Beyond These Horizons, Quantum Theory and Christian Faith

by John Breck

Written in the form of simple novel, this book begins by offering an overview, in lay terms, of quantum theory as it has developed since the early twentieth century. Gradually it lays the groundwork for an exploration of the relationship between quantum mechanics and certain key aspects of traditional Christian teaching. Its aim is to make clear that our usual conception of God and the world is simply inadequate. With the help of insights drawn from quantum theory, we can now see that Creation is more intricate, more interconnected and more beautiful than our forebears could ever have imagined.

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2019

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hard for me to rate. I think Fr Breck gets 5 stars for attempting to write something that encompasses Orthodox theology and quantum mechanics and consciousness. He is trying to make that synthesis that Orthodoxy needs to speak to the 21st Century. Orthodoxy exalts a Maximus the Confessor for his great synthesis of so many elements important to his day (Chalcedonian Orthodoxy, Originism, the Cappadocians, neoplatonism and Platonism, Evagrian spirituality and Pseudo-Dionysian thinking). Yet for Orthodox to speak to modern intellectuals it needs to expand its view beyond Platonism and Aristotelianism because in the world of intellectualism today it is scientific materialism, quantum mechanics, evolution and DNA which are dominating thinking. No one in the modern world of science believes Aristotle or Plato wrote science, they are speculative philosophers, brilliant, but not dealing with falsifiable proofs or scientific thinking. Breck makes an effort, though I'm not sure writing it in the form of a novel was the best way to try this since he really is writing a theological essay under the guise of a novel, but the novel's storyline is somewhat irrevelant (though touching upon some of the side issues that any effort to bridge the chasm between religion and science raise in academia). Not an easy read at all as you have to know something about quantum mechanics, studies in consciousness and Orthodox thoelogy to appreciate his effort. But perhaps it is the beginning of an effort that Orthodoxy needs to make if we are to witness to 21st Century intellectuals and not reduce ourselves to sectarians afraid of the modern world.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, while the TOPIC of this book gets me out of bed each day, the BOOK itself needs a complete rework. It is clear that Fr. John knows his theology cold. His ideas applying the concept of "entanglement" to the Trinity, the God/Man hypostatic union, and other core antinomies of the Orthodox faith were intriguing (and at least new to me). This is what I expected in reading a book like this. However the structure of the book as a novela was really distracting and led to chunks of it that I thought were a waste of time. Perhaps this was done to make the topic more accessible to a lay (non-scientific AND non-clergy) audience, but it was not necessary.

[John Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm an Orthodox Christian with a PhD in chemistry and have spent most of my scientific career studying biological systems at the cellular level. I believe I have a good enough understanding of quantum mechanics at least as applied to molecular phenomena to provide some perspective on this book. My understanding of cosmology and astrophysics doesn't extend beyond the level of popular science books. I have also been a student of Orthodox theology, patristics, and Byzantine history for over 30 years. I have read and would recommend several other books by Fr. John Breck. The fact that there are no good books like this is a testament to how difficult the subject is. Unfortunately I would not recommend this book as a solution to seemingly irreconcilable differences between scientific and religious world views. The first mistake Fr. John makes is he skips the math and jumps right into one of many weird corners within quantum mechanics, superposition. I won't claim solving the Schrodinger equation eliminates the weirdness, but much of the mystery goes away when you realize the Copenhagen interpretation is just that, an interpretation of a mathematical solution. Schrodinger's cat is simply a thought experiment to demonstrate that wave function collapse doesn't make intuitive sense. The same is true of the Everetian many worlds interpretation, which is simply a different way of trying to understand the same solution. There's no profound meaning in either interpretation other than a demonstration of our limited understanding of what the solution means. Extrapolating to the two natures of Christ is no more helpful or profound than St. Patrick's use of a clover to explain the Trinity. From this fundamental mistake, Fr. Breck take the reader down one rabbit hole after another. At first the novel setting was a distraction but as I forced my way out of each hole I began to appreciate the fact that this is a work of fiction not to be taken seriously either by a scientist or a religious thinker. More seriously though before you read this book ask yourself why you are trying to reconcile a religious world view with the scientific rather than the other way around. The former is older and still held by the vast majority today. The latter is more recent and requires a lifetime of specialization to master even one of the many topics Fr. John attempts to address. Even fewer of us have the philosophical training required to clearly define the problem and work out a reasonable solution. Overall I recommend your time would be better spent on a book that focuses on either science or religion, not an attempt to reconcile the two. Then appreciate each in its own way for the beauty and meaning they provide. "Be at peace with your own soul, then the heavens will be at peace with you." -St. Isaac the Syrian

[Yoanna Ivanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the original apologetics and very appropriate to our times in which the insights of the scientific method are taken as the only possible (and proper) guiding principle without a deeper, meta introspection of what is it that allows for their adequacy, for the universal patterns of creation they uncover. Through his impressive understanding of the theory of quantum mechanics, Fr. Breck gently and skilfully applies the relevant principles of entanglement, superposition, and non-locality to the Trinitarian theology to help the more scientifically minded understand the latter while also giving a quantum physics lesson to Christians through the eyes of our own faith and understanding of the cosmos. Ultimately, the book is about Creation pointing to the Creator and the microcosm existing in continuity with the macrocosm, with entanglement and superposition manifsting themselves at every level of reality: between elementary particles but also between persons and objects of daily experience, between the transcendent and our relationship with it.

PS: Definitely agree with the criticism this work should not have been written as a novel. Unnecessary and distracting.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating of 4.90

[Niesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.