Hughes and Newtonian Theological Debate
Read More
Thomas Burnet's Sacred Theory of the Earth
In his influential and pioneering Sacred theory of the Earth, the Cambridge scholar Thomas Burnet sought to demonstrate the conformity of Scripture with the ‘new philosophy’ of Descartes. Taking ‘Reason’ as his guide Burnet offered a theory of the world founded on natural causes rather than direct intervention of the Deity. Having visited the Alps in 1671, Burnett was struck by their rugged terrain, which he saw as proof that nothing in nature is pristine. His conclusion that landscapes change through natural cycles led him to see the Creation as the result of such processes. We see this illustrated in seven cycles on the frontispiece of Burnet’s book:
1) Earth without form or void.
2) Paradise, the Earth smooth and pristine.
3) Noah’s Flood modifies the landscape.
4) Earth assumes its present form with mountains and rivers.
5) Earth consumed by fires of the apocalypse.
6) Earth returns to its original pristine state.
7) After the last Judgement, Earth becomes a sun or star.
Burnet’s approach was shared by and even influential on Newton although he rejected Burnet’s adherence to the theory of Descartes.
Author: Thomas Burnet
Title: The theory of the Earth (London, 1697)
Shelfmark: N.1.23
