Frank Pennington
United Church of Christ
Institute Advisory Committee Member
“Higgs boson” is not the name of a Swedish bobsled racer but
the term to describe a scientific find having theological/ metaphysical as well
as groundbreaking importance for particle physics. The Higgs particle in an
elementary particle initially theorized in 1964, the discovery of which was
announced on July 4th, 2012. The Higgs boson particle, named after Peter Higgs
one of six physicists who in 1964 proposed its existence, is monumental not
only because its discovery was the culmination of the most expensive science
project ever, but because it apparently is the key particle which holds the
universe together. It has been called
the “God particle” because it is elemental to explaining how everything in the
universe works. Simply, the Higgs boson
particle is the fundamental catalyst for everything. The Higgs boson particle
is THE elemental particle! To paraphrase the biblical Book of Genesis, in the
beginning, there was the Higgs boson.
Obviously, the scientific and metaphysical impact of finding
the Higgs boson at CERN in Switzerland using the very advanced technology of
the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) cannot be simply communicated. Initiated in the 1980’s and known as the “Atlas
Experiment,” this project has involved 10,000 people from 100 countries and the
use of 100,000 computers to process the data. While the discovery of the Higgs
boson particle is complex, a new documentary film Particle Fever has recently been released and is currently showing
in the Philadelphia region and nationally. The
film is not just an explanation of what all the fuss is about, but is dramatically
riveting; you can check out a review at filmjournal.com
and view the film’s promotional trailer at particlefever.com/
My interest in the conversation between religion,
spirituality and science/technology has led me on a long, strange trip. I was
schooled in the thinking that religion and science had nothing in common and
the more sophisticated one became, the less a religious worldview held
credence. “God” was the concept we used to explain what “science” would
eventually clarify. We call this god the “God of the gaps.” However, it seems as
if the more our scientific worldview expands, the deeper the metaphysical
questions become. In other words, the
questions about the origin and character of the universe aren’t reduced but
seemingly more elegant and subtle. “Knowledge” is a process not resolved in
absolutes (either religious or scientific) but enlivened with fresh questions
about meaning.
The cosmological concept of the three- tiered universe is
dead, but that doesn’t mean God is! Perhaps the traditional “god” of both
religion and science is just too small. Allow
me to invite you on a movie date—go see “Particle Fever,” because it just might
blow your mind. Catch it at a theater
near you! I’ll spring for the buttered popcorn.
The quest for the Higgs boson may have been the most expensive science
project ever but your personal thrill ride will only be the cost of a theater ticket.
Actually, I paid the admission this past Friday and sat
transfixed through the account of a monumental discovery. While not “dumbing down” the science behind
the detective work, a very genuine and human picture evolved of the people who
dedicated talent and time to the project. “Particle Fever” is beautifully and
artfully filmed and an homage to the humor, resolve, and pathos underwriting
any great discovery. The film concludes with shots of the wonderful ancient
cave paintings filmed by Werner Herzog (“Cave of Forgotten Dreams” 2010)and the
observation that explorations in science and art may not always make all that
much sense in terms of economic value. However, these advances are what make us
human. And, I add, as long as there is a profound sense of mystery there will
exist within humanity the pulse of spirituality. “Particle Fever” does not
editorialize about the religion/science “debate.” Rather, the message is, in
the language of the popular television series of the 1990’s “The X- Files,”
“The Truth Is Out There.” At our best, it would seem our species has a penchant
for the quest toward enlightenment. This quest is uplifted in “Particle Fever” and
my counsel is you should witness it. Awe
is the spiritual energy enticing us forward and there is a pervasive presence
of humanity’s awe in this magical quest for the Higgs boson.
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