Matemática e ação divina

: uma aproximação a John Polkinghorne

Abstract

Science and religion embody a desire common to all human beings, which constantly drives them to seek understanding: of the universe, of themselves, of others, but also of their relationship with the transcendent. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why these two areas came into being together, at least as far as Western civilization is concerned. Despite this, throughout history, science and religion have often coexisted in tension, if not in conflict. In this work, I seek to address this dialogue, as vast as it is enriching, from the specific theme of divine action. This theme will be preceded by a reflection on the ontological status of mathematics, on the relevance of its contribution to science and theology, and also on the possibility of considering a sacramental dimension of mathematics. In this journey, I am guided by the figure of John Polkinghorne, a renowned mathematician and theoretical physicist who became an Anglican priest: a scientist-theologian whose contribution to the rapprochement between science and religion is undeniable and who devoted much of his work to the theme of divine action. I pay special attention to the way the author reflects on divine action based on the intrinsic unpredictabilities revealed by quantum physics and chaos theory. The notion of kenotic creation emerges as a key concept in the author's thinking.

Date of Award	19 Dec 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	João Manuel Duque (Supervisor)