James Clerk Maxwell: A Model for Twenty-first Century Physics in the Christian Liberal Arts
Article 20 pages Level: university This paper by Heather M. Whitney, Assistant Professor of Physics at Wheaton College, was published in Christian Scholar’s Review in 2016. It is an overview of James Clerk Maxwell’s scientific work and religious faith, and also a discussion of Maxwell as a model for foundational science instruction in a faith-centered and collegial environment. It is also rich in Maxwell quotations. Whitney writes, “as a physics instructor… when I am actively engaged with the fullness of the intellectual arm of the body of Christ, I am best able to offer to my students instruction that is interdisciplinary engaged, grounded in physical reality, and pointing toward Christ”. From the paper’s abstract: Physicist James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) is considered by many to have been as important to physics as Newton and Einstein, especially for his work on electricity and magnetism and for being the first director of the Cavendish Laboratory. His technical achievements are significant, but he also offers … Continue reading →