Rc™ Relations in Light™

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Mapping Reality in a Procreational Monotheistic Christian Framework 

1. Relatedness as a foundational property of reality.

2. Confinement to a Lower Story (Seen Realm) reality and its devastating impact produced by a naturalism, rooted in reductionist scientism, that is blinded to a unity of the Upper and Lower Stories of reality. This produces a false dichotomy of faith and reason which Francis Schaeffer (see Escape from Reason) calls, respectively, the Upper and Lower Stories. This constitutes a false splitting of reality. 

3.    The universe seen as a “one verse universe” meaning a unified, single, grand creation. God is the architect and engineer par excellence. Lower Story (Seen Realm) and Upper Story (Unseen Realm) comprise a unified reality that overlap and interlock.

Note: The phrase "one verse universe" suggests the idea that the cosmos, with all its wonders and complexities, can be seen as a single, unified, and harmonious creation, like a single song or poem. (AI)

 The Etymology of Universe: "derived from Latin, combines "uni" (meaning "one") and "versus” (referring to a song or poem). This suggests the idea of a unified whole, a single, grand creation. A shared Latin root “vertere” can extend it to versatility (i.e. to turn, bend, rotate, change).  (AI)

Lower/Upper Story is a Francis Schaeffer characterization (see “Primary Shapers of Thought” on this website).

Seen Realm/Unseen Realm is a Michael Heiser characterization (see “Secondary Shapers of Thought” on this website).

I much prefer calling the Lower Story the "Seen realm" and the Upper Story the "Unseen Realm" because this replaces a spatial-dimensional appeal suggested by Lower and Upper Story terminology and replaces it with a relational-dimensional appeal. 

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light   Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.  John 1:1-5

20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

3 in whom(Christ/Logos) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Colossians 2:3

17 He (Christ/Logos) is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

No finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point.   Jean-Paul Sartre

Wisdom is the capacity to see relationships (H.R. Rookmaaker – The Creative Gift)

Power as such is a relational concept and requires relation (Hans Jonas)

Metanarrative

Special Revelation (i.e. the Judean/Christian biblical canon) chronicles a grand metanarrative:

from Creation to Eden,

from Eden to banishment from Eden, 

from banishment from Eden to Israel,

from Israel to Jesus the Messiah, 

from Jesus the Messiah to his death, burial, and resurrection,

from the Resurrected Messiah as the first instance of New Creation, to the Church as an expanding New Creation, 

from expansion of New Creation to New Creation completed when the triune God comes home! 

In the end He will come home with his adopted, beloved, immortal sons and daughters together with the heavenly host to New Heavens and New Earth in a New Eden!

Finally, the trees of the field will clap their hands and the wolf will lie down with the lamb. Suffering, sorrow, and pain will surrender to infinite joy, shalom, and peace forever more!

Denouement!  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Rev 21:5)

 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—   1 Cor 2:9 NIV

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.  Rev 2:20 NIV

Our great privilege and invitation into the story:  As Seers/Knowers/Imagers, we humans have the highest of callings to participate in the construction of New Creation! The Lion-Lamb anxiously knocks at the door of your heart hoping you will accept the invitation. The lamb died for you to have this joyous welcome! And he has a story for you; your story!

Structure

∫Logos 

reality integrated on logos

SR ~ GR 

Where SR = special revelation inspired by God through the Judean/Christian scriptural canon providing the metanarrative and structure of reality

Where GR = general revelation of God – the universe – the cosmos

~ is relatedness between special revelation and general revelation

Result –   a unified reality joining seen and unseen realm relationally. 

The universe was created by the eternally preexistent, infinite-personal trinitarian God (Elohim) as Father, Son, and Spirit in diverse unity, in loving relationship. 

The universe appears to be an analog relational creation sustained by the power of relationships (i.e. relational power) and is analogically related (See Note below) to the triune God. That is to say, it is telling us what God is like. 

The universe seems to be structured as an open architecture, diverse unity mutatis mutandis. It is grounded ontologically by the trinitarian God as a one verse universe (see the “etymology of universe” in the “Motivational Concepts” section of this website). Open architecture allows significant and meaningful actors. 

Wired for logos, human beings are created in the image of God and uniquely equipped for observation and action. They are intended to act into general revelation consistent with special revelation (see the "Structure" section of this website inside the "Metanarrative and Structure" section). 

Humans are to image God. I see a three-fold unity on the triune God, General Revelation, and Special Revelation. I see creation on the whole as a consequential and complex free agency involving actors in both the seen and unseen realm; God being the supreme actor. Such free agency is a necessary correlate of love.

Note: Analog relational reasoning, also known as analogical reasoning, involves identifying and mapping relationships between two or more things, using structured comparisons of mental representations to make inferences. Analogical reasoning is a form of inductive reasoning that relies on identifying similarities or patterns between different concepts or situations. It's a way of understanding something new by comparing it to something familiar. (AI)

1. To assert that the eternally preexistent infinite-personal trinitarian God (Elohim) as Father, Son, and Spirit in loving relationship alone carries the ontological weight and explanatory power needed to ground the universe and give qualitative answers to more questions about the cosmos, man and the nature of man than any competing explanation. 

2. To encourage enlightenment based on a unified field of reality challenging naturalism/scientism and post modernism. 

Where Naturalism/scientism, in philosophy, is the view that the universe is governed  solely by natural laws and forces, excluding any supernatural or spiritual elements, and that scientific methods are the best (or only) way to understand reality. (AI)

Where Postmodernism is a skeptical attitude towards grand narratives and universal truths, emphasizing subjectivity, questioning established ideas, and embracing a more fragmented and diverse understanding of reality. Postmodernism challenges the idea that there are simple, objective truths or universal explanations for everything. It emphasizes the importance of individual perspectives and experiences, arguing that meaning is not inherent but is constructed by individuals. (AI)

3. To be a catalyst for imagination, creativity and enterprise across all knowledge pursuits including excellence in the sciences, art, music, literature, theology, etc.; quite literally the entire breadth of creation.

4. To help one see an invitation to enact your own story onto this grand evolving tapestry!

“Child,' said the Lion, 'I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own.”

― C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia/The Horse and His Boy). 

Implication:  Every life is a one-off! As Aslan said, I tell every man their own story. God is after proud originals as Lewis also said. 

To eat, to breathe, to beget, (loss of significance)
Is that all there is? (insignificance, meaningless)
Chance configuration of atom against atom (modernism/scientism/naturalistic worldview)
Of little god against little god. (postmodernism)
I cannot believe it.   
Come Christian triune God who lives. (The Creator – Alpha and Omega)
Here am I. (A living stone in the new temple)
Shake the world again. (revolution aimed at new enlightenment)   

Note: Parenthetical comments added and not part of the original poem/prayer.

Francis A. Schaeffer (Theologian/Philosopher- Escape From Reason, The God who is There, He is There and He is Not Silent and other works)

N.T. Wright ( New Testament Theologian/Ancient Historian – works in general but especially his emphasis on new creation. See especially the book “ God’s Homecoming” )

H. R. Rookmaaker (Art Historian - The Creative Gift)

Jordan Peterson - Clinical Psychologist (especially his thinking on the subject of metanarrative and trinitarian structure in sundry podcasts)

C.S. Lewis - literature, philosophy/Christian apologist (Mere Christianity as well as all his non-academic books)

Dorothy Sayers – Novelist and Playwright (see The Mind of the Maker)

Esther Meek - Philosopher specializing in epistemology (see Longing to Know and other books on knowing)

John Walton – Old Testament scholar (especially his categories of order, non-order, and disorder which characterize the universe -  see The Lost World of Genesis and other works).

Michael Heiser - Old Testament scholar specializing in ancient history and semitic languages (see The Unseen Realm) 

Greg Boyd - Theologian (see God of the Possible-Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God)

Note 1 : Thanks to the many other thought shapers which I will not attempt to list.

Note 2:  It should not be assumed that I embrace, without reservation or disagreement, all that my thought shapers put forward. Also, my apologies if I have misrepresented any of them. And if I have, I take full responsibility for such misrepresentations and will correct them once I am aware.   

Note 3 : You can use a chatbot like Grok to get excellent book summaries on my thought shapers and to explain any questions you might have about this website in general.

#1 No one or no philosophy has ever given us an answer for unity and diversity. The only answer is a relational God prior to creation.  (Francis Schaeffer)

#2 As to the quote above in precursors section from Jean-Paul Sartre (i.e. no finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point). Unless and until you reach the eternally pre-existent triune God in the vertical hierarchy of meaning you are *driving pegs in mid-air. No matter how sophisticated the argument, there is no justifiable basis for meaning otherwise.

*driving pegs in mid-air is a phrase often used by Francis Schaeffer

#3  Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh"  said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel  rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who  said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the  King, I tell you.”      C.S. Lewis,     The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 

#4  "In his Critique of Pure Reason, the famous German philosopher Immanuel Kant said that the three most important questions for any human being are What can I know? What can I hope for? And what must I do? 

#5  Colossians 2:2-3 New International Version

2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ , 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs 3:19-20 New International Version  

19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;

 Job 38:4 English Standard Version

 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.

Conclusion: Christ who is the word (logos) made flesh (see John 1:1)  holds the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and creation principles are bound  to wisdom and knowledge

#6 If you wrestle with God he wins the fight but you come away a better man. 

#7  Special revelation (i.e. the canon of scripture) summons us to a full-orbed participation in general revelation (i.e. creation) as agents of new creation (i.e. signposts and harbingers anticipating new heavens and new earth). It is not a call to separate from the world; to the contrary it is a summons to act integrally in the world with wisdom and knowledge. See musing #5 again. And the life lived is a trinitarian life (i.e. adoption to sonship realized through genuine faith in Christ wherein the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us: at which point we become bipartite with an existence in creation and new creation. Such a person is to function as a signpost and harbinger of new creation. See the Metanarrative section of this website to understand how this fits.  

#8  This website expresses a view of reality that is thought to provide the best answers concerning the nature and purpose of mankind in his/her complex constitution and environment. The necessary component for this understanding is special revelation (the bible) in relationship to general revelation (the cosmos). Special revelation supplies the metanarrative and structure of reality. 

Note: See the Structure and Metanarrative section on this website.

#9 It seems to me that the universe is simply profound and profoundly simple.

#10 Rc invites you to imagine the creation is a grand piano. Enjoy playing your music on it and enjoy listening to music on it. Only it's a magic piano. It's open to anything that causes the trees of the field to clap their hands. And remember that great lion can be seen bounding around. So watch out for him because he is not safe. But he is good. So good that he's a lion-lamb. He holds the keys to the magic piano! Ask him about those keys! See musing #3 and #5.

#11  And about those keys in #11, it gets even better. I hear he will invite you to work with him on your compositions. It is probably a good idea since he holds everything together.  

#12  And about that lion in #11, I have heard it said by a visionary that he can turn into a lamb. This visionary said he saw it happen and his writings are contained in a very special book. How on earth can that be? Is he a magic lion? Can he perform other magic besides turning into a lamb? It turns out that he is not a magic lion at all. But he does perform miracles. It turns out that (now take a deep breath and hold on) through him the cosmos was made and (now take another deep breath) it was made for him. I don’t know about you but this lion has caught my attention and I want to know all about Him.

#13 The posit section of this website, among other things, states the following: 

The universe was created by the eternally preexistent infinite-personal trinitarian God (Elohim) as Father, Son, and Spirit in diverse unity in loving relationship (viz. one God in three persons). The universe is fundamentally an analog relational creation sustained by relational power and is analogically related to the triune God. The universe is structured as an open architecture, diverse unity mutatis mutandis.

Conclusion: A unified field in physics should exist that unites General Relativity (GR) and Quantum Mechanics (QM). I think physicists are looking for something they should be able to find and this website's map of reality may help because of those keys mentioned in #11.

#14 If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (C.S. Lewis – The Weight of Glory)

 
#15 Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe in Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have. (C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity)

#16  At time = 0 in big bang cosmology the singularity proposed is a broken mathematical construct with no underlying material existence. At this point a hard boundary is reached that science cannot go beyond. Further attempts to explain on purely scientific grounds constitute reductionist scientism that, in truth, is a philosophy rather than science.

 Observation: The pursuit of scientists is extremely praiseworthy. They expose a world of beauty and unimaginable complexity that is mathematically described. Alternative pursuits to the Singularity, such as Loop Quantum Gravity and Loop Quantum Cosmology, are noble pursuits as well. And they are miles beyond my expertise at anything other than a conceptual understanding. But one thing seems obvious to me: they smuggle in something material in nature at “time = 0” and face the same hard boundary the singularity does. Physics just can’t begin without something material as a starting point. 

Consider: Romans 1:20 - New International Version

20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Paul the Apostle)

#17   She should have died hereafter;

There would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing. (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5)

Rebuttal: Relations in Light says for good reasons this is not so! It says, to the contrary, that humans possess the highest of callings to image God as proud, free, and significant originals in this world and in the world to come. The lion-lamb has guaranteed it! 

#18 Everybody has a name and a story. Ask them their name and enter into their story.

#19 The good news is that Israel's God has done what he promised, returning to his people in the person of the Davidic Messiah whose death and resurrection have displayed the divine glory by dealing with the dark power of evil and launching the new creation for all the world. (N. T. Wright - God's Homecoming)

Comment: See the Metanarrative section of this website for "New Creation" storylines.

#20 We need to learn again and again, to rise above trivialized messages and watered down worship, and grow up into a maturity which will celebrate the full biblical narrative of God's wise eternal plan. We need to let this whole great story inform, instruct and delight us, enabling us to live for the praise of God's glory.  (N. T. Wright - The vision of Ephesians)

Comment: See the "Metanarrative and Structure" section of this website

#21 More to come...