John von Neumann, a Hungarian-American, was a recognized child prodigy and polymath who made significant contributions in many areas of mathematics, physics, and computing. During World War II, von Neumann worked on the Manhattan Project, and his bomb design became the “Fat Man” weapon used at Nagasaki. Von Neumann was a thoughtful man who had many interesting reflections, including:
> In mathematics, you never understand things; you just get used to them.
> If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.
> Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations. … There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.
As I read von Neumann’s quotes, I could not help but ponder how his thoughts about mathematics also apply to theology, the knowledge and study of an infinite God. Mathematics and theology have more in common than you might think. The simplest mathematical concepts can be grasped by a child. (“Would you rather have one cookie or two?”) Similarly, much of what can be known about God is plain to everyone and can be understood by a child. (Romans 1) The diversity of mathematical concepts is nearly endless, and many complex ideas are understood by only a small group of people. Theology also covers a wide range of diverse and complex concepts. Great contributions to both mathematics and theology have been done for centuries in many different cultures and languages. Sadly, experts in both subjects are tempted to pridefully parade their superior knowledge. When this happens, it is time for a humble reminder that when any of us compare what we know to the infinite amount of knowledge in these subjects, we know next to nothing. And we should be thankful to God for every good gift of understanding we do have. We only know what we know because our heavenly Father has given us minds, access to the knowledge of the past, gifted teachers, and the time to learn. (James 1)
Other thoughts about mathematics can also keep us grounded regarding our limited knowledge about an infinite God:
> As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality. (Albert Einstein)
> What is mathematics? It is only a systematic effort of solving puzzles posed by nature. (Shakuntala Devi)
> There is no branch of mathematics, however abstract, which may not someday be applied to phenomena of the real world. (Nikolai Lobachevsky)
Once again we must live with a healthy biblical tension. We should be thankful that God has revealed so much of Himself and His created world to us, and yet compared to all that can be known, we must be humble because there is still so much more to understand. And probably much of what we think we know is only a simplified version of actual reality. Whenever we learn some new insight or are reminded of some great knowledge, we should rejoice that we get an opportunity to get closer to “thinking God’s thoughts after Him.” (Johann Kepler) One last thought from von Neumann, who was not a religious man, is worth considering, “There probably is a God. Many things are easier to explain if there is than if there isn't.” We do not worship and trust God only because He has great explanatory power. But we should not be surprised that the character of the true and living God does explain what we know about our created and divinely sustained world.