Robert J. Spitzer SJ (born May 16, 1952) is a Jesuit priest, philosopher, educator, author, speaker, and retired President of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
Spitzer is founder and currently active as president of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith, a non-profit organization...
Robert J. Spitzer SJ (born May 16, 1952) is a Jesuit priest, philosopher, educator, author, speaker, and retired President of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
Spitzer is founder and currently active as president of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing educational materials on the complementarity of science, philosophy, and faith. He is also president of the Spitzer Center of Ethical Leadership, dedicated to helping Catholic and for-profit organizations develop leadership, constructive cultures, and virtue ethics.
Spitzer entered the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus in August 1974. He took his first religious vows in August 1976. He was ordained a priest in June 1983, and professed the fourth vow particular to the Society in April 1994. His theological interests focus on two areas: fundamental theology and New Testament scripture studies. He is the co-director of the Institute on Faith and Reason at Gonzaga University.
Spitzer's interests in New Testament scripture studies focus on Christology, his thesis at the Gregorian University in Rome was entitled, The Influence of Sophia Speculation on Early Christological Hymns. His thesis at the Weston School in Cambridge, for which he won the American Bible Society award, is entitled, The Depth Grammar of "Pneuma" and "En Christo" in I Cor: 12.
Spitzer has served the Church in a variety of different capacities: as an advisor to the Theological Committee of the Washington State Catholic Conference between 1994-98 as spiritual director to contemplative religious communities, as advisor to lay religious groups, and as a lecturer in Catholic Higher Education, fundamental theology, Christology, ecclesiology and spirituality. He has also been a featured guest and series host on the Eternal Word Television Network.
Spitzer belongs to several Catholic professional associations: the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, the Jesuit Philosophical Association, and the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.
Books:
The Spirit of Leadership: Optimizing Creativity and Change in Organizations (Provo, Utah: Executive Excellence Publishers, June 2000).
Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom and the Life Issues (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2000).
Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide for Active People (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2008).
New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010).
Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011).
Evidence for God from Contemporary Physics: Extending the Legacy of Monsignor Georges Lemaitre (South Bend, IN: St. Augustine’s Press, 2015).
Finding True Happiness: Satisfying Our Restless Hearts (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015).
The Soul's Upward Yearning: Clues to our Transcendent Nature from Experience and Reason (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015).
God So Loved the World: Clues to our Transcendent Destiny from the Revelation of Jesus (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2016).
'The Light Shines on in the Darkness: Transforming Suffering through Faith (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2017)
Articles:
Definitions of Real Time and Ultimate Reality (Journal of Ultimate Reality and Meaning, Vol 23:3, Sept 2000) pp 260–276, for which he received the section editors’ award for the best article between 1999–2001
Proofs for the Existence of God Part I: A Metaphysical Argument (International Philosophical Quarterly, Vol 41:2, June 2001) pp 162–186.
Proofs for the Existence of God Part II: A Cosmological Argument and a Lonerganian Argument (International Philosophical Quarterly, Vol 41:3, Sept 2001) pp 305–331.
Indications of Creation in Contemporary Astrophysics (Journal of Ultimate Reality and Meaning, Vol 24:3, Sept 2001) pp. 1–50.
Indications of Creation in Contemporary Big Bang Cosmology. (Philosophy in Science, Vol 10, 2003, pp 35–106.)
Indications of Supernatural Design in Big Bang Cosmology (Journal of Ultimate Reality and Meaning, Vol 27:4, December 2004) pp 265–287
Getting to the Heart of Ethics (Journal of Business and Professional Ethics, Vol 25:1, Spring 2006)
' with James Sinclair: "Fine-tuning and Indications of Transcendent Intelligence" in Theism and Atheism: Philosophical Arguments in Opposition" (New York: Macmillan Reference, 2019)
' A Contemporary Metaphysical Proof of the Existence of God" in International Philosophical Quarterly, Dec. 2019, pp. 1–50
He has published other articles in a variety of journals and collections concerned with leadership, metaphysics, ethics, ontology of physics, and higher education.
Father Spitzer has appeared on several national television programs, including Larry King Live (discussing creation and the universe with Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow, and Deepak Chopra), The History Chanel (discussing creation and the universe), The Today Show (discussing euthanasia), and PBS—Closer to the Light (discussing God and creation).
He has a weekly nationwide television program on EWTN called "Father Spitzer's Universe." He also produced eleven television series for EWTN since 1998.
