He was a breakthrough theoretical physicist, and his brilliance piqued the curiosity of others in his ideas about God and the afterlife.
In several interviews and writings, he discussed the existence of a higher power and the possibility of an afterlife.
When asked if he believes in God, Hawking’s reaction was unequivocal. He held that there was no proof of a higher power and that scientific laws could explain the universe.

“Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe,” he said in an interview with El Mundo, a Spanish newspaper. But science now provides a more plausible explanation.”
Hawking’s religious views were not limited to a single faith. He held that all religions were founded on the same foundations of faith and provided no empirical evidence. He is an atheist.
Hawking expanded on his thoughts about the universe’s origins in his book “The Grand Design,” which he co-wrote with Leonard Mlodinow. He claimed that the universe was created by the principles of physics rather than by a divine creator.