The Universe Has a Horizon: Cosmological Limits and the Theology of Human Knowledge

Modern cosmology has dramatically expanded the reach of human observation while also clarifying that observation has principled limits. Particle horizons, visual horizons, past light cones, and the causal structure of an expanding universe mean that the observable cosmos is not automatically identical with the totality of physical reality. This article asks what theological significance, if any, should be drawn from that fact. It argues that cosmological horizons should neither be recruited as evidence for God nor treated as a scientific version of religious mystery. Their importance for theology is more disciplined and more fruitful: they provide a concrete case in which finite knowers possess genuine knowledge while remaining structurally unable to convert partial access into exhaustive comprehension. Christian theology has long distinguished divine knowledge from creaturely knowledge, affirming both the reality of human understanding and its finitude. Read alongside contemporary cosmology, this distinction supports an epistemology of confident humility: the observable is real, scientific inference beyond direct observation can be rational, and empirical accessibility is not a selfevident criterion for the total extent of reality. The resulting dialogue avoids a 'God of the gaps' argument and instead treats the limits of observation as an occasion to reconsider what it means for human beings to know a creation that exceeds their point of view. Keywords: cosmology; cosmological horizons; theology and science; epistemology; creation; human knowledge; observable universe; Christian theology