God's Gift of Tremendous Power by Ann Shakespeare
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
This new Christian lifestyle guide reveals how the latest understanding of quantum physics not only supports Biblical teachings but can also help readers find a deeper connection with God
By Timothy Arden
Religious faith does not seek or expect corroboration from science. Indeed, the traditional view is that the spheres of science and religion are incompatible and must forever go their separate ways.
However, new Christian lifestyle guide God’s Gift of Tremendous Power challenges this assertion by exploring how the latest understanding of quantum physics can, in fact, bring a dynamic new depth to the sacred connection between worshippers and God.
Published through Deep River Books, this thoughtful work is the first non-academic title to connect the discoveries of the quantum world with a comprehensive scriptural foundation. In doing so, author Ann Shakespeare has reclaimed an important idea from the fringes of theological debate and repackaged it in easy-to-understand terms for the benefit of all Christians.
The history of quantum physics stretches back just over a century, with Albert Einstein’s ground-breaking realisation that matter and energy are, in fact, one and the same, and that matter can be viewed as “simply frozen energy”. His work, and that of the generations of physicists who succeed him, shattered the long-held scientific view that the universe was simply mechanistic—that is, that it could be explained solely in terms of blocks of matter and discrete physical processes. By this reckoning, everyone and everything was enclosed in a deterministic system which was characterised by separateness and fragmentation.
As we now understand things, however, matter is just the flipside of energy and at the heart of reality is an invisible swirling field of energy that is all pervasive and interconnects all things. In other words, the universe is not only infinite – as many cosmologists now believe - but it is also infinitely connected.
Ann—the former editor of Action, the monthly journal of international social justice organisation the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)—uses the non-scientific term “quantum field” in God’s Gift as a shorthand for this heady concept, which has profound implications for prayer and worship.
Rather than getting bogged down in abstruse theory that would perplex anyone outside of CERN, Ann deliberately keeps things simple. Her interest lies firmly in what readers can gain from a basic grasp of the quantum field for the purpose of developing a wider understanding of the power and the majesty of God, and its significance for day-to-day living. She points out that, at a singular moment called the Big Bang, God formed the quantum field through which He created everything, ranging from the massive, spreading galaxies to the tiniest, most delicate butterfly. Because of its quality of connectedness (oneness) the quantum field is an extremely sensitive medium of communication; an understanding of this can have a significant impact on the power of prayer and meditation to bring about healing and transformation.
As the author explains, Christians have tended to hold to a dualistic – or Old Testament – view of the universe. But changing perspective to incorporate a deeper understanding of the Omnipresence of God – heightened by insights regarding the oneness, or connectedness, of the quantum field – opens the door to an inspirational and fresh vision of what it means for Christians to discover their true identity in Christ, and to live more fully in the flow and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ann, a seasoned writer who has also contributed to such respected international publications as Time magazine, is clearly well-versed in biblical scripture and uses this knowledge well, selecting a comprehensive and logical selection of passages to show how the discoveries of quantum physics accord with scriptures, such as the following: “There is one body and one Spirit . . . one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all” (Eph. 4:4, 6).
Again, though, this is not an academic treatise but a practical and inspirational handbook that presents a dynamic vision of what it means to live “in Christ Jesus” and to be empowered by Him so that Christians can learn how to better align themselves with biblical truth in order to be channels of God’s love and resurrection power.
The greater part of God’s Gift is dedicated to providing readers with sound and reasoned instruction on how to access the power of God through prayer and meditation upon the Word of God. The author, a devout Christian for over 30 years, attests to the transformative nature of these disciplines but observes that the way forward is first to embrace utter weakness.
It is, she says, by identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that Christians can grow increasingly into His likeness and thereby begin to see the awesome power of God released through prayer. Like the apostle Paul, you must first learn to let go of your own ego by surrendering it to Christ and letting Him live His life through you. Ann illustrates this point with various passages from scripture including Paul’s declaration: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10b).
The remainder of the book offers encouraging steps on how to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your meditations so that, by the end, the reader may be richly equipped regarding how to do the works “which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10, NIV).
In the final chapter, Ann reaffirms how the opening up of the quantum world has bridged the theology-science divide for Christians. Having highlighted how the theories of quantum physics reinforce scripture and spiritual truths, she exhorts of the latter that “The time has come to see that they are much more than metaphor. In fact, these truths are waiting to be fanned into flame by the faith of believers.”
Part lifestyle companion and part spiritual call to action, then, God’s Gift of Tremendous Power is a fluent and intelligent guide that would inspire and motivate any Christian seeking to enrich their faith.
God’s Gift of Tremendous Power (Deep River Books) is available now from Amazon UK, priced £11 in paperback. For more information visit Ann’s website at www.annshakespeare.com
Meet the Author: Ann Shakespeare
After a life-transforming encounter with Jesus Christ in her 30s, Christian author Ann Shakespeare enjoyed a rewarding career with international organisations helping making a positive change to the world…
God’s Gift of Tremendous Power may be Ann Shakespeare’s first book, but she is no stranger to the written word, having enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a journalist and copywriter.
After graduating from university, she travelled to South America where she secured her first job as a reporter, feature writer and then assistant editor for The Daily Journal, an English-language national newspaper in Caracas, Venezuela. It was stimulating work, although on one occasion Ann nearly lost her job when she included an April Fool hoax story about the ruins of an ancient civilization being discovered in a hole in Caracas. The joke backfired when Ann realized, to her horror, that April Fool’s Day is not known in Venezuela and had to deal with a raft of calls from excited archaeologists wanting to learn more.