Stephen Hawking and God

A posting yesterday (September 3, 2010) on AOL's start page talked about Stephen Hawking's latest musings about God and science. The entire article can be read at: http://news.aol.ca/ca/article/stephen-hawking-god-has-no-role-in-universe/19620062.
The article also has links to other articles and background information.

The first paragraph in the posting sets the tone for the article and says, "Entering the ongoing debate between faith and science, renowned British scientist Stephen Hawking claims that modern physics has now proved that God played no role in the creation of the universe." As I read the rticle I argued at some length with the conclusions of that great mind as I also asked myself who am I to refute his conclusions.

The next morning I came across a letter that I had clipped from USA today some time ago entitled,"Difference in perception". The letter said:
"...I was reminded of the 19th century poet Elizabeth Barret Browning's allusion to the story in Exodus where Moses encounters God in the burning bush. 'Earth's crammed with heaven and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes, the rest sit round it and pick blackberries.'

This sums it up. On one side, some say there is no God. All we have is science. On the other, there is evidence that God exists... this passage say(s) to me: God is"

A scripture that speaks to this dicotomy betwen faith which requires belief and science which requires proof says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 RSV)

Science (and the proofs that it requires) are one thing and theology is another. But science and theology need not compete with each other but could in fact compliment each other and work together for the common good. What is required is acceptance and respect not derision and feeling threatened by the ideas of others.