A New Theory of the Earth

work by Whiston

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July 1, 2026

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William Whiston's A New Theory of the Earth (1696) proposed that biblical accounts of creation, the flood, and the end times could be explained through scientific events. Whiston, a mathematician and Anglican priest, sought to reconcile religion and science. His theory suggested that the Earth's history involved a series of cataclysms, including a global flood caused by a comet, and a future conflagration also linked to cometary activity. This work placed him within the scientific discourse of his time, which included theories about Earth's history from figures like James Hutton. Whiston's approach was to find historical and scientific bases for biblical narratives.12

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William Whiston
During this period he wrote A New Theory of the Earth (1696), in which he claimed that the biblical stories of the creation, flood, and final conflagration could be explained scientifically as accounts of events with historical bases. After three years as vicar of Lowestoft (1698–1701), he returned to Cambridge,…
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During this period he wrote A New Theory of the Earth (1696), in which he claimed that the biblical stories of the creation, flood, and final conflagration could be explained scientifically as accounts of events with historical bases. After three years as vicar of Lowestoft (1698–1701), he returned to Cambridge,…
Read More