God and the Big Bang:
Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality

To conclude his Scholar-in-Residence weekend, Professor Daniel C. Matt will lead this program in our Isaiah Breakfast Speaker Series.

The theory of the Big Bang serves as the scientific creation myth of our culture. What does it have to do with God? How can it help us discover a spiritual dimension in our lives and recover a sense of wonder? To answer these questions, Daniel Matt will draw on the insights of Kabbalah as well as contemporary cosmology. Among the parallels he will briefly explore are:

• The Kabbalistic idea of “the breaking of the vessels,” which led to Creation, compared with the scientific theory of “broken symmetry,” which led to the formation of matter.
• The primordial Ayin (“No-thingness”) of Kabbalah, from which all beings emerged, compared with the scientific theory of the primordial vacuum, out of which virtual particles flashed into existence.

In juxtaposing these two distinct approaches—scientific and spiritual— Dr. Matt seeks to see each in light of the other. Spirituality and science are two tools of understanding that should not be confused; each is valid in its domain. Occasionally, though, scientific and spiritual insights resonate. By sensing these resonances, our understanding deepens.

Talks in this series are sponsored by Brotherhood, and include a delicious buffet breakfast of assorted bagels, smoked salmon, pickled herring, whitefish salad, tabbouleh, desserts and more. Breakfast begins at 9:15 am. The presentation runs from 9:45 am to 10:45 am and is usually followed by a question and answer session. Admission is $10; free to Brotherhood members. For more information, email brotherhood@templeisaiah.net.