The big bang theory has implications for a new way of understanding God as the plenum, or the ground of all being. Our retreat director proposed that we are part of that ground of being that is in a continual state of expansion as a result of the initial explosion of the big bang. Because of this we have an innate sense of oneness that comes from our understanding of the way it was before the explosion of the big bang and resulting expansion. None of this is contrary to a theological understanding of the origin of the universe, if we consider that all that is expanding is God. As many mystics have said in different ways, we are in God and God is in us. We might expand that idea to a belief that all of matter is God too. We do not know enough about space and much of what we think we know is untrue. The truth is we do not know the shape, size, actions or essence of space. There are many theories, some popularly accepted and some wildly speculative. I sense that the shape of space is more organic than geometric and that it fluctuates or ripples. There are some recurring patterns, but the pattern of the big picture is beyond our present ability to discover. We know that it is both contracting and expanding. It appears to be infinite in capacity, but may have limitations beyond what we can discover. I imagine that space, or what we are calling the "plenum" has all the senses we have and some we have yet to discover. I can accept that the plenum from which we come and into which we return is the source of all grace. I believe all its actions are good even those that might appear not to be good to us. I think it is made of fire interacting with all the elements we know, and those we do not. But, I know that the Hubble Telescope found indications in space of celestial activity before the big bang. This has led to speculation that there may be waves of big bangs before the birth of the universe that appear as ripples or ribbons in space. There is no popular consensus yet about this pre-bang space although there are numerous theories. There may be multiple universes or a multiverse. Some of the theories are briefly explained here: http://universe-review.ca/F02-cosmicbg.htm#prebigbang. What we are beginning to find in space discovery is series of big bang points, like portals through which multiple universes appear to be expanding and contracting . . . a breathing or birthing motion. The question that I have is this. “If God is the plenum and the big bang through which God became manifest did not only happen once, but rather is preceded by countless other contractions and expansions; is it then also true that God is not the fecund emptiness out of which all comes and to which all returns, but rather a process of birthing or breathing that continually manifests and transforms all that is?”
