Isaac Newton, Mitch Stokes
What a profound man! I actually requested this book primarily as a resource for home school. I think it will serve as an excellent resource and that it should also be brought into the public school. I may have been more interested in the work and theories of Mr. Newton when I was in high school had I known the driving force behind them. It seems so often we focus on the discoveries, inventions, theories, and philosophies, and equations of man that we rarely take time to look at the man that made them and the questions that they asked in order to come to the conclusion they did. The book is short enough to read fairly quickly and though filled with very interesting facts can sometimes be a little dry and to matter of fact in it’s presentation, taking away from the “realness” of Isaac Newton as a person. I did find it rather interesting that Isaac Newton sought to discover the truth of things around him always holding to the ultimate truth of the bible. I did not know that he had an “unswerving adherence to the authority of scripture”, or that he believed religion was a “personal relationship with God /[he:] recognized God as his father”. It even said that these beliefs led him in his pursuit of knowledge as he believed all things were created and “set in motion by God and that it was imply waiting to be discovered”. His tenacity and fire are inspiring and the fact that although his accomplishments were great he did not struggle with pride because he held that he was to walk in humility according to scripture and recognized that all his accomplishments were built upon the shoulders of other great men. Excellent resource book for school and personal studies.
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A good, short biography of Newton, built on some primary sources, especially from the copious amounts of Newton material now available online, but built mainly on the many biographies and scholarly journal articles available on Newton. There is nothing new here, per se, about Newton's biography, but it is breezily and engagingly told. What is interesting here, and that is the purpose of the "Christian Encounters Series" from Thomas Nelson Publishers, is putting Newton in a Christian context. As such, his science is shown to be firmly ensconced in a Christian worldview. Far from Newton calling God a divine watchmaker who sets the universe in motion and leaves it alone, à la deism, Newton believed in a personal God, whose power and majesty could be discerned by how he operated in nature. Viewing Newton's work through this Christian lens was exciting and illuminating. The author does not shy away from Newton's work on alchemy, which wasn't that bad considering the time period, and it doesn't shy away from discussing his heterodox view on the Trinity. The author here states that Newton did not hold to the Trinity in an orthodox Christian manner (as many churches, such as his own Anglican, held), but that he was no Arian when it came to the Trinity, as he "believed... in the eternality of the Son" (p. 85). He also held that Father and Son are one (pp. 85-86), but (p. 86): "What Newton did not believe, however, was that the Father and Son were one in the sense that they were consubstantial or of the same substance. According to Newton, the Father and the Son were one, but this unity was not metaphysical unity; rather, it was one of dominion and purpose." That's a strange sentence to parse. Still, despite his heterodoxy, he was Christian through and through, and an interesting fellow to boot. Nice endnotes, but no bibliography and no index, which detract from the book's usefulness. Still, as a short appetizer biography of Newton, it does the trick. ( )

For a man, who in the years that he completed the work for which he is famous. who simply shut himself in his room to read and write, this book about him is readable and informative. There is much to learn from Newton's life even if one does not understand his written works. The author places Newton in his time which helps the reader to understand him. The ongoing controversies with contemporaries help the reader see the importance of what Newton accomplished and how brilliant he was. The author also clears up some misconceptions of his religious views and of his being an alchemist. ( )

Isaac Newton by Mitch Stokes is one of the new, short biographies in the Christian Encounters series from Thomas Nelson. Small enough to slip into a purse, these paperback biographies are perfect for slipping in quick snippets of biographical reading throughout the day.

Isaac Newton proved to be fascinating reading for me, having known little other than the typical myths about the discovery of gravity and such. I particularly appreciated Stokes’ attention to Newton’s faith, particularly in this post-modernistic age where Newton’s approach to backing up science with quantifiable mathematics has been used by many atheists to try to shove Newton out of the picture (he’d be horrified, as he was incredibly devout and opposed to atheism.)

Stokes’ background in philosophy, religion, and science studies make him an ideal author covering Newton’s life as he can approach it from so many angles – explaining Newton’s scientific work with a great deal of personal understanding, and delving into the finer details of Newton’s theology that are well, finer than many readers will likely understand the significance of (yes, that includes me at times).

I was entirely captivated by this account of Newton’s life and highly recommend it to readers interested in exploring both the life, science, and deep faith of this scientific genius who is well known by many, but who is often robbed of his deep adherence to the Christian faith.

Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com ( )

Thomas Nelson Publishers has just introduced a series of biographies entitled, “Christian Encounters”. I just finished reading Mitch Stokes’ work on the life of Isaac Newton. While I cannot yet speak for the other books in the series, this volume is a resounding success. Stokes relates the life of Newton in a concise manner that is neither simplistic nor overly complex.

The pacing of the work is great. You will read about all the major events of Newton’s life—not just the famous ones. It’s inspiring to see how his life unfolded. The man who barely escaped the farm became the author of one of the greatest scientific books of all time (Principia). The man who craved solitude ended up managing a workforce charged with replacing the currency of a nation.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the lack of sermonizing. I’m a pastor, but the last thing I wanted to read was a biography that tried to force this historic figure into modern Christianity modes of thought. Newton was clearly a believer, but unlike much of modern Christendom, he didn’t confine his faith to a religious sphere.

Whether you’re a Christian or not, this work is an excellent brief introduction to a remarkable man.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program. ( )