Why the Greatest Scientists Believed in God: From Newton to Einstein

When we examine what the founding fathers of science thought about God, we discover that they often concluded that a Creator must exist, precisely because of the wisdom they encountered through scientific research. This was not only true of scientists in general, but of the pioneers of nearly every field of science as we know it today.

Many of the greatest minds throughout history acknowledged God’s existence: Galileo Galilei, Nicolaus Copernicus, Antoine Lavoisier, Justus von Liebig, Louis Pasteur, Gregor Mendel, Pythagoras, Blaise Pascal, Henri Poincaré, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Max Planck, James Clerk Maxwell, Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, René Descartes, Immanuel Kant, John Locke, George Berkeley, Gottfried Leibniz, Søren Kierkegaard, Johannes Kepler, Michael Faraday, and many others. Even the greatest inventors such as Thomas Edison (light bulb), Karl Benz (automobile), the Wright brothers (airplane), Fritz Zernike (microscope), and Galileo (scientific telescope) acknowledged a Creator.

Is science moving closer to God?

As science advances, it reveals deeper levels of order, precision, and fine-tuning in the universe. Once people thought the sun revolved around Earth, but now we know Earth is part of a finely balanced solar system, with magnetic fields, an ozone layer, and a precisely tilted axis (23.5°) that makes life possible. Jupiter acts as a shield by pulling in asteroids that could otherwise destroy life on Earth.

Similarly, what was once seen as a “simple” living cell is now known to be more complex than an entire modern city. The human brain — once thought to be just a lump of fat regulating body heat, contains millions of perfectly coordinated electrical fibers. The more science uncovers, the stronger the case for an intelligent Designer becomes.

Do you need to be a scientist to believe in God?

Not at all. The greatest scientists reached this conclusion, but even a child can look honestly at the world and recognize a Creator. Whether life developed gradually over millions of years or in another way, it is clear that there is design and purpose.

In fact, humanity has recognized the existence of God for over 4,000 years, and this truth has not faded. With each scientific discovery, the complexity only grows. To deny a Creator would mean ignoring the very evidence science itself presents.

What about atheism?

A person who denies God needs to assume that everything — the universe, life, and consciousness, came from nothing, by accident. However, reason and honesty point the other way. If asked in the afterlife why he denied God despite the overwhelming evidence of design, the atheist would have no real answer.

Being honest with ourselves and with reason is what provides true confidence and peace of mind. Torah begins with reason, but leads to the heart: “Know today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord is God” (Deuteronomy 30:39).

Through study, prayer, and mitzvot, one can move beyond intellectual recognition to an emotional and personal relationship with God, thereby experiencing His presence directly.