Russell and “Numerology”
Some have claimed that Russell is “into” numerology, with the idea that
Russell was into some kind of demonic occultism, or spiritism. In reality, Russell was not into any kind of spiritisic numerology. What does the word “numerology” mean?
nu⋅mer⋅ol⋅o⋅gy
noun
the study of numbers, as the figures designating the year of one’s birth, to determine their supposed influence on one’s life, future, etc.
Some, however, not knowing the background of the word numerology, have misapplied that word to the Biblical study of the Biblical numerics. Thus, some references speak of Biblical numerology, which in reality has nothing to do with the kind of “numerology” that is usually associated with the word. As far as we can determine, Russell never applied to word “numerology” to the study of numbers in the Bible; indeed, we cannot find any place where he ever used the word “numerology” at all. Of course, a study of the numbers in the Bible has nothing at all to do with spiritisic numerology.
