No One Sees God

Charles and Rosemary Licata Lecture Series

Presented by Michael Novak

In Michael Novak's latest book, No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers, recent writings by atheists Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and others have offered an ideal occasion for Novak to return to his deepest philosophical passion: Providing a reasoned answer to questions and challenges about God. Novak spoke on October 7, 2008, about experiences of suffering and meaninglessness (his own brother was murdered in 1964, in religious riots in Asia), and moved on to a direct, sometimes line-by-line argument with "the new atheists"—not to refute them, but to share their darkness regarding God. In a spirit of comradeship, he discussed steps toward what he has found to be a fuller way to think of suffering, sin, prayer, and trust in God.

Theologian, author, and former U.S. ambassador, Michael Novak currently holds the George Frederick Jewett Chair in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. He is the 1994 recipient of the million-dollar Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. He received a BA in philosophy and English at Stonehill College and a BA in theology from Gregorian University. He continued theological studies at Catholic University and then at Harvard University, where he received an MA in history and the philosophy of religion. Novak has written 26 influential books on the philosophy and theology of culture, especially the essential elements of a free society. His writings have appeared in every major Western language and in Bengali, Korean, and Japanese. His masterpiece, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, was published underground in Poland in 1984, and later in Czechoslovakia, Germany, China, Hungary, Bangladesh, Korea, and Latin America. His latest book, No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers was released in August 2008.

Michael Novak signed his book No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers prior to the lecture.