Mathematics: Is God Silent?

by James Nickel

This book revolutionizes the prevailing understanding and teaching of math. The addition of this book is a must for all upper-level Christian school curricula and for college students and adults interested in math or related fields of science and religion. It will serve as a solid refutation for the claim, often made in court, that mathematics is one subject, which cannot be taught from a distinctively Biblical perspective.

Genres: Mathematics, Education, Nonfiction, Christian, Science, Philosophy, Theology

434 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

James Nickel holds degrees in mathematics (B.A.), theology (B.Th. and B.Miss.), and education (M.A.). He is also a candidate for the M.S. degree (Master of Science in Mathematics with a Teaching Option) from Texas A&M University.

He is married with three grown children and living in Wenatchee, Washington.

Email: jdnickel@juno.com

Reviews

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What an excellent book.

It was a very challenging read for me, because so much of the actual maths in the book lost me very early on (even as I gobbled up everything the book had to say about the history and philosophy of maths). But this is one of those books that explains to you why you feel the way you do about the subject. Nearly all the maths in this book was over my head, but the book did a fantastic job of explaining why that was.

I hated maths all the way through my education. It bored me, and when I complained to my mother that there was no way I'd ever need to know the quadratic equation she always came back with, "Maths is good discipline". I took that as confirmation that maths was and always would be totally irrelevant to my life and that she was putting me through hours of boredom as a sort of twisted character-building exercise.

I'm not blaming my mother. As Nickel's book makes clear, she and I were in the same boat: neither of us saw the point, the full relevance and richness of mathematics to life and godliness having been expertly concealed from us. We both knew I was trying to engage with a soulless zombie subject. What I didn't realise was that maths has a soul. And Nickel's book is all about restoring that soul, that relevance.

As I grew older two things happened. First, I forgot everything I'd ever learned about maths, except the basics that I needed in everyday life (probably for the best). Second, I became curious about maths. If the fear of God is the beginning of all knowledge, all understanding, and all wisdom, then how did that relate to maths? Obviously maths was meant to have a soul, and just as obviously (the great apologetics book A SHOT OF FAITH TO THE HEAD confirmed this for me) the great mathematicians of the past had found that soul and loved it. That was the maths I wished I'd learned as a student. Which led to a third resolution: I would never, ever ask any child of mine to study a useless and soulless subject. I needed to know how to get at, and communicate, maths' secret.

So I knew I had to read this book.

Nickel begins with a history of mathematical development and thought that takes up most of the book. His main focus is on how the presence or lack of a Christian worldview has helped or hindered mathematical development (the medievals, for instance, were able to make certain dramatic mathematical innovations over and above the Greeks, because unlike the Greeks their worldview allowed for the concept of infinity). The final couple of chapters in this section, about how the epistemological crises of enlightenment rationalism ultimately sucked all meaning out of mathematics, was completely eye-opening. I'd learned maths as a set of indisputable rules that existed somewhat on the same level as the Ten Commandments. But Nickel puts maths in context: fallible men discovered (or failed to discover) it, they made mistakes along the way, they hit dead ends or discovered that their proofs rested on fallacious assumptions. And then Kurt Godel came along and blew the whole house down:

Essentially, Godel demonstrated, in a deeply involved process of reasoning, that the "axiomatic method has certain inherent limitations, which rule out the possibility that even the ordinary arithmetic integers can ever be fully axiomatised." In other words, the soundness, acceptability, and completeness of any mathematical system, even the arithmetic of the counting numbers, cannot be established by logical principles.

Obviously, Nickel argues (and the argument is persuasive to me, at least) that given the presuppositions in play, the very survival and dependency of mathematics as a discipline depends upon the presence of a personal Creator to contextualise mathematics. In the second part of his book he provides some suggestions for objectives in mathematical education, some pedagogical methods (ie, relate maths to history, philosophy, science, and other things in the real world - I can guarantee that this would have made maths far more interesting to me as a student) and finally, an annotated bibliography chock-full of further reading that I will definitely be mining in the future.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend MATHEMATICS: IS GOD SILENT? as a student text itself, but it's invaluable for any Christian who wants to know more about the relationship of maths to history and philosophy. James Nickel's long-awaited mathematics curriculum THE DANCE OF NUMBER is due sometime in the next year, and I can't wait to see how it stacks up.

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for school years ago; and while some parts were very scholarly and slightly dry, I found the perspective on this area very enlightening.

[Paul Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I never got all the way through this. :) There is a lot of math I didn't understand yet, so that made it a little hard to track. The author also made some historical assumptions that weren't necessarily very well supported. Still, it's a really interesting study and I love how it treats the history of mathematics from a Biblical worldview.

[Foz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book that has changed my viewpoint on the pedagogy of mathematics. There is a reason a majority of us think Math is boring or difficult to master. It has a lot to do with the way it is taught, and the intentional lack of attention at its genuine roots. “The best way to foster integration is to teach concepts in their historical context.”

Nickel’s historical overview is simplistic yet effective. The impact of the medieval period is important. Evidence of the renaissance/enlightenment era insulting the “Dark Ages” in regards to technological advancements is proven unsubstantiated. “What the Europeans sowed from the 6th to 11th centuries was not so much inventive ingenuity as a remarkable capacity for assimilation. They knew how to take good ideas where they found them and how to apply them on a large scale to productive activity…. A sense of progress suggests a sense of history, something markedly missing among the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.”

In the words of Carl Boyer, “….[I]t would be wise for every prospective teacher to know not only the material of his field but also the story of its development.”

Unfortunately, math has the impression of consisting of dry definitions, theorems, and formulae that attempts to achieve brevity at all costs. This is harmful to mathematics as a whole, let alone the pedagogy of it. Seldomly, as Nickel points out, are we taught the historical evolution from the facts of formulae and how it represents a sole originator, a creative creator and master mathematician – God.

“In a certain sense, mathematical analysis is a symphony of the infinite.” The direction in which the question of the ultimate foundations and the ultimate meaning in mathematics finds its final solution is in the infinite, personal God revealed in Holy Scripture. “The structure of mathematics must be built upon a biblical worldview.” This should be emphasized in Christian education, let alone secular.

“The reason mathematics is such a beautiful and effective system is not because of man’s efforts to autonomously create a logically foolproof foundations (a priori and a posteriori fallacies)… but rather it is effective because God created it.” But as Nickel notes, “[t]here is no lie so good as the precise and well-detailed one.” Errors in modern-day reasoning have derailed the study of mathematics and obfuscated the truth behind the veil of nature. I assert my belief that mathematics is the study of nature and the infinite, and nature must be fully unveiled in order to reach greater heights and understand deeper truths of the universe. This endeavor is blighted and restrained by the pedagogy of secular mathematics.

God has always purposed for man to take dominion over the Earth by understanding, classifying, observing, and taking pleasure in God’s works. Nickel asserts that only biblical Christianity can justify the ethic that undergirds the understanding and doing of mathematics. I am now inclined to agree after finishing this book. As Christians, we should envision and effect usage of motivated teachers that engage students to expose and explore the wonders of God’s creation through the gift of mathematics.

5/5 ⭐️

[Josiah Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read it, as I love math, philosophy, and God. But I just felt like I couldn’t trust him after reading a couple chapters. I disagreed every paragraph and he pulls quotes from people out of context to support his own view. It felt like he was straw manning everybody.

[Sco]

Nickel's work was one of the books the Lord used over a decade ago to bring me to a reformed understanding of the Faith. The book was a watershed for me then. Now, this 2nd and expanded edition, is even more thorough in its explanation of the Christian worldview and application to all of life. Currently, I have the pleasure of not only enjoying the book again, but reading through it with my oldest son. God is very good!

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR USES THE PROPERTY OF MATHEMATICS TO SUGGEST GOD

James Nickel is a mathematics teacher and a Christian educator. He has also written 'Lift Up Your Eyes On High: Understanding the Stars and The Incarnation of the Word and the Transformation of the Landscape of Mathematics.'

He wrote in the Introduction to this 1990 book, "As a result of almost a decade of research and teaching, the author has come to the conviction that there is a distinctive, biblical approach to mathematics; an approach that will not only convert any sceptic, but also provide a potent motivation to anyone involved in Christian education... the voice of God is NOT silent in mathematics... In school, our teachers probably taught us just the pure mechanics of the subject. To most, the 'chicken scratches' on the blackboard meant nothing more than that---chicken scratches. How any of it had any meaning to anything else was, well, a mystery. This book attempts to unveil the mystery of those chicken scratches. In so doing, the author hopes to show the real reason why mathematics teaching has created this mystery of meaninglessness."

He adds, "approaching mathematics from a Christian perspective will make a difference in mathematics education. A biblical Christian teacher will not be content to teach students JUST the mechanics of mathematics. A vast gold mine of history, philosophy, and breathtaking revelations of the manifold wonders of God's creation lie behind the mathematical formulas."

He points out, "To Pythagoras, number was mystically transcendent. He believed that the whole universe could be explained within the context of counting numbers. His discovery of counting number ratios in musical notes served to intensify his convictions... But his joy was short-lived... [the square root of 2] was termed an irrational number which originally meant 'beyond human reason.' In modern understanding, an irrational number is a number that cannot be written as the RATIO of two counting numbers. The discovery of this number dealt a mortal blow to the Pythagorean world view." (Pg. 8)

He observes, "Another fascinating numerical property found in God's creation is called the Fibonacci sequence. It was popularized by Leonardo of Pisa in the thirteenth century... the third term is the sum of the first two, the fourth the sum of the second and third, and so on. These numbers are so common to creation that in 1963, 'The Fibonacci Quarterly' began to be published by an organization called 'The Fibonacci Association.' The sole purpose of this publication is to document the occurrence of this sequence in nature!" (Pg. 86)

This interesting exposition of the "love" or mathematical quirks and philosophy will interest many readers (although I'm less convinced it will 'convert any sceptic").

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This contained a decent overview of the history of math with an emphasis on what the mathematicians seem to have thought about the grander of God. It got dry and dense in some spots, but overall, I am really glad I read it. The chapters on math education and teaching/pedagogy were helpful and somewhat more interesting. Some of the theological-type ideas seemed to be reaching, but I come from a different tradition than the author. I still got good ideas. I also got tired of hearing about Jaki and Rushdooney, and was a little concerned about him getting historical information from Francis Shaeffer. It seemed like he got so much of his information from the same few Christian mathematicians/historians.

The writing itself was lacking. For example, the author said that an article “literally dropped an atomic bomb on the foundations of mathematics.” So an article, which was published in 1930, dropped an atomic bomb — literally. Hahahaha. Okay, he’s a mathematician, not a grammar expert. Made me laugh, though.

I have purchased the author’s first volume in his textbook series to peruse. I look forward to reading it.

[Kyleigh Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nickel makes a great argument for the importance of a biblical worldview in mathematics and has some good ideas on how to make that happen.

It's a very long book, and if higher math isn't fresh on your mind, there will be numerous parts you can skip. The history section is interesting, but very long winded, and also gets very philosophical at times. I read this book my senior year of high school and probably understood it better then with math and philosophy fresher on my mind. I might have my kids read the whole thing their senior year, but more likely will just have them read the last two chapters on the application.

My personal application for it right now is to integrate more math-related observations into our nature walks, as well as bring more real-world application into our math lessons (though our curriculum is already fairly hands-on and practical).

He does rely heavily on Rushdoony and Jaki, which gets a little tiresome and makes the scope of his research seem a bit narrow. He also has a very negative view of Aquinas, which is highly debatable.

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, and very inspirational for me, both as a math teacher and as an individual with an (only recently discovered) interest in the subject. Alas, only when I finished it did I find out that I was reading the first edition, while the second edition is significantly expanded. So now I want to read the expanded one! Nickel’s main argument is that math is NOT a “neutral subject.” He supports his thesis very convincingly. One of the best parts of the book is the annotated bibliography of resources at the end. I now have a list to bring to the next library book sale!

[Michelle Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a math teacher or a home educator, this book is a must! It shows you how God is very evident in the study of mathematics, He authored the subject and He used mathematics in creating the world. There is evidence everywhere you look! This text traces the history of math, and at the end, it gives the teacher practical ways to kindle interest in mathematics from your students. It is a very impressive and thorough work!

[Jason Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, as it is much needed. Some good info in here, but doesn't fulfill its promise to the reader.

[Betsy Gant · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I have kids someday, this would be great for high schoolers to study through.

[Mark Minyard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this in 2016. Only thing I remember is the author's silly argument that rock music was nonlinear and chaotic and that wasn't pleasing to God. Pulled that one right out of his rear. Nah brah.

[Becky Carlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot begin to plumb the depth of this book, but I want to! I want to understand the history and development and work through every example!!

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In relation to my teaching career, this is possibly the most influential book I've ever read. My faculty adviser recommended it years ago, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't read it at the time. On the other hand, I think I appreciated it more now, having already wrestled somewhat unsuccessfully through the challenges of biblically integrating math in a meaningful way (not just slapping verses on things or repeating "God is a God of order" over and over). The author's points and perspective mesh with my theology and my philosophy of teaching, and with some of the thoughts I've had for a long time regarding biblical integration. More importantly, he doesn't leave you at the point where you're nodding along with him and saying "Yes, biblical integration needs to be authentic, it's extremely important, but HOW?!" He actually demonstrates through HIS writing how someone might teach math from a biblical worldview, in addition to stating it directly for those who miss the subtle brilliance of his writing. Which was me at times. All while engaging the reader with interesting anecdotes and a neatly woven chronological narrative of theology, philosophy, history, and math. Finally, the pedagogical discussions and lengthy bibliography are invaluable.

Reading about the Greek schools of thought greatly enhanced my understanding of the worldview underpinnings of current mathematicians. Nickel did an amazing job of following those philosophies through history and showing their reincarnations in those of today. Truly there is nothing new under the sun. I think my largely secular education placed me among those who tend to idolize rational thought, as did some of the Greeks. While reading, I recognized the unconscious doublethink in myself: on one hand fully acknowledging God's order and design in creation and believing that math is a reflection of that, and on the other hand marveling at the beauty of pure math, divorced from creation and existing abstractly in the mind. While pure math IS beautiful, I see that it's far too easy to become absorbed in it for its own sake, forgetting our responsibility to apply it for a better understanding of the world over which we're to have dominion. I found Nickel's thoughts to be helpful in correcting and refining some of my errant views, so that I can remain focused on giving God the glory and acknowledging his sovereignty in all things.

As his writing is very academic, I found it helpful to highlight the heck out of this thing. I marked anything that supported his thesis with stars, and kept a notebook of passages I might want to use in my teaching or in discussions with others. Lots of great quotes to use as discussion starters. I suggest reading as much of one chapter as you can in one sitting. He builds up to his thesis very slowly and thoroughly, leaving you wondering where he's headed for the first halves of some of the chapters. Then suddenly, it's in front of you and out comes the highlighter. He has awesome guided questions at the end of each chapter - I found them really helpful in figuring out what his main points were. Also made my job SO much easier in designing assignments to go along with this. :)

[Aubrey Amundson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An invaluable resource for the study of all things abstract and concrete. I drew from it a better understanding of the history of mathematics, contrasting its philosophical application in pagan classical thought leading to useless cyclical reasoning to its often overlooked Biblical function in structural, aesthetic and scientific analysis for the purpose of evangelical cultural dominion taking. The last two chapters are full of strategies for inspiring children with a love and delight in discovering God's order in creation, and contain a plethora of examples detailing how mathematical order as created by God is essentially aesthetic beauty and thus a knowledge of the former aids creativity in the latter (i.e. Fibonacci numbers in music, the golden rectangle in art and design, parabolic curves on suspension bridges).
But these things really only scratch the surface! The definitions and summary explanations of metaphysics, epistemology and ethics are the most helpful I've ever read. There is such a wealth of information I'm sure I will be referring to the index over and over again. Mr. Nickel's work stands alone in presenting a distinctively biblical approach to the study and application of mathematics centered around the fact that "God is the beginning and end of scientific research and striving", causing us to fall on our faces before Him in fear and joy and praise Him for His marvelous works!
"The works of the Lord are great, Studied by all who take pleasure in them." —Psalm 111:2

[Katherine Hannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mathematics: Is God Silent? is the resource that first opened my eyes to the fact that math could be viewed from a biblical worldview. A valuable reference book for any math teacher, this extensive book functions like a Christian encyclopedia on math. If you’re not a math person, you may find this book challenging to read because of its thoroughness and mathematical terminology, but it contains a lot of important mathematical information and is well worth the effort! In the first part of the book, you will find concepts and examples intertwined with a complete chronological history of math. The second part of the book explains how numerous math concepts reflect God’s character and are used practically. The book also looks at teaching techniques and failures, offers guidelines for teachers, and evaluates a host of resources you can use to teach, especially if you have older children. I find myself using this book over and over again.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very good informational book. I don't really like math, but I believe that God created it so I wanted to develop a better attitude toward math. My dad had this book and I finally got the chance to read it. It amazed me how many people devoted their lives to the study of math, and Mr. Nickel talks of many of them. If you don't have time to read the whole book I very much recommend reading the last chapter which if you teach math is very important. And since I plan on homeschooling it was very important to me as it talks about how many young people don't like math (hmm, really?) and it encourages the teacher to take a different approach and really get excited about what you are teaching so that the young people will see your enthusiasm and enjoy it more and be able to get more out of it.

[Raimund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite unique. If one could think of any subject which seems to be neutral it would be Math. Yet James Nickel shows the close link between Math and our world explained through the doctrine of creation. In Nickel's words, "A vast gold mine of history, philosophy, and breathtaking revelations of the manifold wonders of God's creation lie behind the mathematical formulae".


This book will expand the reader's horizon of understanding math, scripture, and scientific history in a way completely new way. Perhaps in this book lies the answer to our current math crisis in primary and secondary education.

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's almost unheard of to get a book like this - that looks at maths and the various discoveries of the last few centuries from a theological and philosophical point of view. You may disagree with many of Nickel's interpretations depending on your beliefs but what he does really well is move maths from being a pointless intellectual exercise we did in school to a position of being a wondrous language that God instilled in creation.

The question this book asks is - if mathematics is just a man-made system why does it work so well to explain the order of the universe? If there is no Creator, then why would we expect there to be order in this world?

Really thought-provoking.

[Marni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book! Surprisingly readable. Includes philosophy, history, worldview, and yes, math. Nickel shows why your worldview, your beliefs about what can be known and how/whether the universe began determine how you study math and whether you apply it to the real world. He argues that math must be studied in order to apply it to science and improving quality of life, that math can be studied because the universe was created by a transcendent and personal God, and that math should be learned in the context of history and philosophy and faith.

[Spenser White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! I can't cover it all in one short Goodreads review. First, Nickel has an engaging writing style; you won't be bored with his writing! Second, I loved learning the history of mathematics! Though over my head some of the time, I really enjoyed seeing the timeline of human discovery.
I regret my attitude of mathematics that I had all my life! I now see it in completely new light.
P.S. This book is not a textbook, but it does have some very good suggestions for teaching mathematics.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nickel offers a good historical and philosophical analysis of the development of mathematics. His development is far better researched, and consequently more factually based, than Mlodinow's "Euclid's Window." Nickel does a good job in relating developments in math and science to philosophical and religious frameworks, though at times he oversimplifies the connections and forces them into a pro-Christian framework that doesn't always fit neatly.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nickel systematically presents the connection between mathematics and God. He first takes us through a brief tour of the history of mathematics and then gives a broad picture of what a Christian math curriculum should look like. By no means is this a fascinating read with elegant prose but Nickel does an admirable job of calling Christians back to a Biblical worldview of the sciences. This is a must read for any Christian math teacher.

[Andre · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author gives a very full introduction to historic mathematicians and often analyzes how their worldview shaped their (or their culture's) work or approach to math. One major thesis -- that math represents the unity of the diversity of creation, just as there is unity in diversity in the trinity -- is consistently built througout the book. I found some of his other points or critiques less compelling and would recommend further study of them, perhaps in the author's lengthy bibliography.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book challenged me to think about numbers. I guess I always thought quantity just 'is' - kind of like time. Who can imagine a life without numbers or a time before time could be measured? Not that anyone 'invented' these things but rather developed a way to take dominion and organize them. This book probably deserves 5 stars but there was too much I didn't quite 'get'. It's going in my 'read again' pile to better grasp so much of what I missed on the first journey thru.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. You don't have to be a math guru like myself to understand it. I used to wonder where God is seen in the area of mathematics. This book opened my eyes to the infinite number of areas. There's a lot of history, but it's necessary in order to understand the Lord's leading throughout time.

[Carl Hellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easy to pick up and put down. It is basically a history of math and its premise is to show that God is a God of order; therefore, you can see this orderliness in math and the principles underlying math. It describes advances of math under many different cultures and time periods from the beginning to current times. I enjoyed it!

[Myron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cosmology, ontology, axiology, soteriology, epistemology, ethics, and teleology. Mathematics provides insight into each of these field of study. This is a provocative writing for those that have a basic appreciation for science from a biblical worldview. Readily understandable.