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Fellowship at Trinity College
After he earned his PhD from Trinity College, Polkinghorne was selected to be a Fellow for his research in quantum mechanics. This was the first step that would lead him to the study of subatomic particles, notably the quark. Russell, Robert John. “In Memoriam: John C. Polkinghorne, 1930–2021.” Theology and Science, vol. 19, no. 3, 2021, pp. 184–185., https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2021.1944491. -
S-Matrix
In his book The Analytic S-Matrix, Polkinghorne devises a way to find the probability of behavior for subatomic particles. His view of quantum particles follows a fluid cloud-like state based on probability rather than a conventional and absolute Newtonian system. This also reinforced his theistic worldview.
This is a good video showing quantum field theory -
Quantum Particle Models
Polkinghorne creates a model to track quantum particle movement. He is welcomed into the Royal society for his findings and awarded another doctorate in theoretical elementary particle physics. Turner, Darrell J.. "John Polkinghorne". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Oct. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Polkinghorne. Accessed 7 April 2023. -
Ordination into the Anglican Church
John Polkinghorne retires from researching quantum physics after 25 years, and joins the Anglican priesthood. He would spend the rest of his life connecting science and religion through quantum theory. In this video from 2016, for instance, he asserts that humans interact with the world from the top-down (using ourselves to interact with particles), whereas God would interact with the world from the bottom-up (using particles to interact with us). -
Theology and Anti-Reductionism
Reductionism is the thought process that everything when examined can be reduced into individual parts and nothing more. Anti-reductionism is, in simple terms, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".
Polkinghorne provides an argument for Anti-Reductionism using quantum entanglement and electron behavior in metal.
Polkinghorne, John. “Reductionism.” Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science, 2002, https://doi.org/10.17421/2037-2329-2002-JP-2. Retrieved 7 Apr. 2023.