Newton’s book: A scientific masterpiece
The year 1987 marked the 300th anniversary of the publication of one of the world’s masterpieces in scientific literature.

It was in 1687 that Sir Isaac Newton, English mathematician, physicist and astronomer, published his monumental work Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (mathematical principles of natural philosophy). In this work, Newton presented his famous three laws of motion: force-free motion is uniform; accelerated motion is proportional to the impressed force; and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. From these, together with the law of universal gravitation, the whole science of matter in motion is derived.1
Sir Isaac Newton is regarded by many scholars and historians as the greatest scientist who ever lived. Yet he also firmly believed that the Bible was God’s Word. He wrote much on biblical subjects, and even wrote a book defending Archbishop Ussher’s chronology of the world (Ussher set the date of Creation as 4004 BC). Newton believed in a literal six-day creation, and that the worldwide flood of Noah’s time accounted for most geological phenomena. He also firmly believed in Christ as his Saviour.
In thinking on the publication of Newton’s Principia, it would be well to reflect on this great scientist’s view of Scripture:
“I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever.”
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References and notes
- The well-known story that Newton hit upon the idea of universal gravitation after observing an apple fall to the ground in his garden is not known for certain to be true. The anti-religious French philosopher and skeptic Voltaire first circulated the story after reputedly hearing it from Newton’s grandniece. Return to text.
Readers’ comments
Much like the Galileo affair with the geocentric model, so annoying when sceptics try to berate Christians for trusting what the bible plainly teaches as anti-scientific. As pointed out by CMI many times, an objective study shows it’s the reverse; that is, we would do better to trust the bible, i.e. Newton should have believed the very 1st verse in the entire bible. Greatest scientist ever? Absolutely but how ironic.
«/Galileo Galilei, (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), was an Italian astronomer, physicist, mathematician, engineer, and philosopher who played a major role in the scientific revolution during the Renaissance./»
«/Sir Isaac Newton PRS MP (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/7) was an English physicist and mathematician (described in his own day as a "natural philosopher") who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the scientific revolution./»
Both men were Christians. Yet we have many atheists trying to tell us we Bible believing Christians do not adhere to the scientific method and that we believe the sun revolves around a “flat earth”. Well, as Jesus the Creator of the universe aka God said:
«/‘If I am not acting as my Father would, do not believe me. But if I am, accept the evidence of my deeds, even if you do not believe me, so that you may recognise and know that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.’—Jn§10:37-38./»
So why do atheists/evolutionists not accept the evidence of God’s existence observed in the deeds of the Man who claimed to be the Son of God, and who successfully predicted his own death and resurrection?
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