"Quantum Christianity: The Intersection of Science & Scripture" by Dr. Robi Sonderegger

(Source: City Harvest Church news bulletin, May 24 - 25, 2014)

"To understand the compatibility of science and scripture, we need to ask seven important questions.

Question 1: What exactly is faith?
Christians are often challenged to prove that God exists using the framework of science to do so. This framework requires evidence: empirically derived data that supports the hypothesis of God's existence. But without having access to "empirical data", many use "faith" as a get-out-of-jail-free card, saying, "No one can prove or disprove God, but that's what faith is for." However, faith is not just belief in something that has no evidence; rather, faith is based on evidence (despite not having seen it). 

Hebrews (11:1 & 3) puts it like this: "Now faith is the substance of things not seen ... the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" (NKJV). There is often no evidence for the empirical truth in the scripture until someone believes. For example, it is by faith that we observe tangible change in our lives. Unlike the common saying "I'll believe it when I see it", when it comes to scripture, the truth is, you will see it when you believe it. However, did you know that science works in exactly the same way?

All observable "matter" is made up of atoms. Atoms form molecules, and molecules form every type of material object in the universe, whether living or non-living. Anything that can be measured, tested, manipulated and replicated in any field of science (from biology to physics) is made up of a sub-atomic substance that is unseen and unknown. Yet in faith, scientists will argue its existence and measure it all the same. In this way, both science and scripture operate according to the same fundamental tenets of ... FAITH!

Question 2: What's an atom?
You might think you know what an atom looks like because you saw an artists's impression in your high school science textbook. But in reality, the picture of orbiting lines around a central dot is not what an atom looks like. Likewise, you might think you know what is in an atom: a nucleus with electrons whizzing around it. But in reality, the main substance in an atom is neither the nucleus nor electrons. What does an atom look like? It actually looks like nothing because an atom is made up of 99.9999% of something that is non-matter and unseen. An atom is only 0.0001% observable matter; yet everything in the material world is made up of atoms. This confirms the scripture" "things, which are seen, are made of things, which are unseen" (Hebrews 11:3). This leads us to our next question:

Question 3: What's the unseen stuff in the 'space' of an atom?
At the sub-atomic level, atoms contain light particle waves packages of intelligent energy. This intelligent quantum light is what forms atoms and in turn, every material object in our universe. Quite simply, every single observable thing on our material world is made up of solidified light. Quantum physics now knows that before any material thing can come into existence, light first needs to be present. That's fascinating because in the very beginning, before anything was created, God said ... "let there be light" (Genesis 1:3 KJV). Even before the sun, moon and stars were created on the fourth day, light already existed.

Question 4: How could light exist before the sun existed?
C.S.Lewis is famous for saying: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." In the same way,light doesn't exist because of the sun; the sun exists because of light. Because light is the force that keeps electrons tiled to the nuclei of atoms, apart from light, the sun cannot exist. More broadly stated, this mysterious light is what holds everything in the universe together.

Colossians (1:16-17) states something very similar about the "Light of the world", Jesus" "For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible ... all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (NIV).

Question 5: So what exactly is this light?
By faith, Christians believe God not only created the visible things we see, but also the things we don't see. In the same way, by faith, quantum physicists believe all things we see in our physical world are held together by an unseen, non-material light-intelligence that operates outside of time and space. That to me me is every interesting because an unseen non-material realm that underpins or influences material things is otherwise called "spirit". Spirit is an unseen, non-material super force that operates outside of time and space. Spirit is not natural, it's supernatural!

Question 6: If this sub-atomic intelligent light is unseen, then how do we know that it exists?
A sub-atomic particle of light energy is not something we can casually observe. The only way to see a quantum particle inside an atom is to consciously look for it. That's right, sub-atomic light only exists in an unseen state (within a probability wave) until someone seeks it. At the moment the scientist looks for it, the unseen wave of probability collapses, causing the quantum particle to briefly be seen. The unseen light energy is momentarily manifested into a particle of observable light. Quite simply, a sub-atomic particles doesn't exist materially until a person conscious endeavours to find it. Interestingly, the same quantum laws apply to man's search for God.

Question 7: If God is unseen, then how do we know that He exists?
Just like quantum physics, people can talk about the probability of God and debate His existence within the field of all possibilities without ever getting a single glimpse of Him. It's not until we seek after and consciously focus our attention on Him, the wave of probability collapses, sending ripples of certainty through our hearts and minds. He becomes our reality the moment we consciously enter a relationship with Him. Through faith, our eyes are opened to see the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible's promise is simply this: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks find; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7, 8 NIV).

Rather than science and scripture being incompatible and at opposite ends of the intellectual spectrum, the foundation of both scripture and science is a common thirst for truth -- founded on the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. When, in faith, we seek to find answers to the big questions in life, we discover just how complementary science and scripture really are."



(Dr. Robi Sonderegger is a renowned Clinical Psychologist and is best known as a compelling,  passionate and highly entertaining presenter. He delivers hundreds of keynote presentations and workshops to tens-of-thousands of participants each year and is widely published in both the scientific and popular press. Dr. Robi is also the Chief Executive of Family Challenge Australia; a nationally registered mental health charity that provides specialist psychology services in Australia and throughout the world.)