Astronomy – Newton

The importance of Sir Isaac Newton to Freemasonry

Freemasonry, may owe more to Sir Isaac Newton than any other single person for its concept of a Grand Architect of the Universe. One whose works you can trace throughout the whole creation.

Tension between followers of Descartes and Newton

Dr. Margaret C. Jacob, PhD, in her book The Radical Enlightenment – Pantheists, Freemasons and Republicans as well as in her later book, Living the Enlightenment – Freemasonry and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Europe makes it clear that there was a considerable tension between the followers of Newton and Descartes over what role, if any, God should play in Freemasonry.  The followers of Descartes tended toward pantheism and atheism.  They saw nature itself to be the only force in the universe.  Newton and his followers held to a view of science in which there was a supernatural entity separate from nature. 

Newton’s view prevailed

Thus, Masons have the Grand Architect of the Universe.  This concept allows for religious tolerance, but leaves no room for Atheists and irreligious libertines.

Newton’s concept of God

When you watch this biography of Sir Isaac Newton, see how this concept of God was crucial to his view of how the universe works.  A Grand Architect whose wisdom, strength and beauty is capable of being seen by us in the sacred pages of the celestial hemisphere.  One whose works can be traced throughout the whole creation.  This concept became the dominant view of Freemasonry.  You will also gain an appreciation of Newton’s  connection to the great thinkers of his time. Many of these became the defining force in the development of speculative Freemasonry in England.

You will find him a much more complex and important force in the Enlightenment than being simply the discoverer of the laws of gravity.  He is placed in the section on Astronomy, but his contributions extend well beyond that category.

Enjoy the biography.