Isaac Newton – Creationist or Heretic?

Exodus 20:11
“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

It surely is not possible to learn science without coming across the name of Sir Isaac Newton, one of history’s greatest scientists. While many scientists concentrate on one field of study, Newton is famous for three: light, calculus, and gravity.

Newton studied carefully how white light could be split into the various colors of the spectrum. He also invented calculus to give mathematical expression to the problem of measuring the velocity of an accelerating object at a precise instant in time. And, of course, we all know about his discovery of gravity.

It is less well known that Newton wrote a lot about history and theology. He accepted a biblical timescale of events. Indeed, his calculation of the age of the Earth is similar to that of Archbishop James Ussher, of whose work Newton approved. Newton believed the Bible, stating, “‘I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.”

However, before we fully claim Newton as a creationist hero, we must remember that even Newton had feet of clay. It turns out, when we read Newton’s studies of the early church, that he had a great deal of sympathy for the position of Arius at the Council of Nicea. He even once described Christ as “a divine mediator between God and man, who was subordinate to the Father who created him”, and labeled Trinitarianism as “the Great Apostasy”.

So this great man had views which we would not consider to be biblically orthodox. Nevertheless, his scientific achievements were immense and entirely in accord with God’s word.

Thank You, Lord, for great men of the past and that we can learn from them. Help us also to examine everything, first and foremost, by Your word. Amen.

Author: Paul F. Taylor

Ref: , accessed 10/28/2017. Image: Adobe Stock Images, licensed to author.