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Another root of the Age of Reason sprang from the soil of a new faith in law and order. Modern science arose in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and filled men with visions of a new day of peace and harmony. These pioneers of modern science forced men to think in a new way about the universe:
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), who insisted that the sun, not the earth, was the center of our universe; Johann Kepler (1571-1630), who concluded that the sun emitted a magnetic force that moved the planets in their courses; and Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who made a telescope to examine the planets and proved that the acceleration of falling bodies is constant. All these discoveries, however, had to be united in one all-embracing principle that would explain the motion of bodies in the heavens and present the universe as one great machine operating according to unalterable laws. This was the feat of the most illustrious scientist of the Age of Reason, Isaac Newton (1642-1727).
In 1687, Newton published his momentous work, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, in which all laws of motion in the heavens and the earth, were harmonized in a master principle for the universe, the law of gravitation.
The reading public of Europe was captivated by the wonder of Newton’s world-machine. The medieval world of unseen spirits, angels, and demons could now be dismissed as superstition. In its place moved a universe subject to physical laws expressed in mathematical symbols.
This vast, unfolding universe filled some men with dismay. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French physicist, recoiled before “the terrifying expanses which engulf us as a fleeting atom.” But others accepted it as an invitation to discover the secrets of cosmic existence. Alexander Pope wrote: “Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night; God said, “Let Newton be!” and all was light.”
This sudden access to the mysteries of the universe seemed to magnify the role of human reason. If the universe is a smooth-running machine with all its parts coordinated by one grand design, then man only has to think clearly to find life’s meaning and true happiness. This fundamental idea – that man has the ability to find the truth by the use of his senses and reason – gave rise to the label, Age of Reason.
The term should not suggest that every blacksmith and village priest suddenly assumed the airs of an intellectual. Many Christians lived and died in the faith of their fathers, totally unconscious that a new age had dawned.
But the outlook and direction of Europe had changed. Christianity could scarcely escape the fallout from this intellectual revolution. For 1,200 years Augustine’s ideas had ruled Christendom. Man was an enslaved sinner, who needed above all else the supernatural grace of God. To insure the availability of this grace through the Christian Church, God had ordained the powers of the state, to protect truth and punish error. But now intellectuals were arguing something else: Man is no sinner. He is a reasonable creature. He needs the grace of God less than common sense.
Christians found themselves in two contrasting climates. At first, during the closing years of the seventeenth century, some believers, especially in England, tried to harmonize reason and faith. They argued that Christianity is totally reasonable but some truths come by reason and some by revelation. Some things, like the existence of God, come by observing the
heavens; while other things, like the resurrection of Christ, come by the witness of Scripture.
In time, however, after the beginning of the eighteenth century, the climate changed. In France, confidence in reason soared and Christians found that many intellectuals dismissed all appeals to revealed Scripture as superstitious nonsense. The climate was obviously more hostile. The best representative of the first generation is John Locke (1632-1704).
The highly influential philosopher never minimized the importance of belief. In his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, he not only shows how reason functions; he indicates that the existence of God is “the most obvious truth that reason discovers.” Closer examination, however, shows that the God Locke had in mind has little in common with the God of the Exodus or of Jesus’ resurrection. Mystery is almost gone. Emotions are unbecoming. Locke’s God is the product of rational proof.
In a similar way, Locke upholds revelation. He never doubts its importance. Fulfilled prophecies and the miracles of Jesus are proof of Jesus’ authority. But what Scripture actually shows is that few dogmas are necessary. And these are simple and intelligible to ordinary men. Christianity, in fact, has only one essential doctrine: Jesus is the Messiah. Most of traditional theology Locke casually dismisses as irrelevant.
Locke also spoke for his generation in his emphasis upon moral conduct. Christianity, he says, adds to its belief in Jesus as Messiah the imperative of a good life. Jesus often spoke of rewards and punishments for Christian behavior. And that too is entirely reasonable, because reason shows that moral standards must be reinforced by strong incentives.
Thus, according to Locke, revelation shows Christianity’s reasonable character. Belief in Jesus as Messiah and man’s ethical behavior are all Jesus and the apostles required for righteousness. Both of these are basically rational.
Please leave a thought or question in the comments below so I’ll know you were here.
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I don’t think we should be scared of the unknown of space and science we should explore it and God will show us what we need to see.
I’m glad that Isaac Newton discovered the laws of motion, but I’m also kinda sad that almost everyone left Christianity to go to science. I don’t like science.
Christianity should be at least as important as science and we should look to both Christianity and science for inspiration. I think that we should not let go of Christianity for science and that we should hold onto both.
Galileo Galilei the one who made telescopes? That very interesting.
I really don’t think science and Christianity should be separate. We could do amazing things if there wasn’t this dispute.
I agree with Shika.
I also think that science and religion can go hand in hand.
All of the scientists, like Gallileo, agreed with Newton’s thoughts on gravity?
Locke said that religion is reasonable. You cannot simply God in your thoughts, you can try but not succeed. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” — 1 Corinthians 1:25
i disagree with the intellectuals. man is a sinner and we need Gods grace a lot!
there are at least christian scientists and not just regular scientists
i agree
Galeao never made the telescope Isaac newton did
the pholisfers never meimized their belifes
I find it interesting that many of the original “scientists” were actually Christians. It is cool to learn about their relationship with Christianity and scientific belief and how they melded it together.