MarysLittleFlower Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 We know it had a beginning and God made it from nothing. But is it infinite or finite? Has there been anything on this that gives an indication beyond speculation in physics? ..did the Church ever say what is more correct philosophically? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 For the purpose of physics I see no reason that the universe could not be infinite. Theologically of course God remains superior to His created beings, but physics does not deal with that. I see no conflict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Theologically is it more correct to say finite? Of course eternal is out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Theologically is it more correct to say finite? Of course eternal is out. Yeah... I am inclined to think so. Theologically I am not sure any creature, the universe itself included, could be truly infinite as that might imply a sort of equality with God. But since physics does not deal in the supernatural I do not find it disconcerting to call it infinite for their purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Isn't it finite but expanding? Kind of like a balloon? At the moment of the big bang I think the universe was finite - like the entire mass of the universe contained in a single speck. Since that time that mass has just become more and more spread out like how a balloon expands . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 If the universe is infinite and not created it would challenge my faith. I hope to never become agnostic but stuff like this is challenging tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 If the universe is infinite and not created it would challenge my faith. I hope to never become agnostic but stuff like this is challenging tbh. You should be fine then, because only God is uncreated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) i think psalm 149 has the biblical answer. The stars and planets are an un ending decree it says in that psalm. Though of course God existed before the universe. Edited July 16, 2015 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 If the universe is infinite and not created it would challenge my faith. I hope to never become agnostic but stuff like this is challenging tbh. many scientists think today its not infinite .. And the Church teaching tells us it had a beginning which is also reasonable. I don't think science would disprove God only misunderstandings of evidence could lead to such a conclusion, and science doesn't deal with such questions anyway. i think psalm 149 has the biblical answer. The stars and planets are an un ending decree it says in that psalm. Though of course God existed before the universe. Do you have a Catholic translation? I can't find the reference .. Anyway I asked to search for an answer or if the Church has said anything. We know for sure the universe had a beginning. Did God make it infinite or finite? I'm trying to determine what is more accurate theologically or if the Church has commented. The universe could be finite... I'm leaning to that but leaving it up to God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 actually sorry it is psalm 148:1-6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 You should be fine then, because only God is uncreated. True. Although if the universe always existed that would be troubling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 We know for sure the universe had a beginning. I thought the question was if the universe always existed. I misunderstood your question. I've read recent stuff that implies it always existed. Which is troubling. I like it better if it it began at the Big Bang and there is no multiverse and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 We know it had a beginning and God made it from nothing. But is it infinite or finite? Has there been anything on this that gives an indication beyond speculation in physics? ..did the Church ever say what is more correct philosophically? Any thoughts? There are different types of infinities; in fact there is an infinite (really) hierarchy of them, all stacked up, each larger than the last (though we often don't know if there's another one lurking in a gap somewhere). Now I take a bit of a snobbish view that Mathematics, in a way applied sciences like Physics don't, gives us an insight into how God muses, but that's just me. My point is that Mathematics as a field is part of Creation, and that if we can deal with the idea of an infinite stack of infinities and not contradict God's infinity in doing so, then a universe which is truly infinite in size is not much of a problem either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Josh, - that's ok! I wouldn't worry too much about some theorists who think the universe was eternal. Other theorists disagree anyway. Even if they were to all agree how would this be proven when its theoretical astro physics stuff. Mostly it just depends on what theory you use and those are hard to prove either. We know for sure the universe had a beginning.This threads question was about whether God made it infinite or finite and what makes most sense theologically philosophically as well as what science has to say although its not something we can observe only deduce from other things and even then how do we know for sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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