Magis Institute is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to public education concerning the complementary relationship among the varied disciplines of physics, philosophy, reason, and faith. It was founded by Jesuit priest and former Gonzaga University president Robert J. Spitzer, SJ. The institute's primary outreaches are the Magis Center of Reason and Faith and the Magis Center for Catholic Spirituality.
History
Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, a Jesuitpriest, philosopher, educator, author, speaker, and retired President of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, joined with Tim Busch to create the Magis Institute. Spitzer is currently the President of the Institute.
The Magis Center for Reason and Faith
Magis Institute originally was created to be only a center for Catholic spirituality. In 2008, Father Spitzer and his associates at Magis considered how they might offer a reasoned, scientific alternative viewpoint to those publicly expressed by "new atheism" writers such as Christopher Hitchins and Richard Dawkins. As a result of these conversations, Father Spitzer began the to provide a framework for the creation and distribution of materials expressing this alternative viewpoint. On 3 September 2010, the Catholic News Agency featured Magis founder Father Spitzer in their response to the announcement of Stephen Hawking's new book touching on the subject of the origins of the universe. Online magazine "The Blaze" also featured a response to Hawking from Father Spitzer: "There are already numerous video responses to Hawking popping up on YouTube. Let’s pick one. Here is former Gonzaga University President Father Robert Spitzer who now heads the Magis Center of Reason and Faith" On 10 September 2010, the institute was prominently mentioned on the CNN program Larry King Live. Father Spitzer appeared as a panelist on the program which featured Dr. Stephen Hawking, Hawking's literary collaborator, Leonard Mlodinow, and author Deepak Chopra in a one-hour prime-time discussion on the need for a transcendent creator of the universe.
Methods
The institute, through Magis Center for Reason and Faith, is using five methods to leverage media to publicize their view of the compatibility of faith and reason:
Books
Father Spitzer has published New Proofs for the Existence of God The books authored by members of the institute will be "affordable and tailored for the average reader within the planned demographic. The institute also helps to promote the books of other writers who share a similar viewpoint, e.g. William Lane Craig, working with a physicist named Simpson, published the Blackwell Commentary on Natural Theology.
Documentary films
The institute hired Martha Cotton, former producer of NBC News and the "Today Show", to make these complex issues more intelligible, with the goal of bringing the discussion to the level of a high school student. The first documentary, "Cosmic Origins", featured Nobel Laureate Arno Penzias, who discovered background radiation from the Big Bang. A Templeton Prize winner, John Polkinghorne, who is also an Anglican priest, is featured as well.
New media
The institute is reaching out via the World Wide Web, and to the blogosphere; it has a popular Facebook page, and also releases frequent videos via YouTube. The institute provides information concerning the long history of scientific research done by members of the clergy over the centuries with a special focus on those who are currently active in their respective fields both on Facebook and its website.
High school curriculum
The institute has planned the release in September 2011 of a curriculum aimed at the high school student, and designed for use in parochial schools and church youth groups..
Catalogued for the Fall of 2011, there is a college course in conjunction with Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas numbered GS298 and titled "Physics and Metaphysics in Dialogue". The course will carry 3 semester credits and will be transferable as elective credit to any regionally accredited institution of higher education. Adult Curricula for group settings or individual study, with less scope and depth than the college course, are also to be released in September 2011.
