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Thomas ChalmersScottish mathematician, political economist and leader of the Free Church of Scotland
Date of Birth: 17.03.1780
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Thomas Chalmers
Early Life and EducationThomas Chalmers was a Scottish mathematician, political economist, and leader of the Free Church of Scotland. He was born on March 17, 1780, in Anstruther, Fife, Scotland. At the age of 11, he became a student at the University of St Andrews, where he dedicated himself almost exclusively to mathematics.
Early Career
In January 1799, Chalmers obtained the authority to preach the Gospel as a Presbyterian minister. In 1803, after attending courses and lectures at the University of Edinburgh and working as an assistant professor of mathematics at St Andrews, he was appointed as a minister in Kilmany. He continued to deliver lectures on mathematics, which generated great enthusiasm but were eventually stopped by the authorities. Undeterred, Chalmers opened his own mathematics classes, attracting a large number of students, while also lecturing on chemistry and fulfilling his duties as a minister in Kilmany.
Work in Glasgow
In 1815, Chalmers was appointed as a minister in Tron Church, Glasgow, despite opposition from the city council due to his evangelical teachings. His reputation as a preacher spread throughout the United Kingdom. His series of sermons on the connection between astronomy and Christian revelations was published in January 1817 and circulated in 20,000 copies across nine different editions. During his time in Glasgow, Chalmers made one of his most significant contributions by conducting experiments in parish organization. He recognized the causes of poverty, including personal influence, spiritual neglect, and the inexperience of some parish organizations in keeping up with the city's growing population. Chalmers proposed the construction of 30 new churches in Glasgow and worked to revive, reconstruct, and expand the old economy of Scotland. The city council agreed to build one new church for a congregation of 10,000 people, mostly weavers, factory workers, and laborers, which Chalmers was allowed to manage to test his system and prove its effectiveness.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1823, Chalmers gladly accepted an invitation to become the professor of ethics at the University of St Andrews. His lectures included discussions on moral obligations, particularly duties towards God. He made contributions to the field of ethics regarding the role and functions of will and attention, the non-derivative nature of moral sentiments, and the distinctions between perfect and imperfect obligations. His lectures ignited religious fervor among his students, and some of them dedicated themselves to religious work.
In November 1828, Chalmers was transferred to the chair of theology at the University of Edinburgh. On May 18, 1843, he led a group of 470 ministers who left the General Assembly and proclaimed themselves representatives of the Free Church of Scotland, with Chalmers at the helm. After his trip to London, where he spoke on the topic of popular education, Chalmers returned home to Morningside, near Edinburgh. He was busy preparing a report for the General Assembly on the Free Church, where he also served. On the morning of May 31, 1847, Chalmers was found dead in his bed, apparently having passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was buried in Grange Cemetery, and his funeral was attended by a large gathering of people from various denominations.
Chalmers was the first to advocate for religious institutions as they stood against Adam Smith's doctrine of "natural liberty," suggesting that religion, like other things, should be left to the natural law of supply and demand. His work in mathematics, economics, and theology, as well as his efforts in social reform and parish organization, continue to have a lasting impact.
