Reverse the Big Bang, Find Genesis Within

Up until the James Webb telescope came online recently, most of us science-oriented people were pretty sure that the universe started about 14 billion years ago with the “Big Bang.” Now that we can see further out and further back into the universe, not only is our idea of the age of the universe scrapped (it’s clearly much older!), but we have to go back to the drawing board about how the universe might have started. One thing we can learn from this monumental moment in science history is the importance of being flexible, and not investing too much in any one idea – even a popular one. All ideas and all concepts are beliefs and subject to the whims of time, revelation, and perspective, even the most seemingly obvious ones. Even our beliefs that we are mortal, finite, fallen, separate, individuals, right, wrong, false, or true may be subject to revisiting. And perhaps, the truth of the matter, about us and about the universe, is ultimately beyond words: as words at their best only approximately point to the reality of things. Perhaps this revelation about the Big Bang serves as an opportunity to let go of our tight sense of knowing and of judging, and to return to a recognition of the peace and joy of life when we’re not so “in our heads.”