John Ray (1627 – 1705) was born in England to a blacksmith father and an herbalist mother. John, at an early age, would spend a lot of time helping his mother collecting plants that she would later use to heal the sick. Many years later this passion for nature would earn John the name – “Father of English Naturalists.” According to the website famousscientists.org: “John Ray was a highly influential English naturalist and botanist whose contributions to taxonomy are considered groundbreaking and historic. He is also well-known in the world of botany for the establishment of species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy.”1
John was an exceptional student and at the young age of 16 enrolled at Cambridge University. Since he came from a poor family he paid his way through school by working as a servant to the university staff. His talents, however, did not go unnoticed and at the age of 24 became a full-fledged lecturer at the school.
Ray was a deeply committed Christian who often challenged his students to set their minds on the things of God instead of materialism. According to J. G. Crowther: “Ray suggested that, instead of devoting themselves to games and dissipations, they would gain more satisfaction from the contemplation of the wisdom and goodness of God, as demonstrated in the exquisite works of nature.”2 Throughout his tenure at Cambridge John could often be found researching the local flora and fauna with his students. This led to the publication of his first book on botany in 1660.
As providence would have it Ray was forced to leave his teaching post at Cambridge in 1662 over a dispute between his strong Puritan views and the more liberal views of the institution that he loved. But God honored his faith by bringing a former wealthy student of his, Francis Willughby, into his life. Willughby, a fellow naturalist, decided to financially support his former teacher, and together for the next ten years they made several trips throughout Europe doing research in the fields of botany and zoology. Not only that, but when Willughby died at the young age of 37 in 1672, he left ample funds in his will to support the continued scientific research of his former mentor.
As God would have it Ray’s dismissal became a turning point for him, allowing him to spend the remainder of his life doing research in a variety of fields in the world of biology. When God closes one door He always opens another for His faithful children.
For Ray’s remaining thirty-plus years of his life he went on to make many major contributions to the field of biology. Ray was the first scientist to specifically define what was meant by a species. His major work of cataloging plants laid the groundwork for their systematic classification which Linnaeus brought into modern form. He went on to author over twenty major works, many groundbreaking in the fields of botany and zoology.
For this humble man of God, he saw no conflict between his Christian beliefs and the nature of science. According to Ann Lamont: “Ray adamantly believed that all things—the heavens, the earth, and living organisms—were created by an infinitely wise and loving God. He believed that the infinite detail of the structure and function of living organisms was clear evidence of Divine wisdom. He expressed this in two widely read books. The second of these, entitled The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation, became a classic.”3
In addition to Ray’s scientific pursuits, he spent a lot of his time working to oppose the evolutionists of his day. Ray’s whole life was dedicated to the pursuit of science, which he saw as a legitimate field of Christian inquiry.
In summarizing Ray’s life, after his death, a friend wrote concerning his activities: “in his dealings, no man more strictly just; in his conversation, no man more humble, courteous, and affable; towards God, no man more devout; and towards the poor and distressed, no man more compassionate and charitable.”4
1 John Ray – Biography, Facts and Pictures (famousscientists.org)
2 John Ray—founder of biology and devout Christian – creation.com
3 John Ray—founder of biology and devout Christian – creation.com
4 John Ray—founder of biology and devout Christian – creation.com