Uncertainty and Complexity

In 1932, a German physicist named Werner Heisenberg introduced a discovery that pulled the rug out from under the scientific community and is considered one of the greatest shifts in scientific paradigms in the 20th century. Heisenberg basically discovered that we cannot know the precise position and momentum of a quantum particle at the same time. Without going into a lengthy explanation of the Law of Uncertainty, Heisenberg was basically saying: there will always be an element of uncertainty.

Now let's shift to mathematics. A French-American by the name of Benoit Mandelbrot introduced a new study of complex shapes. Known as fractal geometry, Mandelbrot stated that some shapes are infinitely complex. What he meant by infinite complexity it that any detail can be magnified to reveal even more detail to the nth degree. Fractals are really the theological equivalent of what is called the incomprehensibility of God. God is infinitely complex.

So here's the deal. Life is infinitely uncertain and God is infinitely complex. It is the only place to start a series on the Physics of Faith. It is a recognition of our finiteness. Life is full of infinite uncertainties and God is infinitely complex. We can hate that. Or we can learn to love it.

Most of us hate negative uncertainties, bad things that happen that we didn’t expect to happen. And we love positive uncertainties, good things that happen that we didn’t expect to happen. But you can’t have it both ways. I think high levels of uncertainty make the best lives!

Hebrews chapter eleven is filled with heroes of the faith. I think we would all have to admit that each of them had a high tolerance for uncertainty! Each of them dealt with things that they didn't have a clue where they would conclude. That is what faith is all about. It is not just embracing uncertainty. It is learning to love it.

To many of us want a God we can control like a puppeteer. We want a predictable God. But that would create an amazing boredom. As we shall see in a couple of days...predictability leads to boredom. We we know something is always going to happen, we are no longer amazed by it. God continually amazes us because He is infinitely more complex that we will ever imagine!