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The Religious Affiliation of Mathematician
Charles Babbage was a devout Anglican Christian.
Soon after his marraige to Georgina Whitmore in 1814, Babbage decided to become an Anglican minister. He applied for several vacancies in the Church of England, but his applications were rejected because Church leaders were uncomfortable with his reputation as an "unpatriotic" liberal. In truth, his desire to become a clergyman was sincere and his reputation was probably exagerrated to the point that it did not accurately reflect his views.
Unable to secure a position as a minister, Babbage turned his attention to mathematics. He became one of the most influential mathematicians in history, and was cited as a "runner up" in Michael Hart's book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. Babbage's theories were instrumental in the development of computers.
Webpage created 26 September 2005. Last modified 26 September 2005.
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