Robert Spitzer (priest)
Fr. Robert J. Spitzer is an American 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.
Early life
Robert J. Spitzer was born in Honolulu, then the United States Territory of Hawaii, on May 16, 1952, the son of Arthur H. Spitzer and Blanche H. Van Oort Spitzer. He went to Punahou School, graduating in 1970 as a member of the National Honor Society.Education
Spitzer received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a focus on public accounting and finance from Gonzaga University in 1974.He earned a master's degree in philosophy from St. Louis University in 1978, a Master of Divinity degree from the Gregorian University in Rome in 1983, a Master of Theology degree in Scripture in 1984 from the Weston School of Theology then located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1988. His dissertation, under Paul Weiss, is entitled A Study of Objectively Real Time.
Academic career
Spitzer began his teaching career at St. Louis University as a teaching assistant in 1978. He continued at Seattle University as an instructor of philosophy from 1978-80. He taught as an assistant professor of philosophy at Georgetown University from 1984–90, where he received the Bunn Medal for Most Outstanding Faculty Member in 1989.He proceeded to Seattle University where he was tenured as an associate professor of philosophy in 1996. During that time he held the Frank Shrontz chair of professional ethics and won the award for outstanding faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences in 1997.
On September 17, 1998, Spitzer was inaugurated as the 25th President of Gonzaga University where he remained until 2009.
After his presidency at Gonzaga University, Spitzer was the Rector of JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Religious career
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.
He completed a book on Christology entitled, God So Loved the World : Clues to Our Transcendent Destiny from the Revelation of Jesus which was published by Ignatius Press in 2016.
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.
Writing and publications
Books- The Spirit of Leadership: Optimizing Creativity and Change in Organizations.
- Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom and the Life Issues.
- Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide for Active People.
- New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy.
- Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues.
- Evidence for God from Contemporary Physics: Extending the Legacy of Monsignor Georges Lemaitre.
- Finding True Happiness: Satisfying Our Restless Hearts.
- The Soul's Upward Yearning: Clues to our Transcendent Nature from Experience and Reason.
- God So Loved the World: Clues to our Transcendent Destiny from the Revelation of Jesus.The Light Shines on in the Darkness: Transforming Suffering through Faith Christ Versus Satan in Our Daily Lives : The Cosmic Struggle Between Good and Evil
- Definitions of Real Time and Ultimate Reality 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 pp 162–186.
- Proofs for the Existence of God Part II: A Cosmological Argument and a Lonerganian Argument pp 305–331.
- Indications of Creation in Contemporary Astrophysics pp. 1–50.
- Indications of Creation in Contemporary Big Bang Cosmology.
- Indications of Supernatural Design in Big Bang Cosmology pp 265–287
- Getting to the Heart of Ethics
- ' with James Sinclair: "Fine-tuning and Indications of Transcendent Intelligence" in Theism and Atheism: Philosophical Arguments in Opposition"
- ' A Contemporary Metaphysical Proof of the Existence of God" in International Philosophical Quarterly, Dec. 2019, pp. 1–50
Father Spitzer has appeared on several national television programs, including Larry King Live, The History Channel, The Today Show, and PBS—Closer to the Light.
He has a weekly nationwide television program on EWTN called "Father Spitzer's Universe." He also produced eleven television series for EWTN since 1998.
Founder of institutes and organizations
Spitzer has founded or co-founded five institutes and organizations since 1987:The Magis Center of Reason and Faith
Upon his retirement from Gonzaga, Spitzer founded the Magis Institute, located at the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, which produces books, articles, documentaries, videos, and new media materials on the complementarity of science, philosophy, and faith—particularly physics, cosmology, philosophy of science, and metaphysics. It also produces high school programs, college programs, and adult education programs on a separate website, Credible Catholic. In 2021, Magis Institute created an additional website, the Purposeful Universe that provides scientific evidence for order in and a purpose behind the universe.As president, Spitzer continues to write, teach, and speak widely on the issues of philosophy of science, metaphysics, theology, and ethics.
On 10 September 2010, Spitzer was a panelist on a full-hour prime-time feature with Stephen Hawking dealing with the relationship of faith and reason on Larry King Live. The program also featured noted author Deepak Chopra and Hawking's co-author, Leonard Mlodinow.