FEATURE

Bruce Ritchie introduces a new book on the faith of Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

ALBERT Einstein said that a new era of physics began with James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879).

When asked if it were by standing on the shoulders of Isaac Newton that he was able to formulate his theory of relativity, Einstein replied: ‘That statement is not quite right; I stood on the shoulders of James Clerk Maxwell.’

Maxwell is possibly Scotland’s greatest ever scientist. Described as ‘The Man who changed Everything’, he ranks with Newton and Einstein in a select pantheon of intellectual giants. He linked light and electromagnetism. He developed the ‘Maxwell Equations’, on which modern science is based. He did pioneer mathematical work on the rings of Saturn: since verified by satellite fly-pasts.

He advanced the notion of ‘fieldtheory’ in physics. This caused Einstein to remark that, since Maxwell, reality is no longer viewed as physical objects but as continuous fields, creating a totally new way of seeing the universe. Maxwell also produced the first colour images, and helped to initiate statistical laws in science.

Educated in Galloway, Edinburgh, and Cambridge, Maxwell became Professor in Aberdeen and London, before creating the

Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge, which has produced over 50 Nobel prize-winners.

Maxwell was a man of deep Christian faith. He composed hymns. He wrote prayers. He was an elder in his local kirk. He pastorally visited his district and prayed with the people. He and his wife Katherine read the Bible together every day. For Maxwell, ‘union with Christ’ was fundamental to who he was. And when Maxwell looked for a key to understanding the universe he found it in Christ, basing it in Colossians chapter 1 which states that all things hold together in Christ.

He was orthodox in his beliefs, acknowledging Christ as fully God and fully man.

His father was Presbyterian. His mother was Episcopalian. And he was comfortable in both traditions. What he looked for in his ministers was preaching which allowed the Bible to speak for itself. Whilst in London the Maxwells attended the local Baptist Church. But his first love was the wee country kirk at Corsock in Galloway.

The ethical side of being a Christian was important for Maxwell. Making his faith practical was vital. Maxwell believed that one area in which he could help society was in aiding impoverished families rise out of their desperate situation through education and for all his adult life, he gave free lectures to help the cause.

He had his own thoughts on Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection. He opposed Huxley’s atheistic view that human beings are simply biomechanical robots. And he believed that because men and women are created in the image of God, then doing science and understanding God’s universe was a spiritual task.

My new book about James Clerk Maxwell looks at his faith and church life in depth. Understanding Maxwell’s Christian mindset is crucial to understanding Maxwell the genius scientist. What emerges is not only Maxwell’s brilliance but also his kindness and compassion.

It was Maxwell who chose the text from Psalm 111 which was written in the stonework of the original Cavendish Laboratory. Originally inscribed in Latin, the later translation is taken from Myles Coverdale’s 15th century version: ‘The works of the Lord are great; sought out by all them that have pleasure therein’.

Bruce Ritchie is a retired minister and theology lecturer. James Clerk Maxwell: Faith, Church and Physics is available through Handsel Press.