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Isaac E. Wagner

RELC 491, Fall 2000

Professor Steven Jones INTRODUCTION

Sir Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientific minds to ever live. His formulations and theories are the basis for much of our modern science. Before the age of thirty, he had done experiments with optics and refraction, and formulated theories of light and color. He also formed theories of gravitation which extended the work of Kepler. In describing these planetary motions he invented a new mathematical system - Calculus. Every student of the sciences, in some way or other, is taught something of Newton's theories. With the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton so widely taught, it's something of an enigma as to why so few learn anything of the man himself. Who was Isaac Newton, and what compelled him to such profound discoveries? Many scholars have written and proposed theories about Newton and his motivations, however, for the subject at hand it is best to let Newton speak for himself. Hence, wherever possible, direct quotations will be used.

Isaac Newton first came into this world, according to the calendar of the day, on Christmas Day 1642. He was born prematurely, to Hannah Newton, in a humble home in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. Newton never knew his father for he had died three months prior to the birth. When Newton was about three, his mother remarried and moved to a neighboring village, leaving young Isaac in the care of his grandmother. He remained under her care until he was about eleven, when the now Hannah Smith's husband died and she moved back to Woolsthorpe. Despite this separation Newton's mother was a central figure in his life. She is described as a "woman of so extraordinary an understanding & virtue that those who . . . think that a soul like Sir Isaac Newton's could be formed by any thing less than the immediate operation of a Divine Creator might be apt to ascribe to her many of those extraordinary qualities with which it was endowed" (qtd. in Manuel, Portrait 25).

In 1662, at the age of nineteen, Isaac Newton left home and went to Trinity College at Cambridge University. In 1665 he received a Bachelor of Arts. In 1669 he went on to receive his Master of Arts. Also, in that same year, he became the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics. With the outbreak of the plague in 1665 Cambridge University was closed and Newton returned home. It's interesting to note that Newton's most significant breakthroughs came during approximately this same time period, between the years of 1664 and 1666. A mind such as Newton's, without the pressures of school, was free to roam the universe and discover the laws with which it operates.

Over the course of Newton's eighty-four years he wrote many scientific papers, however, it is little known that the bulk of his writings dealt not with scientific subject matter, but with religious topics. When his writings were auctioned off at Sotheby's, the lots dealing with chronology comprised 200,000 words, while the ones dealing with religion contained over a million words (Yeates 4). Of his insatiable thirst for knowledge Newton said, "that a little knowledge leads away from God, but much knowledge leads toward Him" (Yeates 13-14). From his writings, it's apparent that Newton attributed much of his knowledge to inspiration from God. For example, on one occasion he was asked how he made his discoveries, he replied , "I keep the subject constantly before me, and wait till the fist dawnings open slowly by little and little and into the full and clear light." He also said that truth was "the offspring of silence and unbroken meditation" (Manuel, Portrait 86).

In considering Newton's religious ideas and writings, it is best broken into three categories: His beliefs on everyday religion, the Trinity, and the Apostasy.

RELIGION IN NEWTON'S LIFE

It is evident that religious thought was a part of Newton's life from the beginning. As he grew, it became an ever increasing passion of his to learn about God and His ways. These theological undercurrents in Newton instilled a sense of deep responsibility to God. An early example of this is seen in the year that Newton went to Cambridge. Sometime in 1662, Newton recorded 58 sins that he felt he had committed. It seems he felt deeply troubled about violating the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." He wrote that he had been guilty of "setting my heart on money learning pleasure more than Thee," and "Caring for worldly things more than God." He continues with a long list of offenses which he considered directly against God: "Not turning nearer to Thee for my afflictions. Not living according to my belief. Not loving Thee for Thy self. Not loving Thee for Thy goodness to us. Not desiring Thy ordinances. Not long [longing?] for thee. . . . Not fearing Thee so as not to offend Thee. Fearing man above Thee." Newton also carefully recounted every sin that he had committed on the Sabbath: "Eating an apple at They house; Making a feather while one [on] Thy day; Making a mousetrap on Thy day; Contriving of the chimes on Thy day; Squirting water on Thy day; Twisting a cord on Sunday morning; Putting a pin in John Keys hat on Thy day to pick him." Further, "Missing chapel." "Carelessly hearing and committing many sermons." "Negligence at the chapel; Sermons at Saint Marys 4; Neglecting to pray 3."

The sense of responsibility that Newton felt toward God, also extended towards his fellow man. Some of the sins in this category are, "Stealing cherry cobs from Eduard Storer; Denying that I did so; Robbing my mothers box of plums and sugar." "Striking many; Punching my sister." "Having uncleane thoughts words and actions and dreamese." "Refusing to go to the closet at my mothers command." "Using Wilford's towel to spare my owne." (Manuel, Portrait 61-64)

It should be apparent that Newton considered the commandments of upmost import in his life, yet being human he would often slip and make mistakes again. One striking glimpse of his understanding of the gospel and the covenant obligation he was under is seen in one simple phrase recorded in his list of sins: "A breaking again of my covenant renued in the Lords Supper." He felt bad for making the same mistakes over and over, especially after repenting and taking the Lords Supper.

It should be no surprise that this responsibility Newton felt towards God came from his voracious appetite for the scriptures. Newton read the scriptures throughout his life, though more so in his later years. Much of the first thirty years of his life had been devoted mainly to scientific study, however in about 1673 he started a theological study that lasted for about a decade. In his studies he carefully read the Bible, and made extensive study of early Christian writings. During these years he became so absorbed that he tried, as much as possible, to make himself unavailable to the scientific community (Yeates 59-60). Like everything in Newton's life, he was an original thinker and arrived at his doctrinal beliefs by careful study of these materials. He wasn't content to merely accept the dogma of the day.

As can be imagined, Newton formed some strong opinions about regular scripture study. He said, "Search the scriptures thy self & that by frequent [reading] & constant meditation upon what thou readest & earnest prayer to God to enlighten thine understanding if thou desirest to find the truth." He continues, "Which if thou shalt at length attain thou wilt value above all other treasures in the world by reason of the assurance & vigour it will add to they faith, & steady satisfaction to thy mind which he only can know how to estimate who shall experience it " (Yeates 72). It would seem that Newton had experienced this great joy and satisfaction for himself.

One of the problems held by many modern scholars is the supposed conflict between science and religion. Newton felt strongly that religion and science go hand in hand, and indeed help each other. In 1687, Newton published The Principia, in which he details his understanding of the natural laws of the universe. Regarding this publication he said, "when I wrote my Treatise about our System, I had an Eye upon such Principles as might work with considering Men, for the belief of a Deity, and nothing can rejoice me more than to find it useful for that purpose" (Yeates 70). On another occasion he wrote that "this most beautiful system of the sun, and planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. And if the fixed stars are the centres of other like systems, these being formed by the like wise counsel, must be all subject to the dominion of one" (69-70.).

In all his studies, Newton felt that they drew him closer to God. He felt very strongly that it was not only acceptable to be religious and scientific, but it was essential. He said:

Let no man upon a weak conceit of sobriety of an ill-applied moderation think or maintain, that a man can search too far, or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's works, divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavor an endless progress of proficiency in both; only let men beware that they apply both to charity, and not to swelling; to use, and not the ostentation; and again, that they do not unwisely mingle or confound these learnings together. (Manuel, Religion 30)

In his exhortations to study the scriptures, Newton used the ancient Jews as an example. The Jewish people were supposed to be God's chosen, who knew His word so they would know Christ when He came. Newton said, "The benefit which may accrue by understanding the sacred Prophesies & the danger by neglecting them is very great & that the obligation to study them is as great may appear by considering the like case of the Jews at the coming of Christ. . . . For the rules whereby they were to know their Messiah were the prophecies of the Old Testament" (Yeates 70-71). It was Newton's belief that scripture study was essential to know and recognize the Messiah for who he is. He felt that the Jews mistook the prophecies of the Savior's second coming for his first because the prophesies of the Second Coming are much clearer.

[The Jews] were not aware of the manner of his two comings; they understood the description of his second coming, & only were mistaken in applying that to the time of his first coming. . . . Consider therefore, if the description of his second coming was so much more plain & perspicuous than that of the first, if they Jews who could not so much as perceive any thing of the first could yet understand the second, how shall we escape who understand nothing of the second but have turned the whole of it into Allegories.

Of course there have been, and are, many who study the scriptures and feel they have found the grace of God. Newton's feelings on this can be readily seen from his lamentation, "where are the men that do never yield to anger nor seek revenge, nor disobey governours, not censure & speak evil of them, not cheat, nor lye, nor swear, nor use God's name idly in their common talk, nor are proud nor ambitious nor covetous, or unchaste, nor drink immoderately?" Continuing, "Where are they that live like primitive Christians, that love God with all their hearts & with all their souls & with all their might, & their neighbor as their selves; & that in what they do are not rather led by fashions & principles of Gentility than religion?" Or, to simply sum it up, "as is their faith so is their practice" (Yeates 47-48). Such was the faith of Newton.

NEWTON AND THE TRINITY

That Newton was a man of great faith should be apparent by now. Where did it lead him? Perhaps most importantly, how did he view Christ and His relationship to God?

During Newton's day, it was common for Englishmen to despise the Catholic Church. They felt that the Catholic's had proven themselves in recent history to be of the devil. Things had in fact gone to the point where anyone not believing in the Church of England was branded a heretic. Isaac Newton himself held no small disrespect for the Catholic Church, however, he also viewed the Anglican Church with some contempt. His views were not widely known, which is just as well, because with the feelings of the day he may well have lost his life.

One of the major complaints that Newton had was over the Trinity. The doctrine of the trinity, or concept of three beings in one, being everywhere yet nowhere, was something that he found utterly incongruent. Newton was a man of much learning and had spent a considerable amount of time in theological study, as such he had formed his own opinions as to the nature of God and His Son. During his studies he found that this doctrine of the Triune God was a result of the Nicene Council, and was the deliberate twisting of scripture.

The Nicene Council of 325 A.D. was attended by more than 300 bishops. Within this council was discussed the nature of God and what sort of being He was. Two of the major doctrinal players in the council were Arius and Athanasius, each with different views of the nature of God. Arius believed that God and Christ were separate beings, and that Christ was created by the Father out of nothing. Athanasius, on the other hand, maintained that God and Christ were one substance and being. Athanasius won out and Arius' views were officially condemned in the council. Thus the Nicene Creed was born:

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us by Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day He rose again according to the scriptures, And ascended into Heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.

Newton has been placed by different scholars into various religious groups. Some suggest that he was Arian, though he has also been classed as Unitarian and Trinitarian. The Unitarian belief is that God only is divine and that Christ is a subordinate to the Father, and has no divinity of himself. The reasoning is that Newton felt that Christ was merely a prophet. Newton is most often classed as Arian because of the common belief that Arius and Newton held - that the Father and Son are distinct beings. However, Newton himself censured both Arius and Athanasius for corupting scripture. He says:

Both of them perplexed the Church with metaphysical opinions and expressed their opinions in novel language not warranted by scripture. . . . The Homousians made the father and son one god by metaphysical unity the unity of substance: the Greek Churches rejected all metaphysical divinity as well that of Arius as that of the Homousians and made the father and son one god by a Monarchical unity, an unity of Dominion, the Son receiving all things from the father, being subject to him, executing his will, sitting in his throne and calling him his God, and so is but one God with the Father as a king and his viceroy are but one king. . . . And therefore as a father and his son cannot be called one King upon account of their being consubstantial but may be called one King by unity of dominion if the Son be Viceroy under the father: so God and his son cannot be called one God upon account of their being consubstantial. (Manual, Historian 58)

Of particular interest is this last point Newton made, which he reiterated on another occasion: "Nothing can make two persons one God but unity of dominion. And if the Father and the Son be united in dominion, the son being subordinate to the father and sitting in his throne, they can no more be called two Gods then a King and his viceroy can be called two kings" (Manuel, Historian, 59-60). He felt very strongly that Christ and God were two distinct beings, and that Christ had a separate body. As a "proof" of this he says, "His... being handled by Thomas is a proof that he had a body after his resurrection. Not the body of an Angel which hath not flesh and bones but a body which by the power of his will he could form into the consistency and solidity of flesh and bones as well before his incarnation and after his resurrection" (60).

Though perhaps he did not have a complete understanding, Newton understood that Christ had a body and was not merely an etherial being. He felt that God the Father was supreme ruler, but that Christ was His Divine Son and ruled with his Father. Newton wrote extensively about this in connection to the great apostasy, as will be shown. He said, "For there is but one God so there is but one Mediator between God and man; the man Christ Jesus" (Manuel, Historian 60).

A biographer summarizes:

"Newton also wrote on Judaeo-Christian prophecy, whose decipherment was essential, he thought, to the understanding of God. His book on the subject... represented lifelong study. Its message was that Christianity went astray in the 4^th century AD, when the first Council of Nicaea propounded erroneous doctrines of the nature of Christ. The full extent of Newton's unorthodoxy was recognized only in the present century [1900's]; but although a critic of accepted Trinitarian dogmas and the Council of Nicaea, he possessed a deep religious sense, venerated the Bible and accepted its account of creation. In late editions of his scientific works he expressed a strong sense of God's providential role in nature." www.math.ou.edu/~amiller/1823/misc/newton.htm

One final point, some have tried to say that Newton supported the Anglican Church, reasoning that he was staunchly against the Catholic Church and therefore must be pro-Anglican. A story often cited regards a Catholic Monk who tried to get Cambridge University to grant him a Masters degree. King James II pressed the school to allow it, but finally the University's vice-chancellor, along with Isaac Newton appeared before the High Court and got the King to back down. As it has been shown, however, Newton held no respect for the Trinitarian Doctrine and accordingly cannot be classed as an Anglican.

A biographer reports Newton's refusal to be ordained into the Church of England:

"Newton, by his constant refusal to be ordained, risked losing his Fellowship at Trinity [College], and would have lost it had not Charles II been induced by the Royal Society to issue letters patent in 1675, saying that the holder of the Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics could hold a college Fellowship even if he did not take holy orders, notwithstanding any college statute to the contrary." Sir Isaac Newton Theological Manuscripts, p. 13.

APOSTASY AND THE APOCALYPSE

During Newton's intense study of theology, he devoured John's Book of Revelation. He felt that one of the great purposes of this book is to "describe and obviate the great Apostasy." Which apostasy he feels was to begin by "corrupting the truth about the relation of the Son to the Father in putting them equal" (Yeates 31). This Revelation, or Apocalypse, clarifies Christ's role toward God. As a proof that Christ is divine, yet still subordinate to the Father, Newton recounts John's vision. In this vision, the Son is given a book, which he did not have before the completion of his earthly mission, and which was a new revelation to him. If the revelation was new the Christ, how could they be one person? And if the Son of God was not allowed to see the revelation before he had ascended to heaven, how can he be equal to God? He had to prove himself worthy to receive such a great book. To further his point, Newton cites Mark 13:32 "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" (emphasis added).

In Newton's own words regarding the book:

And the contents of it you must conceive of so transcendent excellency that they were fit to be communicated to none but the Lamb. . . . This book signifies one of the greatest treasures that he who sat upon the throne ever conferred upon the Lamb, and consequently nothing less than all that fulness of knowledge of things past and to come which God gave him after his resurrection. This is certain, that is signifies such knowledge as the Lamb had not received before, the Apocalypse itself being a new revelation to him. (Yeates 31).

From Newton's studies of early Christian writers, and from his own studies, he came to the conclusion that the Trinity Doctrine was a deliberate lie introduced into the Church. He felt that there had been a great falling away from the truth. The belief of a great apostasy was not uncommon at that time. However, most seemed to feel that the beast spoken of in the Apocalypse was the Roman Catholic Church, and that the Anglican Church had brought back the true order. The stems in part from the common interpretation of the time line given in the book. Newton instead felt that Trinitarianism was the apostasy, which corrupted all of Christianity. He seemed to feel that though the truth had been obscured, there would be those who would find it for themselves. He said, "but a remnant, a few scattered persons which God hath chosen, such as without being led by interest, education, or humane authorities, can set themselves sincerely & earnestly [to] search after truth" (Yeates 43). Newton seems to have felt that he was one of those humble seekers of truth.

A predominant theme in Newton's commentary on the Apocalypse is that of the Antichrist. He gives a stern warning that we are to know the scriptures so that we can avoid the Antichrist. He said that it's a "duty of the greatest moment." He further warns us to "look about thee narrowly, least thou shouldst in so degenerate an age be dangerously seduced & not know it." The preparation that Newton feels we need is the study of the scriptures. As previously mentioned, Newton felt it the upmost importance in one's life to study and ponder the scriptures. Warning of the great apostasy, Newton wrote that the "Antichrist was to seduce the whole Christian world & therefore he may easily seduce thee if thou be not well prepared to discern him."

Newton seemed particularly worried over those who did not know the truth because they do not want to hear. He found that most people seemed quite content to not know the truth. They would rather stick with tradition and prejudice, than to know God. He said, "But the world loves to be deceived, they will not understand, they never consider equally, but are wholly led by prejudice, interest, the praise of men, & authority of the Church [they] live in as is plain because all parties keep close to the Religion they have been brought up in." Continuing, he says, "There are but few who seek to understand the religion they profess, & those that study for understanding therein, do it rather for worldly ends, or that they may defend it, then to examine whither it be true with a resolution to chose & profess that religion which in their judgement appears the best."

Then comes perhaps some of the most interesting points to ponder: "[Amidst] so many religions of which there can be but one true & perhaps non of those that thou art acquainted with it is great odds but thou mayest be deceived & therefore it concerns thee to be very circumspect." Newton felt that there was only one true religion, but that perhaps none that were on the earth were correct. Further, he felt that although the reformation was making great strides, it was not at that time winning against Satan, and that it would not win until the time was right. "And this is sufficient in general to show that Popery if it be the mystery of iniquity may yet prevail in the world, the time allotted for its destruction not being yet come: for although the Reformation may be termed the Spirit of Christ's mouth being regulated according to his word & it be evident that hath in part confounded the man of sin yet he shall continue & hath of lat considerably prevailed [against] the Reformation in many places & may yet further on until the brightness of the Lords coming by which he is to be destroyed."(Yeates 46-47).

CONCLUSION

Isaac Newton was one of the greatest thinkers ever, and is well known for his many contributions to science. He also possessed one of the keenest religious aptitudes of anyone in the modern world. His belief in God permeated every aspect of his life and was part of his innermost thinking. To Newton, religion was not just a once a week ritual, but a constant upward climb that needed work everyday. As Newton says, "as is their faith so is their practice," or in other words, "practice what you preach." He further declares that to "celebrate God for his eternity, immensity, omnisciency, and omnipotence is indeed very pious and the duty of every creature to do it according to capacity. . . ." (Manuel, Religion 21).

Newton summed up his own testimony in these words:

We are, therefore, to acknowledge one God, infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, the creator of all things, most wise, most just, most good, most holy. We must love him, fear him, honour him, trust in him, pray to him, give him thanks, praise him, hallow his name, obey his commandments, and set times apart for His service, as we are directed in the third and fourth commandments, for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. I John v.3. And these things we must do not to any mediators between his and us, but to him alone, that he may give his angels charge over us, who being our fellow-servants, are pleased with the worship we give to their God. And this is the first and principal part of religion. This always was, and always will be the religion of God's people, from the beginning to the end of the world. (Yeates 19)

WORKS CITED

"Arianism." Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. 13 Dec 2000 <http://encarta.msn.com>

"Nicene Creed." Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. 13 Dec 2000 <http://encarta.msn.com>

Manuel, Frank E. The Religion of Isaac Newton. London: Oxford UP, 1974.

---. A Portrait of Isaac Newton. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1968

Strathern, Paul. The Big Idea: Newton and Gravity. New York: Doubleday, 1998.

Yeates, Owen Dennis. Transcendence: Reassessing the Religious Thinking of Sir Isaac Newton. Honors Diss. Brigham Young U, 2000. Provo, UT: 2000.

A. Miller, www.math.ou.edu/~amiller/1823/misc/newton.htm.

H. McLachlan, M.A., D.D., Sir Isaac Newton Theological Manuscripts, , Liverpool at the university press, 1950.