An Excerpt From a Department of Tactical Theology Introductory Lesson

"…Okay, essentially, the concept of Akiva Radiation isn't really like a radiation at all, but the name stuck because it initially was observed as an emitted particle and that's what they decided to call it.

"Akiva Radiation is actually two parts: a vector field and a kind of particle. The field is known as the 'Akiva Field', while the particles are just 'Akiva'.

"The field is continuous across reality, but is generally 'straight' in most of the uninhabited universe, even across singularity points like black holes. However, on Earth (or in places where there is life), the Akiva field tends to become 'tangled', primarily due to the actions taken by both 1. the life present, and 2. deities intervening or being formed by said life.

"Akiva particles represent units of divinity. Unlike matter and energy, which are incapable of being destroyed, Akiva particles can become existent and non-existent through various means. The most famous example of a way that an Akiva particle can become non-existent is SCP-001-SPK, which is the only known location without an Akiva field (I'll explain Akiva particle/field interaction in a bit), but there are also other ways such as divine entity consuming them. Akiva particles are created via worship, artifacts with divine significance, or entities formed by 'divine intervention'.

"Akiva particles exist due to the field, and the field is capable of being bent by the particles. Particles in the field will tend to flow outwards for a specific amount of time, but with eventually lose their 'velocity' and follow the vector field. In some cases, this means the divinity eventually leaves Earth and goes into space, but in many cases, it flows around Earth chaotically, or rarely ends up in an 'Akiva sink' like the Western Wall when enough Akiva particles are sent towards a specific point.

"Divine entities are to Akiva Radiation what reality benders are to Humes. Divine entities are created out of the shared religious beliefs of people (or rarely the very fanatic devotion of a small group of people). The exact way this process happens is unclear since it's never been directly observed — additionally, it's unclear how the particles are attracted/form into deities that are identical to the beliefs. Nonetheless, it is certain that sapience has some direct interaction with the Akiva field that hasn't been ascertained.

"Divine entity's strength are directly proportional to the strength of the believers and the number of believers. An divine being can be a physical entity at the weakest level (which is the case for most 'divine beings', though some remain in that form even if they become stronger), an embodiment of a concept (which becomes the Essophysic Department's problem), a omnipotence (such as the entity that claims to be the Abrahamic god), or another similar force. These entities require belief to remain divine; otherwise, they either revert to their prior state, or they cease to exist.

"The Department of Tactical Theology's official stance of determining the validity of a divine entity is: 'It isn't a real god if it can be killed.'"


The following excerpts were taken from the following question and answer session:

Do Akiva Sinks ever dissipate?

"Akiva sinks dissipate after losing enough followers. Akiva sinks are sinks because of the immense directional force exerted by the followers. They don't have a natural 'gravity' to them, but Akiva in the area is much more likely to flow there thanks to the bent Akiva Field the followers exert. For instance, because Jews pray towards the Western Wall, the Akiva Field is very strongly pointing towards that specific location within Israel. If all Jews stopped praying to the Western Wall, it would lose its 'Akiva Sink' status.

"However, since those locations have so much Akiva within them, they become divine, in a sense. Not as a god, but more of a place of sanctity, where deific abilities are amplified."