Friday, September 3, 2010

Rowan on Hawking


CNN reports ABC Williams reaction to Stephen Hawking's new book. I don't think he has read the book - just reacting to what has been said about it.
Religious leaders in Britain on Friday hit back at claims by leading physicist Stephen Hawking that God had no role in the creation of the universe.
In his new book "The Grand Design," Britain's most famous scientist says that given the existence of gravity, "the universe can and will create itself from nothing," according to an excerpt published in The Times of London.

"Spontaneous creation is the reason why there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist," he wrote.

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper [fuse] and set the universe going."

But the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, told the Times that "physics on its own will not settle the question of why there is something rather than nothing."

He added: "Belief in God is not about plugging a gap in explaining how one thing relates to another within the Universe. It is the belief that there is an intelligent, living agent on whose activity everything ultimately depends for its existence."

Williams' comments were supported by leaders from across the religious spectrum in Britain. Writing in the Times, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said: "Science is about explanation. Religion is about interpretation ... The Bible simply isn't interested in how the Universe came into being."

6 comments:

IT said...

I don't understand why this is such a big deal. Science can rationally explain WHAT happened. Religion is for those who want an explanation of WHY. Not the same thing, so why is everyone in an uproar?

It seems some religious people are very insecure in their faith. If it could happen without God, they seem to think, then there might not be a God. but just because there needn't be a God doesn't mean there isn't, if you have faith. Right?

Seems to me that if there were a God He would be more than capable of letting the universe happen by the laws of physics, and leave himself hidden for the faithful to discover.

Ann said...

Exactly IT

it's margaret said...

If one is moved to think that
'God created all that exists,'
one might realize that God did not create God's self,
and so, God does not exist.... God is other than existance....

God is what we might say is 'nothing' --so spontaneous stuff out of nothing makes perfect sense to me....

Just sayin'.

Counterlight said...

If God ever stuck his head in through the veil of time and space and announced "Yoohoo! I really exist! Here I am!" we should demand to see his credentials or tell him to get lost.

Would a God whose existence could be demonstrated and proven be the real God? I doubt it.

Annoyed to distraction by pious people claiming to have seen the Virgin Mary, St. Filippo Neri finally told one of them to spit at the Blessed Virgin next time he saw her, and to watch the mask fall off of the devil.

Pardon my unregenerate inner existentialist.

Ann said...

Counterlight- Reminds me of the saying in Buddhism - if you meet Buddha on the road, kill him.

Mark said...

Same old crowd; afraid of exposure.