Abstract
"This was a very private space for Faraday and we should tread carefully, not only to avoid breaking the delicate glassware that lines the shelves, but also because this is where Faraday communed with God's creation. Reverent silence is as appropriate here as in the Sandemanian meeting house." This description of his personal laboratory in the basement of the Royal Institution is also in a way a reflection upon the person of Michael Faraday. One of the most prominent scientists of the 19th century, Faraday was also a member of an obscure group known as the Sandemanians, or Glasites, which sought to restore Christianity as it was practiced in the first century. This aspect of Faraday's life, which has often been overlooked by biographers and historians, is the theme of Michael Faraday: Sandemanian and Scientist. Written by science historian Geoffrey Cantor, this book explores the relationship between faith and science in the life of Michael Faraday. It is the major premise of the author of this book that Christianity, or more specifically, Sandemanianism, was the central strand in Faraday's life. He argues that it is not possible to fully understand the person of Michael Faraday without considering this aspect of his life.