Dr. Henry “Fritz” Schaefer, the Graham Perdue professor of Chemistry and the director of the Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at the University of Georgia, gave a presentation Tuesday night about the convergence of science and Christianity.
Schaefer is a five-time Nobel Prize nominee, according to The U.S. News and World Report. He is the sixth most-cited scientist in the world, and he is the author of more than 1,000 scientific publications.
He lectured on the Big Bang Theory, Stephen Hawking and God to a crowd of nearly 800 people at the Seretean Center Concert Hall.
“I hope that this lecture would remove intellectual barriers to faith for Jesus Christ,” Schaefer said.
He said he became a Christian at the age of 28 when he was in his fourth year as a professor at Berkeley. He said he believes you can be both a Christian and a scientist.
He took a look at Stephen Hawking’s book “A Brief History of Time” and the Big Bang Theory from a scientific and philosophical approach. He used Hawking to help prove his point because Hawking has focused his studies on black holes and the beginning of time.
He said that a heavily debated question was whether the universe is finite or infinite.
“Many atheist scientists have had a history of being resistant to the idea of the beginning of the universe,” Schaefer said.
He said 1992 was a big year for science.
George Smoot, a professor at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, developed the Big Bang Ripples Theory and this helped prove the Big Bang Theory to Schaefer.
Schaefer said if the Big Bang Theory is true then there are two things that are concluded: God and the universe are not the same thing, and God is not contained in this universe.
Schaefer told his own personal views on the beginning of time as he talked about what he believed. He mentioned several things specifically.
A creator must exist; he must have awesome power and wisdom; he has a loving nature; he requires justice as he is just; we all fall short of the creator’s standards; God made a way to save us and if we trust in him, our lives are spared.
Daniel Webb, an undeclared sophomore, said he liked the lecture and he felt that Schaefer made some bold points.
“I took a lot out of it, and it became evident to me that creation is just too complicated and complex to explain through science and to happen by fate,” Webb said.
Bart Ramsey, psychology junior, said he didn’t really enjoy the lecture.
“His speech would have been better had he focused more on his degree than his belief on Christianity,” Ramsey said.
Schaefer allowed time for questions at the end of his presentation. He also brought copies of his book, “Science and Christianity, Conflict and Coherence?” The book cost $5, and he was there to sign books that audience members brought to him.
There are three more chances to hear Schaefer speak today.
He will give a speech at a luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. titled “Finding God at Berkeley.”
He will give two lectures at the Student Union Theater, one titled “Quantum Mechanics, Postmodernism and God,” from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the other at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. titled “Scientists and Their Gods.”
Photo Illustration by Sean Mathews/O’Collegian Henry F. Schaefer III speaks Tuesday night to a full audience in the Seretean Center Concert Hall. Schaefer, who has a Ph.D. in chemical physics and has been nominated for the Nobel Prize five times, spoke on the big bang theory and God’s relation to it.
Fascinating reading. Reconciling the two apparently opposing viewpoints isn't that difficult.
uh-huh
He will give a speech at a luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. titled “Finding God at Berkeley.”
uh-huh