In this post I argue that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity provides a deep insight into the nature of reality and man, and possibly also eschatological implications for our time.
The Bible says that God is the creator of the universe and also of man, whom he created in Gods image, so we could expect to find similarities between the concept of the Holy Trinity, suggested in the Bible and explicitely formulated in the Nicene creed, and the nature of matter, the origin of the universe and the nature of man according to modern knowledge. So let's take a look at some of the parallels.
Holy Trinity
The Holy Trinity (God) is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Father is a creator and a source from which the Son is "begotten" and the Holy Spirit "proceeds."
The Son appears to be an individuality with clear, firm boundaries of form, like a human son. He is also referred to as Logos, which in Greek means Word. All things were created through the Word. It seems that when we name things we emphasize or acknowledge their existence as individual entities, real or imaginary, but distinct from other entities. By words we define things and thus signify their boundaries that distinguish them from other things.
The Holy Spirit is also referred to as Pneuma, which in Greek means Breath (or Air, Wind). Breath indicates a diffuse, amorphous form, with unclear or indefinite boundaries. Believers are said to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit. God promises to "pour out" His Spirit. While the emanation of the Son from the Father is described by the word "begotten," the emanation of the Holy Spirit is described by the word "proceeds". The word "proceeds" seems to indicate a flowing movement while "begotten" is more like being born like a child. When the Holy Spirit is described in a concrete form it just seems to be a metaphorical description, for example a dove or tongues of fire. God uses the Holy Spirit in creating too. Metaphorically, speaking of words is accompanied by the flow of breath. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 292, creation is described as the common work of the Holy Trinity where the Father is the creator/author and the Son and the Spirit are, so to speak, his hands.
If a definite form is characteristic of the Son and an indefinite form is characteristic of the Holy Spirit, what kind of form is characteristic of their source the Father? It seems that none. Some verses in the Bible suggest that the Father is formless (or invisible):
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (John 1:18)
who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Tim 6:16)
The indefinite form of the Holy Spirit seems to be an intermediary form between the definite form of the Son and the absolute indefiniteness (formlessness) of the Father.
The Trinity and its manifestation in the world can be portrayed with the image of the cross:
img215.imageshack.us/img215/5978/holytrinitycross.jpg
(Manifesting God)
The upper half of the cross represents the uncreated/unmanifest/formless/transcendent aspect of reality (God) and the lower half of the cross represents the created/manifest/formed/immanent aspect of reality (world). Son and Holy Spirit are both contained in the formless source (Father), as spontaneous (uncaused) forming tendencies, and they also manifest in form (Body). Body in the most general sense any physical or mental form is formed in space and time under the creative influences of Son and Holy Spirit, issuing from the source. Son (Logos) defines and separates, Holy Spirit (Pneuma) diffuses and merges; their interplay evokes and transforms the universe.
Nature of matter and origin of the universe
Quantum mechanics, the physics theory describing fundamental properties of matter, discovered that all matter manifests itself as particles and waves (the wave-particle duality of matter). It depends on the situation, on its interaction with the environment, whether matter manifests its particle-like or wave-like aspect. Particles have a definite location while waves have an indefinite location expressed in probabilities. More precisely, a wave expresses probabilities that a particle is located in particular places at a particular time. So a wave in quantum mechanical sense is different from ordinary waves like those on water surface or sound waves: a quantum mechanical wave is made up of things that could exist (or only exist with some probability) while an ordinary wave is made up of things that exist. Despite being only probabilistic, quantum mechanical waves can interact (interfere) with each other like ordinary waves. In the following picture is an example of a quantum mechanical wave that expresses probabilities with which we could find a particle in particular positions on the horizontal plane (the higher the peak the higher the probability that a particle is located in that place):
lightandmatter.com/html_books/6mr/ch05/figs/big-hydrogen-wavefunction.jpg
(Quantum mechanical wave)
A quantum mechanical wave spreads out across the whole universe but positions with high probability of the particles location are usually concentrated in a small area on the scale of an atom. Outside this area the probability of the particles location is very low and thats why we dont observe quantum uncertainty in our daily life.
The wave aspect of matter is also associated with the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. It is a strange connection between particles that are separated from each other and exhibit correlated (coordinated) behavior. These correlations occur immediately regardless of the distance between the particles, so at first sight it seems that the particles communicate with each other at a speed greater than the speed of light, which would violate Einsteins special theory of relativity. Einstein disbelievingly called this phenomenon "spooky action at a distance." It became clear though that relativity theory is not violated by this because there is no transfer of information in quantum entanglement information originates in separated particles simultaneously without being determined by any of the particles. Quantum entanglement can occur under special conditions, namely when the particles have already interacted before (for example when they come from the same source) and are shielded from disturbing influences of the environment. As a result of disturbing influences of the environment this phenomenon is practically nonexistent on the level of macroscopic (many-particle) objects which we encounter in daily life. (Macroscopic entanglement was accomplished in research where it manifested in superconductivity and superfluidity of materials and it is also pursued by researchers into quantum computers.)
So, particles are definite, localized, separate entities while waves are less definite entities that spread out in space and in a sense contain, connect and merge particles in their indefinite, probabilistic character. So the dual nature of matter could be described as a product of the forming influences of the defining Logos (Son) and the diffusing Pneuma (Holy Spirit), their source being in the formless Father, the source of the universe, from which they spontaneously (without a cause) emerge. The source of the universe can be physically described as an initial state below the so-called Planck scale, i.e. below the smallest possible length of space and time. The Planck boundary is not zero but there is no space, time or energy below it. However, thanks to the indefinite, probabilistic aspect of matter it is possible that this state spontaneously (without a cause) changes into a state where space, time and energy exist (emergence above the Planck scale), and this is one of the scenarios of the origin of our universe and thus all matter with its dual nature.
(continued)
The Bible says that God is the creator of the universe and also of man, whom he created in Gods image, so we could expect to find similarities between the concept of the Holy Trinity, suggested in the Bible and explicitely formulated in the Nicene creed, and the nature of matter, the origin of the universe and the nature of man according to modern knowledge. So let's take a look at some of the parallels.
Holy Trinity
The Holy Trinity (God) is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Father is a creator and a source from which the Son is "begotten" and the Holy Spirit "proceeds."
The Son appears to be an individuality with clear, firm boundaries of form, like a human son. He is also referred to as Logos, which in Greek means Word. All things were created through the Word. It seems that when we name things we emphasize or acknowledge their existence as individual entities, real or imaginary, but distinct from other entities. By words we define things and thus signify their boundaries that distinguish them from other things.
The Holy Spirit is also referred to as Pneuma, which in Greek means Breath (or Air, Wind). Breath indicates a diffuse, amorphous form, with unclear or indefinite boundaries. Believers are said to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit. God promises to "pour out" His Spirit. While the emanation of the Son from the Father is described by the word "begotten," the emanation of the Holy Spirit is described by the word "proceeds". The word "proceeds" seems to indicate a flowing movement while "begotten" is more like being born like a child. When the Holy Spirit is described in a concrete form it just seems to be a metaphorical description, for example a dove or tongues of fire. God uses the Holy Spirit in creating too. Metaphorically, speaking of words is accompanied by the flow of breath. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 292, creation is described as the common work of the Holy Trinity where the Father is the creator/author and the Son and the Spirit are, so to speak, his hands.
If a definite form is characteristic of the Son and an indefinite form is characteristic of the Holy Spirit, what kind of form is characteristic of their source the Father? It seems that none. Some verses in the Bible suggest that the Father is formless (or invisible):
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (John 1:18)
who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Tim 6:16)
The indefinite form of the Holy Spirit seems to be an intermediary form between the definite form of the Son and the absolute indefiniteness (formlessness) of the Father.
The Trinity and its manifestation in the world can be portrayed with the image of the cross:
img215.imageshack.us/img215/5978/holytrinitycross.jpg
(Manifesting God)
The upper half of the cross represents the uncreated/unmanifest/formless/transcendent aspect of reality (God) and the lower half of the cross represents the created/manifest/formed/immanent aspect of reality (world). Son and Holy Spirit are both contained in the formless source (Father), as spontaneous (uncaused) forming tendencies, and they also manifest in form (Body). Body in the most general sense any physical or mental form is formed in space and time under the creative influences of Son and Holy Spirit, issuing from the source. Son (Logos) defines and separates, Holy Spirit (Pneuma) diffuses and merges; their interplay evokes and transforms the universe.
Nature of matter and origin of the universe
Quantum mechanics, the physics theory describing fundamental properties of matter, discovered that all matter manifests itself as particles and waves (the wave-particle duality of matter). It depends on the situation, on its interaction with the environment, whether matter manifests its particle-like or wave-like aspect. Particles have a definite location while waves have an indefinite location expressed in probabilities. More precisely, a wave expresses probabilities that a particle is located in particular places at a particular time. So a wave in quantum mechanical sense is different from ordinary waves like those on water surface or sound waves: a quantum mechanical wave is made up of things that could exist (or only exist with some probability) while an ordinary wave is made up of things that exist. Despite being only probabilistic, quantum mechanical waves can interact (interfere) with each other like ordinary waves. In the following picture is an example of a quantum mechanical wave that expresses probabilities with which we could find a particle in particular positions on the horizontal plane (the higher the peak the higher the probability that a particle is located in that place):
lightandmatter.com/html_books/6mr/ch05/figs/big-hydrogen-wavefunction.jpg
(Quantum mechanical wave)
A quantum mechanical wave spreads out across the whole universe but positions with high probability of the particles location are usually concentrated in a small area on the scale of an atom. Outside this area the probability of the particles location is very low and thats why we dont observe quantum uncertainty in our daily life.
The wave aspect of matter is also associated with the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. It is a strange connection between particles that are separated from each other and exhibit correlated (coordinated) behavior. These correlations occur immediately regardless of the distance between the particles, so at first sight it seems that the particles communicate with each other at a speed greater than the speed of light, which would violate Einsteins special theory of relativity. Einstein disbelievingly called this phenomenon "spooky action at a distance." It became clear though that relativity theory is not violated by this because there is no transfer of information in quantum entanglement information originates in separated particles simultaneously without being determined by any of the particles. Quantum entanglement can occur under special conditions, namely when the particles have already interacted before (for example when they come from the same source) and are shielded from disturbing influences of the environment. As a result of disturbing influences of the environment this phenomenon is practically nonexistent on the level of macroscopic (many-particle) objects which we encounter in daily life. (Macroscopic entanglement was accomplished in research where it manifested in superconductivity and superfluidity of materials and it is also pursued by researchers into quantum computers.)
So, particles are definite, localized, separate entities while waves are less definite entities that spread out in space and in a sense contain, connect and merge particles in their indefinite, probabilistic character. So the dual nature of matter could be described as a product of the forming influences of the defining Logos (Son) and the diffusing Pneuma (Holy Spirit), their source being in the formless Father, the source of the universe, from which they spontaneously (without a cause) emerge. The source of the universe can be physically described as an initial state below the so-called Planck scale, i.e. below the smallest possible length of space and time. The Planck boundary is not zero but there is no space, time or energy below it. However, thanks to the indefinite, probabilistic aspect of matter it is possible that this state spontaneously (without a cause) changes into a state where space, time and energy exist (emergence above the Planck scale), and this is one of the scenarios of the origin of our universe and thus all matter with its dual nature.
(continued)
