Publication Date
Spring 4-26-2025
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Major
History
Keywords
Newton, Alchemy, Biblical Prophecy
Disciplines
European History | History of Religion | Intellectual History
Recommended Citation
Stamp, Caleb J., "The Philosopher’s Art: The Alchemical and Religious Writings of Sir Isaac Newton" (2025). Senior Honors Theses. 1492.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1492
Abstract
Sir Isaac Newton is inarguably one of the most famous yet divisive geniuses in human history. His writing touched on a staggering variety of topics, including chemistry, physics, and history, among others. Some of his less well-known works – most notably, his alchemical experiments and his prophetic commentaries – have created wildly conflicting views of both him and his theories. However, Newton’s alchemical and religious writings are crucial to understanding his broader worldview: namely, that the spiritual and natural aspects of the world worked together in a universe created by a supreme God who ordained that reality operates in a consistent, manner that any “philosopher” could discover through reason and experimentation.
