#UULent Day 42 (April 12): curiosity
It seems apparent that you all have a strong curiosity about physics, math, time, space, and all those big metaphysical questions. After all, that’s one reason we come to church– to seek some sort of explanation of how all of this, all of us, came to be.
Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
A couple Sundays ago, our worship service revolved around the concept of time and our understanding of it and how it matters what we believe about it. Your engagement and participation and excitement about this topic was energized! It was really fantastic to witness.
So, I thought I’d share with you some additional thoughts and entry points into something I am very curious about: process theology.
Alfred North Whitehead (1861 – 1947) was a mathematician and a philosopher. He is one of the founders of process theology. While reading an article about him, I came across this:
…Carlo Rovelli’s relational interpretation of the theory of quantum mechanics is strikingly Whiteheadian:
In the world described by quantum mechanics there is no reality except in the relations between physical systems. It isn’t things that enter into relations but, rather, relations that ground the notion of “thing”. The world of quantum mechanics is not a world of objects: it is a world of events. Things are built by the happenings of elementary events…
Whiteheadian process theology speaks of the world, of our existence, as events, as relationships. “Things” are monotonous and cannot even exist without events or processes (thus the name). Process theology stresses relationships– physically, chemically, biologically, and socially– and the events that occur because of those relationships. That is reality. Only the relationships of all of the parts can equal the whole. The past is objective reality because it’s already happened. The future is waiting for us to create.
What does this mean about how we are in relationship with the world? With each other?
Well, I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity enough to engage you in your own adventure into process theology. It’d make for great conversation during social hour, potlucks, and coffee klatch!