World History
Isaac Newton is known for many things. These include contributions in physics, math, optics, and astronomy. However, he was also a Bible scholar and he ventured into the tricky area of trying to predict when the end of the world would occur.
An Associated Press article titled Papers Show Isaac Newton's Religious Side, Predict Date of Apocalypse has the story. It notes, "In a new Jerusalem exhibit, he appears as a scholar of deep faith who also found time to write on Jewish law ? even penning a few phrases in careful Hebrew letters ? and combing the Old Testament's Book of Daniel for clues about the world's end. The documents, purchased by a Jewish scholar at a Sotheby's auction in London in 1936, have been kept in safes at Israel's national library in Jerusalem since 1969. Available for decades only to a small number of scholars, they have never before been shown to the public."
When will the world end? Newton believed it would happen no sooner than 2060. I find this reassuring as so many are jumping on the Mayan calendar end date and predicting a 2012 demise for humanity. Newton was right on so much so who am I to argue that the world will be around until I am at least 90?
This part of the article is interesting. It notes, "Newton interpreted biblical prophecies to mean that the Jews would return to the Holy Land before the world ends." Well, the Jews have Israel back so that part of Newton's scholarly interpretation is correct...
Newton did not believe that science and religion were necessarily in opposition. He tried to make both work together. Yemima Ben-Menahem, one of the exhibit's curators, said "These documents show a scientist guided by religious fervor, by a desire to see God's actions in the world."
I am happy the documents in this exhibit were preserved. This adds a lot to our knowledge of one of the most important scientists in history.
- Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was born in 1642 at Woolsthorpe, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, three months after his father, yeoman farmer Isaac, died. Newton’s mother, Hannah Ayscough, married the Reverend Barnabas Smith and left Newton with his grandparents...
- Apocalypse 2012?
This is really not a history post. However, I guess it can be considered as such if one considers how many times that people in the past thought the Apocalypse was coming soon and were wrong. CNN has an article up titled Apocalypse in 2012? Date spawns...
- Tourists Help Excavate Ancient Holy Land Caves
CNN has this article titled Tourists help excavate ancient Holy Land caves. The article notes, "Tourists like Krewson pay $25 to spend the day working in ancient tunnels in Israel's Bet Guvrin National Park, about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem....
- Dr Sam Newton's Wuffings' Website
Dr Sam Newton's Wuffings' Website - This site is about the early medieval kingdom of East Anglia and its Wuffing dynasty as well as aspects of the literature, legend, history, and archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England. The site creator is Dr. Sam...
- Isaac Newton's Papers Online
...
World History
Papers Show Isaac Newton's Religious Side, Predict Date of Apocalypse
Isaac Newton is known for many things. These include contributions in physics, math, optics, and astronomy. However, he was also a Bible scholar and he ventured into the tricky area of trying to predict when the end of the world would occur.An Associated Press article titled Papers Show Isaac Newton's Religious Side, Predict Date of Apocalypse has the story. It notes, "In a new Jerusalem exhibit, he appears as a scholar of deep faith who also found time to write on Jewish law ? even penning a few phrases in careful Hebrew letters ? and combing the Old Testament's Book of Daniel for clues about the world's end. The documents, purchased by a Jewish scholar at a Sotheby's auction in London in 1936, have been kept in safes at Israel's national library in Jerusalem since 1969. Available for decades only to a small number of scholars, they have never before been shown to the public."
When will the world end? Newton believed it would happen no sooner than 2060. I find this reassuring as so many are jumping on the Mayan calendar end date and predicting a 2012 demise for humanity. Newton was right on so much so who am I to argue that the world will be around until I am at least 90?
This part of the article is interesting. It notes, "Newton interpreted biblical prophecies to mean that the Jews would return to the Holy Land before the world ends." Well, the Jews have Israel back so that part of Newton's scholarly interpretation is correct...
Newton did not believe that science and religion were necessarily in opposition. He tried to make both work together. Yemima Ben-Menahem, one of the exhibit's curators, said "These documents show a scientist guided by religious fervor, by a desire to see God's actions in the world."
I am happy the documents in this exhibit were preserved. This adds a lot to our knowledge of one of the most important scientists in history.
- Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was born in 1642 at Woolsthorpe, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, three months after his father, yeoman farmer Isaac, died. Newton’s mother, Hannah Ayscough, married the Reverend Barnabas Smith and left Newton with his grandparents...
- Apocalypse 2012?
This is really not a history post. However, I guess it can be considered as such if one considers how many times that people in the past thought the Apocalypse was coming soon and were wrong. CNN has an article up titled Apocalypse in 2012? Date spawns...
- Tourists Help Excavate Ancient Holy Land Caves
CNN has this article titled Tourists help excavate ancient Holy Land caves. The article notes, "Tourists like Krewson pay $25 to spend the day working in ancient tunnels in Israel's Bet Guvrin National Park, about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem....
- Dr Sam Newton's Wuffings' Website
Dr Sam Newton's Wuffings' Website - This site is about the early medieval kingdom of East Anglia and its Wuffing dynasty as well as aspects of the literature, legend, history, and archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England. The site creator is Dr. Sam...
- Isaac Newton's Papers Online
...