6

Science, Religion, Metaphor,

and History

Jeffrey Burton Russell

Universe and Cosmos

Massive wounds have been torn in the cosmos during the past few
centuries, but now in the new century, history and metaphor can
help bring the patient into a new, cooperative vitality that is whole,
holy, and healed (they are related words). I distinguish between
“universe” and “cosmos.” “Universe,” as here defined, is the entire
set of being and relativities external to or beyond humanity: Uni-
verse exists, and we dwell in it, whether we like it or not, and what-
ever our view of it may be. This chapter is more concerned with
“cosmos,” defined as the human understanding of universe, the hu-
man worldview. It is cosmos that needs healing.
Before addressing cosmos, there is a simple, but easily misun-
derstood, point to make about universe. All of us live in the same
universe: this universe that we are in. We have no choice: thinking
that the universe is one way or another does not change the uni-
verse. If, for example, there is no God, then thinking that there is
does not make it so. If there is God, then thinking that there is not
does not make it so. Now, it may be that the universe is exclusively
physical (including not only matter and energy in the classical
senses but also dark matter and dark energy and any other compo-
nent that science may one day identify). Such a universe, the prod-
uct of randomness and causation, is without inherent meaning or
purpose. Or it may be that the universe includes both the physical
andthe spiritual and ideational entities that exist, relate, or occur;
these are not limited by space-time, and they are not exhaustible by