  The exact solution of the Hamiltonian constraint in canonical gravity and the
resultant reduction of Einstein's theory reveal the synergy between gravitation
and the intrinsic cosmic clock of our expanding universe. Intrinsic Time
Geometrodynamics advocates a paradigm shift from four covariances to just
spatial diffeomorphism invariance. Consequently, causal time-ordering and
quantum Schrodinger-Heisenberg evolution in cosmic time become meaningful. The
natural addition of a Cotton-York term to the physical Hamiltonian changes the
initial data problem radically. In the classical context, this is studied with
the Lichnerowicz-York equation; quantum mechanically, it lends weight to the
origin of the universe as an exact Chern-Simons Hartle-Hawking state, which
features Euclidean-Lorentzian instanton tunneling. At the level of expectation
values, this quantum state yields a low-entropy hot smooth Robertson-Walker
beginning in accord with Penrose's Weyl Curvature Hypothesis. The Chern-Simons
Hartle-Hawking state also manifests transverse traceless quantum metric
fluctuations, with, at the lowest approximation, scale-invariant two-point
correlations as one of its defining characteristics.
