Today’s Leader of Faith
Sir, ISSAC NEWTON
Home Call : 31 March 1727
Father of modern Physics, Mathematician, Astronomer, Alchemist, Theologian, Author
Sir. Isaac Newton (1643–1727) was not only a renowned scientist but also a devout believer who spent a significant part of his life studying the Bible. He is widely known for his expertise and groundbreaking contributions to mathematics and physics, particularly the Laws of Motion and Gravity. Being a scientist, many would reason against the mere existence of God and His creation, but Newton always believed in God and devoted much of his life to studying the Bible and Christian theology. His Christian beliefs influenced his work, and he saw scientific discoveries as a way to understand God’s creation. Newton saw the universe as designed by God, with physical laws reflecting divine order. He believed that discovering these laws was an act of worship and a way to understand God’s wisdom. He wrote extensively on Christianity, prophecy, and biblical history. His religious works include, 1. “Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John” (1733) – A detailed study of biblical prophecy, particularly in Daniel and Revelation. 2. “The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended” (1728) – Attempted to align biblical events with historical records. He viewed and argued that Catholic Church as a corrupt institution that had deviated from biblical teachings. He firmly believed in God’s role in creation and saw science as a way to understand divine order.
Newton was born on December 25, 1642, in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. His father died before his birth, and his mother remarried, leaving him in the care of his grandmother. His mother briefly withdrew him to be a farmer, but he returned and became the top student. He studied at King’s School in Grantham before joining Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1661, where he excelled in mathematics and science. During the Great Plague (1665-1667), he returned home, making groundbreaking discoveries in calculus, optics, and gravity. Returning to Cambridge in 1667, he became a fellow of Trinity and, in 1669, succeeded Isaac Barrow as Lucasian Professor. His early life, marked by solitude and deep curiosity, shaped him into one of history’s greatest scientists, with a strong belief that his work revealed God’s divine order in creation.
Newton made significant contributions to optics, developed the first reflecting telescope, and co-developed calculus with Leibniz. He also worked on heat and energy flow formulating empirical law of cooling, fluid mechanics, and early electricity studies. As a mathematician, he generalized the binomial theorem, contributed to numerical methods, and pioneered vector analysis. Newton saw no conflict between science and faith. He believed that studying the natural world was a way to uncover the divine laws set by God. His famous quote reflects this belief, “Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done”. He saw himself as both a scientist and a seeker of divine wisdom, believing that God’s hand was present in the laws of nature. In the 1690s, he wrote extensively on religious topics, focusing on biblical interpretation and theology. His theological writings, though less known than his scientific works, reveal his deep engagement with biblical study, prophecy, and church history.
Newton had been in declining health for some time and suffered from kidney stones. He passed away at the age of 84. He died in Kensington, London, after experiencing severe digestion problems. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, a rare honor for a scientist. His contributions to physics, mathematics, and astronomy left a lasting legacy, and he was widely recognized as one of the greatest minds in history.