William R. Stoeger SJ[1] (October 5, 1943 – March 24, 2014) was an American astronomer and theologian.

Biography

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William Stoeger was born on October 5, 1943, at Torrance Memorial Hospital in Torrance, California.[2] His father was named Richard Q. Stoeger. Stoeger and his brother, John D. were ordained together. William went to high school at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California and received a bachelor's degree in philosophy at Spring Hill College in Mobile Alabama and a master's in physics at UCLA.

Before studying at Cambridge, he studied theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley.[3] He was a staff scientist for the Vatican Observatory Research Group Vatican Observatory[2] in Tucson, specializing in theoretical cosmology, high-energy astrophysics, and interdisciplinary studies relating to science, philosophy and theology. Fr. Stoeger was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1972, and earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics in 1976 at Cambridge University, where he was a student of the Astronomer Royal, Baron Martin Rees, and a classmate of Stephen Hawking. He worked on staff at the Vatican Observatory in Tucson from 1979 until his death on March 24, 2014.[4]

Selected works

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Russell, Robert John (2014), "Robert John Russell (2014) William R. Stoeger, SJ (1943–2014): Physicist, Cosmologist, Friend, and Leader in Theology and Science", Theology and Science, 12 (4): 293–295, doi:10.1080/14746700.2014.954392
  2. ^ a b William R. Stoeger, S.J., Vatican Observatory, archived from the original on 2014-05-08
  3. ^ Two Brothers Enter Jesuit Priesthood, Independent Press-Telegram (Long Breach, California) June 24, 1972, page 10, accessed April 24, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10507702/
  4. ^ Peter Hess, "An Astronomer for God: William R. Stoeger (1943-2014)", National Center for Science Education, May 6, 2014, http://ncse.com/blog/2014/05/god-astronomy-appreciation-william-r-stoeger-0015569
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