Stanley Jaki was born on 17 August 1924 in Gyor, Hungary. A Benedictine priest, he greatly contributed to the philosophy and history of science and their relationship to Christianity. Ordained in 1948, he taught systematic theology at St Vincent College and began a doctorate in physics at Fordham University in 1954. In 1958, he researched at Stanford and UC Berkeley. Visiting Fellow at Princeton in 1960, he joined Seton Hall University in 1965, becoming Distinguished University Professor in 1975. He retired as Visiting Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary in the 1980s.
A recipient of honorary degrees from Central Michigan University, Steubenville University, St Anselm’s College, and Marquette University, he was awarded the Templeton Prize in 1987. Jaki was named one of five Catholic scientists who ‘shaped our understanding of the world’ by Aleteia. Notable works include The Relevance of Physics (1970), The Origin of Science and the Science of Its Origin (1977), Cosmos and Creator (1980), Lord Gifford and His Lectures: A Centenary Retrospect (1986), Catholic Essays (1990), and Praying the Psalms: A Commentary (2001).
