In this most provocative and original work about mankind's attempts to explain the mysteries of the universe, Corey S. Powell argues that Einstein's theory of relativity marked a massive, irreversible turning point in our spiritual history. For countless millennia, religion provided explanations about the universe, its size, shape, beginning, and end, seeking to define the significance of human life, aspirations, and belief within the vastness of the cosmos. In the last century, however, the quest to answer eternal questions became the provenance of scientists. God in the Equation traces this transformation and posits that Einstein created the new gospel by including a "God factor"--a cosmological constant--in his relativity equations. Represented in his formulae by the Greek letter "lambda, " it links the tangible universe of science and the intangible realm of spirituality. Shedding new light on Einstein's famous declaration, "God doesn't play dice with the universe, " Corey Powell shows that current research confirms the God factor. He contends that this crucial constant in the theories of modern cosmology, first articulated by Einstein, brings the age-old dichotomy between science and religion to an end. By offering an explanation of the universe that satisfies our spiritual longings, he maintains, science has in fact become the only fully functioning religion in today's world.
