“O, Almighty God, I am thinking Thy thoughts after Thee!” wrote astronomer Johannes Kepler, 1619, “The Harmonies of the World.”
Johannes Kepler was born Dec. 27, 1571. An attack of smallpox when he was four years old left Johannes Kepler with crippled hands and poor eyesight. Overcoming those handicaps, Kepler took up the study of science.
The person most responsible for advancing the scientific method was Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626). Sir Francis Bacon, who helped found the Royal Society of London, wrote: “There are two books laid before us to study, to prevent our falling into error; first, the volume of Scriptures, which reveal the will of God; then the volume of the Creatures, which express His power.”
In his work “Essays: Of Goodness,” Sir Francis Bacon wrote: “There never was found, in any age of the world, either philosophy, or sect, or religion, or law, or discipline, which did so highly exalt the good of the community, and increase private and particular good as the holy Christian faith. Hence, it clearly appears that it was one and the same God that gave the Christian law to men, who gave the laws of nature to the creatures.”
In his treatise titled “Of Atheism,” Sir Francis Bacon declared: “A little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.”
A contemporary of Johannes Kepler was Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who made the first practical use of the telescope. Galileo Galilei stated: “I am inclined to think that the authority of Holy Scripture is intended to convince men of those truths which are necessary for their salvation, which, being far above man’s understanding, can not be made credible by any learning, or any other means than revelation by the Holy Spirit.”