See Which Bible Passage Actor Eddie Redmayne Read at Atheist Stephen Hawking's Funeral
Actor Eddie Redmayne, who played Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 film "The Theory of Everything," read a poignant Bible passage at the funeral of the renowned physicist and self-proclaimed atheist on Saturday.
Redmayne read from Ecclesiastes 3.1-11 in the Old Testament at the funeral in Cambridge, U.K., which was attended by over 500 guests, The Independent reported.
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh," the passage reads.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"A time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace," it continues.
Redmayne won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his 2014 portrayal of Hawking, who at age 21 was diagnosed with the crippling disease ALS.
The physicist died in March at his home in Cambridge at the age of 76, greatly defying expectations when he was given only two to three years to live at the time of diagnosis.
Hawking mused about the nature of the universe and the possibility of God throughout his career, though in a 2014 interview with NBC stated that he was an atheist.
"Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation. What I meant by 'we would know the mind of God' is, we would know everything that God would know, if there were a God, which there isn't," he said at the time.
Hawking's children, Lucy, Robert and Timothy, explained at the funeral that their father's work influenced a great variety of people, including those with religious convictions.
"Our father lived and worked in Cambridge for over 50 years. He was an integral and highly recognizable part of the university and the city. For this reason, we have decided to hold his funeral in the city that he loved so much and which loved him," a statement from the family read.
"Our father's life and work meant many things to many people, both religious and non-religious. So, the service will be both inclusive and traditional, reflecting the breadth and diversity of his life. We would like to thank Gonville and Caius College, the University of Cambridge and Trinity College, Cambridge for their assistance with our father's funeral service."
Hawking's family also hosted a charity Easter lunch on the day of the physicist's funeral, BBC News reported.
Alex Collis from the FoodCycle charity, which provides meals to the hungry and lonely, thanked the family for the "very kind" gesture.
"They wanted to do something to support people going through a tough time," Collis said.
Westminster Abbey, which serves as the coronation and burial site for British monarchs and other major figures, announced in March that Hawking's ashes will be interred at its site near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton later this year.
"We believe it to be vital that science and religion work together to seek to answer the great questions of the mystery of life and of the universe," said the Very Rev. John Hall, the dean of Westminster.
