Stephen Hawking’s recent comment that the universe does not need a creator God–because it can spontaneously create itself–has prompted lively debate on the web, and also this intelligent response from Robert Spitzer, S.J.   Fr. Spitzer, a Jesuit priest and the former president of Gonzaga University, also has a Ph.D. in philosophy, and is an energetic and articulate Catholic apologist.  My general question for Professor Hawking would be: Can something come from nothing?  This flies in the face not simply of natural law but simple logic.  Anyway, here is Fr. Spitzer on the creation of the universe.

 

The Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author, editor at large at America and founder of Outreach.