants people to know is already told in the Bible, and what is mentioned but not described with details is something that God wants us to believe even if it is not presently fathomable.
At the same time, God is logical and reasonable. Understanding the logic and reasoning in the Bible helps to strengthen our belief in God. As human beings, we are limited in knowledge and understanding, but with a faith foundation rooted in trust, God’s light can shine brightly. Believing and trusting in Him brightens us all, as God is our light and wisdom. He is the creator!
References
Canetta, E. (2019). Can there be a Catholic approach to the teaching of physics to students in Catholic universities? International Studies. https://research.stmarys.ac.uk/id/eprint/3331/1/Canetta-Can-There-Be-a-Catholic-Approach.pdf
Hathaway, W. L. (2021). Integration, Biblical counseling, and hermeneutics. Journal of Psychology and Theology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091647121992425
Hay, A. (2021). Reflections on human and divine authority: History, Christology, omnipotence. The Heythrop Jou
Dr. Gary Cao is a full-time faculty primarily teaching university physics lecture and lab courses in the College of Science, Education, and Engineering at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his teaching career, he worked as an engineer in Intel Corporation for nearly 20 years. He became a Christian in the year 2000.
Dr. Helen G. Hammond is Assistant Professor of Management in the Colangelo College of Business at Grand Canyon University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate business courses. Dr. Hammond holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.