Reflections on the Easter mystery in the light of science and indigenous wisdom

The Christian church has just celebrated Easter. For me the Easter mystery reminds me that everything is in relationship. Relationship is the fundamental essence of the Universe.

Beginning with the quantum field at the Big Bang, matter emerged from energy through the pure potential of the quantum field when relationship nodes formed. This matter formed galaxies and stars through further relationships.

The elementary particles which make up my body were created within an exploding supernova (star) billions of years ago. They collected into dust clouds and then the Solar System and after millions of years formed living beings – all powered by relationships. These same particles have been part of other living beings before – possibly even dinosaurs! Even the water I drink each day has been part of countless other beings, so again each being is related to many other beings through sharing common elementary particles.

This cosmic story tells me that everything is interrelated and interconnected – with this consciousness there is no need for tribalism which leads to wars. It is time to “shake off our old prejudices and care for the Earth” (Teilhard de Chardin).

Perhaps we can say that we are all part of an interrelated and interconnected community of love whose inner being is guiding an evolving universe towards greater diversity, vitality and communion. Being part of a community of love is not always easy, especially when it involves making a stand for truth and justice.

Jesus is our guide and source of courage for connecting to this community of love. This community of love is what can be understood by the terms “divine life” or “risen life” or “eternal life”. It breaks into the present in every moment and is the goal of history. Science shows that energy cannot be created or destroyed and that for Earthly beings, the source of energy is primarily the sun. Energy which builds the community of love is energy which is received and passed on, given away, and it continues to build love, and in this way is eternal.

Indigenous peoples know that all creation is interrelated and interconnected through the Law that was given to them by the creator in deep history, well before human beings began creating cities and states. The Law has been handed on for millennia by the ancestors and is integral to the whole being.
We can learn much from Indigenous wisdom.

In the light of the Easter mystery, we can be confident that no matter what forces seek to undo the community of love, no matter how disconnected we might feel, the promise is that we are given the gift of reconnection and renewed relationship because this is the natural state of being. And it is the task of the church to remind the world of this truth. In this knowledge we can indeed shake off our old prejudices and pour all our energy into caring for the whole Earth.

Rev Deac Richard Arnold

Published in the May 2026 Olive Branch