What Can Mathematics Teach Us About God
By Richard Lewis
In his speech “The Day of All Things” (June 6, 1978), Sun Myung Moon said, “God is a mathematical God.”
If you study religious history, especially the history of restoration, you will notice that certain numbers appear again and again—3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 21, and others. Numbers seem to matter.
In this essay, I will take that idea seriously. I will assume that both God and mathematics exist in an invisible, intangible realm. In that sense, mathematical elements are like the “chemical elements” that make up the physical world. Just as atoms build our bodies, perhaps mathematical truths reflect something about God’s nature.
A Logical Universe
One of the most basic facts about our universe is that it makes sense. It follows logic. Everything from gravity to chemistry works according to clear rules. But could there be a world that is illogical? Philosophers like to debate that question.
For now, let’s focus on math. Mathematical logic begins with the idea of the number 1 and builds from there. Philosophers have written entire books about the meaning of 1 and 0. They may seem simple, but they are surprisingly deep concepts.
If God is truly mathematical, then He cannot ignore logic. Some religious ideas suggest that God can do absolutely anything—even break the laws of nature. But in mathematics, that would make no sense. Three times four equals twelve. It cannot equal thirteen—not even if we really want it to. If God is perfectly mathematical, then He does not break His own laws. Those laws are part of who He is.
What About Infinity?
Theologians often describe God as infinite. But what does math say about infinity? In everyday language, we use “infinite” to mean “very, very big.” But in mathematics, infinity doesn’t just mean large—it means unbounded. It has no end. But, here’s something surprising: infinity does not have to be big in size.
The Number Line
Imagine a number line. It stretches forever in both directions:
… -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 … There is no biggest number. You can always add 1 and get a new number. This is called countable infinity.
Now here is something amazing.
Look at the space between 0 and 1. It seems tiny. But inside that small space are infinitely many fractions: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/100, 1/1,000,000… Even though these numbers get smaller and smaller, there are still infinitely many of them before reaching zero. So, a tiny space can contain infinity. Some Christians believe that Jesus fully contains God. Does that mean there is no God left for anyone else? No. Infinity doesn’t work that way. You can share infinity and still have infinity left.
Infinity Has Strange Properties
If you take all even numbers out of the number line, how many numbers are left?
Still infinitely many (the odd numbers).
You can subtract infinity from infinity—and still have infinity.
If God gives Himself to billions of people, each person can still fully experience God. Infinity does not get used up.
Bigger Infinities
It might seem like all infinities are the same size. But mathematicians discovered that some infinities are actually bigger than others. Between 0 and 1, there are not only fractions like 1/2 or 3/4. There are also irrational numbers like π that cannot be written as simple fractions. The set of all decimal numbers is a bigger infinity than the set of counting numbers. This is called an uncountable infinity. There is even a whole hierarchy of infinities—each one larger than the one before it. Infinity is deeper and more complex than we first imagine.
Mathematics and the Universe
In 1960, Nobel Prize - winning physicist Eugene Wigner wrote an essay called “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences.” He asked a fascinating question: Why does pure mathematics—ideas created in the human mind—describe the physical universe so perfectly? Why does math explain gravity, atoms, motion, and energy?
If the Creator is mathematical, maybe this connection is not surprising at all.
When scientists describe the Big Bang, they mostly use equations. The beginning of the universe is written in mathematics. The rapid expansion of the universe, the forces of physics, and even atomic structure are all described using math. For example, the behavior of electrons in atoms is explained using the Schrödinger equation. Without mathematics, modern science would collapse. All of this suggests that whatever created the universe understands mathematics perfectly.
Special Numbers
Certain numbers appear again and again in nature. For instance, π (pi) appears not only in circles but in surprising places like wave patterns and biological growth. Another important number is e, which appears in growth, probability, and natural processes. One of the most beautiful equations in mathematics combines e, π, and another number called i: e^(πi) = −1
This equation connects five fundamental constants in a simple and elegant way.
The Imaginary Axis
Mathematicians once took the number line and imagined rotating it 90 degrees. This created the imaginary axis and introduced the number i. At first, this seemed abstract and theoretical. But later, complex numbers became essential in physics—especially quantum mechanics. They help describe how particles behave both like waves and like solid objects. As mathematics expanded from one dimension (1D) to two (2D), then four (4D) and higher, it helped scientists describe more complex realities. Perhaps different levels of life require deeper levels of mathematics to fully understand them.
Conclusion
Mathematics shows us that:
The universe is logical.
Infinity is real and more complex than we think.
Some infinities are larger than others.
Tiny spaces can hold endless depth.
The physical universe is written in mathematical language.
If God is mathematical, then studying math is not just solving equations—it may be exploring the structure of creation itself. Mathematics does not limit God. Instead, it reveals a God who is consistent, logical, infinite, and beautifully ordered. And perhaps, just as infinity can never be exhausted, there is always more of God to discover.