This Week in Christian History: Pascal Dies, WCC Founded, St. Bartholomew's Massacre

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, August 19, 2018

Blaise Pascal Dies - August 19, 1662

A portrait of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), notable French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher. | (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

This week marks the anniversary of when Blaise Pascal, notable French mathematician, scientist, and religious philosopher, died from a malignant stomach tumor at age 39.

A native of Clermont-Ferrand, France, Pascal is credited with many discoveries and inventions, including an early calculator, a roulette machine, and reportedly, an early type of wristwatch.

Pascal also made pioneering advancements in scientific research on multiple fields, influencing the course of geometry, physics, and even computer science.

He was also a devout Christian who developed the well-known "Pascal's Wager," which argued that believing in the Christian God carried eternal significance while not believing in God has no downside, therefore it makes more sense to believe in God even if you're not fully convinced of His existence.

"Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is ... If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is," wrote Pascal.

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