**Chapter 8: Theoreddism, Progressive Revelations from Human Advancement and Eternally Rendered Reality**
As we explore the depths of Theoreddism, we arrive at one of its most intriguing elements: the relationship between **progressive revelation** and human advancement, combined with the concept of **Eternally Rendered Reality**. This chapter will examine how God, as the ultimate Creator, interacts with His creation as a personal, non-contingent, external entity with unlimited computational power. We will also consider how this understanding of God intersects with modern scientific principles such as **Quantum Mechanics (QM)**, **General Relativity (GR)**, and the implications of the **Observer Effect** in both. Additionally, we will explore how Theoreddism reframes our understanding of biology and genetics by introducing the concept of the **Kinds Tree of Life**.
### **Progressive Revelation Through Human Advancement**
Progressive revelation is the idea that God reveals truth incrementally over time, as humanity advances in knowledge and understanding. While Scripture is the ultimate source of divine truth, God’s creation also reflects His nature and purpose, providing insights as humanity grows in its ability to understand the universe. As Proverbs 25:2 (ESV) states, *“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”* Through technological and scientific advancement, humanity is granted the privilege of uncovering more of God’s creation.
The **Technological Analogy** in Theoreddism helps explain how human advancement and discovery align with God’s unfolding revelation. As humans develop more advanced technologies—ranging from deep space exploration to quantum computing—we gain deeper insights into the structure of reality that God has created. This process is not merely an intellectual pursuit; it is a reflection of our role as image-bearers of God, tasked with exploring, subduing, and stewarding creation (Genesis 1:28, ESV). Theoreddism affirms that scientific discoveries reveal new dimensions of God’s design and purpose in the universe, but only when interpreted through the lens of Scripture and divine truth.
### **God as a Personal, Non-Contingent, External Entity with Unlimited Computational Power**
One of the core ideas in Theoreddism is the analogy of God as a **personal, non-contingent, external entity with unlimited computational power**. This analogy helps us conceptualize how God interacts with and sustains the universe. Just as a sophisticated computational system can render complex virtual worlds while remaining independent from them, God creates and sustains the physical universe while remaining outside of it, unaffected by its limitations.
#### **Non-Contingency and Sovereignty**
To say that God is **non-contingent** means that He exists independently of His creation and does not rely on anything outside of Himself for His existence. This is fundamental to understanding His sovereignty and the nature of reality. Unlike the material universe, which is contingent upon forces, energy, and time, God’s existence is eternal and unchanging. In Acts 17:28 (ESV), Paul affirms this truth when he says, *“In him we live and move and have our being.”* God is not bound by the physical laws He created; instead, He governs them, and the entire cosmos is rendered according to His will.
The analogy of **unlimited computational power** illustrates how God can sustain an unimaginably complex universe while remaining intimately involved in every aspect of it. Just as a sophisticated computer program can generate vast virtual environments, God continuously sustains all of creation, from the largest galaxies to the smallest subatomic particles. This computational analogy helps bridge the gap between God’s transcendence and immanence—He is both beyond creation and present within it, sustaining every moment.
### **Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, and the Observer Effect**
The relationship between **Quantum Mechanics (QM)**, **General Relativity (GR)**, and the Observer Effect in both provides fascinating parallels to the Theoreddist understanding of God’s interaction with creation. While QM and GR operate at different scales, they reveal key insights into the nature of reality, many of which point to the idea of an **Observer** influencing the outcome of events.
#### **Quantum Mechanics and the Observer Effect**
In **Quantum Mechanics**, the **Observer Effect** refers to the phenomenon where the act of observing a quantum system influences its behavior. This is particularly evident in the famous **double-slit experiment**, where particles behave as both waves and particles, but the act of observation forces them into a defined state. This concept challenges classical notions of reality and suggests that the universe is not a static, self-contained system, but one that interacts dynamically with observers.
In Theoreddism, God is the **ultimate Observer**, who not only observes but also renders reality according to His will. The universe is not independent or self-sustaining—it is continually upheld by God’s creative power. Hebrews 1:3 (ESV) describes Christ as the one who *“upholds the universe by the word of his power.”* Just as quantum particles require an observer to collapse into a definite state, so too does the entire cosmos depend on God’s ongoing, active will to remain in existence.
Human beings, created in the image of God, act as **Sub-Observers** in this system. While we are not the creators of reality, our role as stewards of creation involves exploration, discovery, and participation in the ongoing unfolding of God’s design. This dynamic relationship between God, humanity, and creation reflects our unique position in the universe, as both part of creation and endowed with the ability to perceive and understand it.
#### **General Relativity and the Fabric of Reality**
**General Relativity (GR)**, on the other hand, deals with the large-scale structure of the universe, describing how matter and energy influence the curvature of spacetime. GR shows us that time and space are not fixed; they can be warped by gravity and mass, revealing a fluid and dynamic universe. This aligns with the Theoreddist view that reality is not a static, deterministic system but one that is continually **rendered** by God’s will.
The fluid nature of time and space in GR also resonates with the concept of **temporal asymmetry**, as discussed in earlier chapters. God, existing outside of time and space, can influence the flow of time, as seen in biblical examples such as Joshua’s long day (Joshua 10:12-14, ESV) and Hezekiah’s sundial (2 Kings 20:8-11, ESV). These instances of localized time manipulation reflect God’s sovereignty over time and space, further illustrating how He interacts with His creation in ways that transcend natural laws.
### **The Role of Humans as Sub-Observers**
In Theoreddism, human beings play an essential role as **Sub-Observers** in the created order. While God is the ultimate Observer and sustainer of reality, we are tasked with exploring, understanding, and stewarding the world He has rendered. Our ability to make scientific discoveries, develop technologies, and advance in knowledge is part of our divine mandate to **subdue** the Earth (Genesis 1:28, ESV). As we engage with creation, we uncover new aspects of God’s design, participating in the ongoing revelation of His creative purposes.
However, unlike God, our observations do not create or sustain reality; rather, they help us discover the intricate patterns and laws that God has already established. The **Observer Effect** in quantum mechanics serves as a reminder that our engagement with the world has consequences, and as Sub-Observers, we are responsible for how we interact with creation.
### **Reframing Biology and Genetics: The Kinds Tree of Life**
In addition to our role as Sub-Observers, Theoreddism offers a reframing of biology and genetics through the concept of a **Kinds Tree of Life**, a model that reflects the biblical account of God creating life according to distinct kinds (Genesis 1). While modern evolutionary theory proposes a **Tree of Life** based on common descent, Theoreddism presents a **Kinds Tree of Life**, which acknowledges genetic variation within kinds but rejects the idea that all life descended from a single common ancestor.
#### **Genetic Evidence and the Kinds Tree of Life**
Theoreddism embraces the scientific discoveries of genetics and biology, but it interprets them through the lens of **created kinds**. Genetic variation and adaptation are observed phenomena, but they occur within the boundaries of specific kinds rather than across all forms of life. For example, while there is evidence of variation among species of the **canine kind** (such as wolves, dogs, and foxes), there is no evidence to suggest that they share a common ancestor with organisms outside of their kind.
This model provides a coherent explanation for the diversity of life while remaining faithful to the biblical account of creation. It also highlights the limits of evolutionary theory, particularly in its inability to account for the **irreducible complexity** and **specified information** found in biological systems. The Kinds Tree of Life offers a framework that honors both the scientific evidence of variation and the scriptural truth of distinct creation.
### **Conclusion: Patching the Problem of Evil**
As we conclude this chapter, we have explored how Theoreddism integrates progressive revelation through human advancement, scientific discovery, and the technological analogy of God’s relationship to creation. We have seen how Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, and the Observer Effect align with the Theoreddist view of God as the ultimate sustainer of reality and humans as Sub-Observers.
But no discussion of reality and God’s sovereignty would be complete without addressing the **problem of evil**. In the next chapter, we will tackle one of the most challenging questions in theology: if God is all-powerful and all-good, why does evil exist? We will explore how Theoreddism addresses this issue by demonstrating that God’s consistency, purpose, and goodness are not contradicted by the existence of evil, but rather that evil serves a role in the broader context of God's sovereign plan.
In **Chapter 9: Patching the Problem of Evil: God’s Consistency and Good Purpose**, we will explore how the problem of evil can be understood within the framework of Theoreddism. We will see how the reality of suffering, moral evil, and natural disasters fit into a universe that is rendered and sustained by a good and all-powerful God. By examining biblical principles, the role of human free will, and the fallen nature of creation, we will work through the complexities of the problem of evil while affirming God's consistency and good purpose in all things.
Stay with us as we continue to strengthen the **firewall of faith** with a deep dive into this theological challenge and offer a framework for responding to one of the most common objections to the Christian worldview.
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