Hawking's New Book Does Not Dismiss The Real God From Creation, Jesuit Scholars Say

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7-September-2010 – Catholic News Agency Share |

Hawking’s New Book Does Not Dismiss The Real God From Creation, Jesuit Scholars Say
ROME, ITALY, September 3 (CNA/EWTN News) - Dr. Stephen Hawking’s new book, “The Grand Design,” makes the bold claim that the universe “created itself from nothing” based on physical laws such as gravity, making God unnecessary for a self-created and self-unfolding model of the universe. However, two Catholic scholars trained in physics say his remarks misconstrue the real relationship between God and creation.

A Jesuit priest and scholar, former president of Gongaza University Fr. Robert Spitzer, says that Hawking’s dismissal of God in favor of physics reflects fundamental confusions about the Christian concept of God, as the creator of all that exists-- both the physical universe, and the laws of physics which apply to it.

When this is understood, Fr. Spitzer said, Hawking’s basic confusion becomes clear. Although Hawking talks about the universe “creating itself from nothing,” he is presupposing that this “nothing” somehow involved gravity and other fundamental laws of physics, Fr. Spitzer explained.

ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=105368
 
This is why I love Jesuits. Scholars as well as faith warriors.
 
It is for just the same reason that it is impossible to reach zero by successively halving a line that scientists will never prove nor disprove God created the universe. The more scientists like Hawking “know” the less they understand.
 
Bob_Aliano said:
It is for just the same reason that it is impossible to reach zero by successively halving a line that scientists will never prove nor disprove God created the universe. The more scientists like Hawking “know” the less they understand.
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👍👍👍
 
I personally think he’s losing it.He offers no proof for his "theory"It’s like musing out loud that the media gobbles up.He is a sacred cow and if he wasn’t such a pathetic and tragic looking figure he would not get 1% of the attention he gets.

Good thing his mama didn’t have an amniothentis test and aborted him.Today she probably would as they’re murdering babies in the womb with cleft palates.
 
I’m a a bit confsed on the issue. how can gravity exist if there IS nothing? shouldn’t there be some kind of matter that exists for there to be gravity?
 
ZhaneAugustine said:
I’m a a bit confsed on the issue. how can gravity exist if there IS nothing? shouldn’t there be some kind of matter that exists for there to be gravity?
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According to Stephen it JUST DOES.Have a little faith man.According to him the laws of physics were in place before anything was created out of nothing.This existance of the law of physics existing before matter is perplexing until maybe you substitute God the Creator with the laws of Physics.Which he simply willed into existance.
 
Science can never answer the question of why there is something rather than nothing. Hawkings can say that once everything is in place that God is unnecessary yet he can’t ever say why anything is in place to begin with. That’s not a knock on science, its just recognizing the limits of science.
Either the atheistic existentialists are right and its simply absurd that something rather than nothing exists, no more no less. Or religion is right and something exists rather than nothing because of love.
Science must take a back seat of philosophy/religion on this one.
 
Sorry, I don’t know how to link the following. I received it in an e-mail.

**Larry King to host Robert Spitzer and Stephen Hawking
**

Leading authority on metaphysics to respond to Hawking’s creation theory on CNN Friday night IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 9 – It’s on! The Larry King stage is set for what may shape up to be one of the most provocative discussions on the need for a Creator in physics. Stephen Hawking’s latest controversial work The Grand Design – “no God required” – has drawn vigorous retort from the religious community. One prominent philosopher and metaphysical expert, Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., made a strong rebuttal to Hawking’s claim.** On Friday, September 10, King will host both Hawking and Spitzer as they defend their opposing viewpoints.
**
Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., President of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith, immediate past president of Gonzaga University and author of the recently published New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy quickly responded to Hawking with a reply entitled “The Curious Metaphysics of Dr. Stephen Hawking.” An expert in metaphysics and the ontology of physics, Spitzer has published extensively on the relationship of these two disciplines and the philosophy of God. Spitzer is currently producing a documentary on God and Modern Physics which is scheduled for completion in November. It features eight esteemed physicists who present an astrophysical response to atheism. An accomplished academic in his own right, Spitzer holds four advanced degrees: Ph.D. Philosophy, CUA, Th.M.; Weston School, Cambridge; M.Div. Gregorian University, Rome; M.A., Philosophy St. Louis University.

Hawking is a theoretical physicist who gained widespread attention from his book A Brief History of Time, along with several subsequent works, including his latest and hotly debated The Grand Design. In the recent book, Hawking argues against the need for a creator or God. Hawking’s assertion has sparked widespread dismay and represents a disconnect from his earlier works which were open to the possibility of a creator. In 2005, Hawking published *God Created *the Integers: The Mathematical Breakthroughs that Changed History. Hawking recently retired from his post as a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge, a position he held for 30 years.

Be sure to watch the grand discussion on Grand Design, scheduled to air on CNN’s Larry King Show, Friday at 9pm EDT. Updates will be announced as they are made available. To learn more, visit magisreasonfaith.org.
 
MarianD said:
This is why I love Jesuits. Scholars as well as faith warriors.
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Thumbs up on that one! I have four years of a Jesuit high school (Regis, in NYC) and four years at a Jesuit university (Fordham, in The Bronx, NY). I don’t think they come any finer as teachers and scholars than the Jebbies. :).
 
Soutane said:
According to Stephen it JUST DOES.Have a little faith man.According to him the laws of physics were in place before anything was created out of nothing.This existance of the law of physics existing before matter is perplexing until maybe you substitute God the Creator with the laws of Physics.Which he simply willed into existance.
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Oh I have faith all right but reason too. If the laws of physics were around before anything else I can deal, but I’ll say this much, God had to enter into the equation to bring some form ofmatter into being for gravity to kick in
 
ZhaneAugustine said:
Oh I have faith all right but reason too. If the laws of physics were around before anything else I can deal, but I’ll say this much, God had to enter into the equation to bring some form ofmatter into being for gravity to kick in
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Which is exactly what I said.
 
Soutane said:
No I have not…
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No one who hasn’t read the book knows what Hawking actually said let alone whether not he provides proof. I’m skeptical of the media reports. They don’t provide the quote in context or in completion and the way they’re spinning the quote that was plucked simply doesn’t sound like something Hawking would say or mean. It’s more likely that his conclusions are either being misrepresented or misunderstood. The unfortunate truth is that a lot is lost in translation when dumbing down quantum mechanics to something the average joe can understand.
 
EmperorNapoleon said:
No one who hasn’t read the book knows what Hawking actually said let alone whether not he provides proof. I’m skeptical of the media reports. They don’t provide the quote in context or in completion and the way they’re spinning the quote that was plucked simply doesn’t sound like something Hawking would say or mean. It’s more likely that his conclusions are either being misrepresented or misunderstood. The unfortunate truth is that a lot is lost in translation when dumbing down quantum mechanics to something the average joe can understand.
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Gee thanks for explaining it to a moron like me.Have YOU read the book?From what I can glean of your post it appears you have not either but you’re bold enough to come to conclusions or should I say THEORIES about what he may have meant?I’ve read Hawking’s other books and he contradicts himself.I have read the Jesuitical analysis though,have you?
 
Soutane said:
Gee thanks for explaining it to a moron like me.Have YOU read the book?From what I can glean of your post it appears you have not either but you’re bold enough to come to conclusions or should I say THEORIES about what he may have meant?
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I haven’t read the book yet but I probably will. I can come to reasonable conclusions regarding what Hawking meant by that limited statement plucked by the media based on his other writings and statements. He is not an atheist; never has been and he has never postulated that a God does not exist. He is most likely arguing that the metaphysical speculation that there would be an impossibly infinite chain of causation without a God has been successfully refuted by M-theory but he would not argue that this completely refutes the existence of a God.
Soutane said:
I’ve read Hawking’s other books and he contradicts himself.
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Examples?
 
Soutane said:
7-September-2010 – Catholic News Agency Share |

Hawking’s New Book Does Not Dismiss The Real God From Creation, Jesuit Scholars Say
ROME, ITALY, September 3 (CNA/EWTN News) - Dr. Stephen Hawking’s new book, “The Grand Design,” makes the bold claim that the universe “created itself from nothing” based on physical laws such as gravity, making God unnecessary for a self-created and self-unfolding model of the universe. However, two Catholic scholars trained in physics say his remarks misconstrue the real relationship between God and creation.

A Jesuit priest and scholar, former president of Gongaza University Fr. Robert Spitzer, says that Hawking’s dismissal of God in favor of physics reflects fundamental confusions about the Christian concept of God, as the creator of all that exists-- both the physical universe, and the laws of physics which apply to it.

When this is understood, Fr. Spitzer said, Hawking’s basic confusion becomes clear. Although Hawking talks about the universe “creating itself from nothing,” he is presupposing that this “nothing” somehow involved gravity and other fundamental laws of physics, Fr. Spitzer explained.

ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=105368
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I asked myself the same implicit question: Did gravity create itself out of nothing by some prior law so that the universe could do likewise? Honestly, common sense tells me that a blind mindless force cannot be responsible for its own existence, and that includes physical entities described as closed systems.
 
EmperorNapoleon said:
I haven’t read the book yet but I probably will. I can come to reasonable conclusions regarding what Hawking meant by that limited statement plucked by the media based on his other writings and statements. He is not an atheist; never has been and he has never postulated that a God does not exist. He is most likely arguing** that the metaphysical speculation that there would be an impossibly infinite chain of causation without a God has been successfully refuted by M-theory** but he would not argue that this completely refutes the existence of a God.
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A theory cannot successfully refute any other theory or belief as long as it remains just that - a theory. 😉
 
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