Essay about Galileo and the History of the Catholic Church

In this paper, I will discuss how three influential scholars in this order: Augustine, Aquinas, Galileo, delimit science or the bible and the ways their beliefs overlapped or didn’t.

Galileo’s Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems uses powerful logic and simply described concepts to overcome the Aristotelian bias of the populous and argue in favor of Copernicus’ heliocentric view of the universe. Copernicus theorized that the earth, along with the other planets in the sky, is in motion around the sun. The Aristotelian’s geocentric worldview, that the earth is the motionless center of the universe, was deeply ingrained into the minds of the people and the teachings of the church. Galileo’s argument had to be not only incisive and logical to have any sway, but it also had to avoid offending or denying the ancient principles of thought proposed by Aristotle. He walked this delicate line between educating the public and

In summer of 1609, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) pointed his revolutionary astronomical telescope to the heavens under the starry Venetian sky; his greatly important observations unveiled the mysteries of universe and would end up changing the course of scientific thought forever. Galileo lived in an age where there was much status quo, when scientists and philosophers would accept scientific and religious doctrine that had stood for hundreds, if not thousands, of years instead of challenging the accepted knowledge in favor of intellectual progress. Galileo’s scientific methods lead to significant discoveries explaining key scientific laws, such as the

Correspondence between French Intellectuals, such as Pierre Gassendi and Marin Mersenne, gave insight into the meditations of those who did not falter to defend Galileo. Sarasohn states, “Gassendi and Mersenne were sincere Catholics and their response to Galileo’s troubles shows the complex nature of the effect of the condemnation on individual Catholic natural philosophers and on the progress of the Scientific Revolution itself in France” (36). Sarasohn reinforces that the French figures of this age, because they are in association with the Gallican Church, grasped scientific ideas contrary to the rest of Catholic Europe. Therefore, Sarasohn is undeniable when she claims, “this work [letters of correspondence] is indispensable to the study of intellectual life in this period” (35: Footnote 2). Her evidence of correspondence verifies that French intellectuals supported Galileo and scientific activity did not stand

In the early medieval period, the masses believed that earth was at the center of the universe and everything revolved around it. “...the judgement of many centuries has approved the view that the Earth remains fixed as center in the midst of the heavens…” Nicolaus Copernicus thought that this idea was absurd and continued to explain that the Earth actually moves. He was afraid to even discuss the idea as anyone during the period would just reject it immediately. The Earth being flat was in part influenced by religion and by writing his theories, he was almost apologetic for suggesting the heavens were different from what almost all people believed. “...that the earth is situated in the third sphere and revolves with great speed around the sun, is a very dangerous thing, not only by irritating all the philosophers and scholastic theologians, but also injuring our holy faith and rendering the Holy Scriptures false.” The change in culture was seen as a danger to religion as the new ideas went against a lot of factors in religion. The strict religious ideas caused almost a cultural revolt for new ideas. But because religion was being changed radically, it left room for new ideas like this to start spreading to the

This is quite ironic, considering the Church originally did not want Galileo's findings held as true in fear that they would lose their credibility in interpretation the Bible. The Church's apology does bring unity between science and faith, with Galileo writing to the Duchess Christina of Tuscany that "He [God] would not require us to deny sense and reason in physical matters of direct experience," (Document A). When the Church finally recognized Galileo's studies as scientifically correct and proven, it shows that religion can coincide with science and that one can be based off of another. Although there is still conflict today regarding theological beliefs and scientific findings, the Church's apology was the stepping stone for acceptance among people and ideas globally. In conclusion, the apology to Galileo has made a profound effect on the way science and religion interact in today's society and how having an open mind to ideas everywhere can change the way one perceives the

The Catholic church has performed many acts of injustice in order to retain their power and influence throughout the world. One of the most prominent acts in the world of science was the prosecution of Galileo Galilei. Galileo had become the father of modern science, due to his scientific breakthroughs revolutionizing modern technology. However, Galileo’s supporting argument for the Copernican heliocentric theory of the universe had caught the Church’s attention, and they would go on to accuse Galileo of heresy, forcing him to spend the rest of his life under house arrest. The battle between Galileo and the Holy Office was a long and treacherous one with Galileo being condemned not once, but twice. This led to a

Religion and science have always been conflicting studies. Religion, being based on faith, relies on the supernatural to explain life and being. Science, on the other hand, cannot do this. Scientists need to eliminate the possibility of the unexplainable in order to maintain and control group by which to measure other groups. The unexplainable I refer to are the miracles that are commonplace in all supernatural religions. Galileo lived in a time where church was state. The land was ruled according to the words of the bible, and anyone in opposition would be in contempt. Galileo's scientific findings were therefore strongly shunned by the church. In 1615 Galileo attempted to explain how these findings came to be

Galileo gave more emphasis to mathematical arguments rather than to experimental or physical arguments in

Throughout history, examples of technological advances against the approval of the general populations are in abundance. In the early to mid 1600’s, Galileo Galilei made many scientific and mathematical discoveries. However, in this time period, many did not agree with his claims as when the Church ordered Galileo to keep quiet about his theories about the Earth orbiting around the Sun.

There will always be a battle between religion and science, it is a truth universally acknowledged. Galileo attempted to make the two compatible by suggesting that the truth can only be sought out if the notion under consideration can be accurately tested and if the opposing view can be founded as false. Galileo’s goes into depth about the truth of scripture and the sciences, intertwined with the reason of man, in his letter to Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of

The apology to Galileo is very significant and it does displays that the church is aligning itself with science but it has a long way to go before more ideas are accepted as well. Finally acknowledging and apologizing to Galileo means the Church is at long last "poised to rectify one of the Church's most infamous wrongs"(1, Cowell) At the time of Galileo’s discoveries Galileo, the Church was also combating the rise of Protestantism. Galileo’s choice to go against the church and to question their interpretation when in 1543 it had been declared that “only the church could interpret the Bible” (Heliocentrism ad the Catholic Church Timeline), had not been wise. Galileo had been charged with heresy due to the “proposition that the sun is in the

By resisting against the Catholic authority and publishing the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, he demonstrated that the value of knowledge can transcend the fear of religious condemnation. From his letter to the duchess of Tuscany, it is evident that Galileo recognized and refuted the church’s application of the Bible to scientific endeavors that permeated society. As the Bible consists of allegorical fables and symbolic proverbs, its ambiguity subjects the reader to interpretation. During this time period, the church designated its own interpretation of the Bible as the quintessential perception of insight and morals that the public should abide in order to lead righteous lives, which Galileo combatted. This view allowed

Another important figure in the Scientific Revolution was Galileo Galilei. He was an Italian born professor of mathematics who had a great interest in the workings of the universe. Galileo served as a professor at the University of Padua, and it was during this time that he began to question the accuracy of the Churches representation of the world. Galileo’s approach towards knowledge was much different then the afore mentioned Copernicus. Where as Copernicus presented his finding to the mercy of the church, Galileo wrote his conclusions and left the Roman Catholic Church interpret them as they chose. The very nature of his findings pitted him as an opponent of the church.

The Catholic Church played an important role at the time when all the works in which the movement of the earth was admitted, Catholics were forbidden to teach, and even read, the Copernican theories. The “Copernican Theory” modeled some problems of enormous importance for Christian’s obviously theological nature. Leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin told us that Scripture brandished against Nicolaus Copernicus and provoked repression against its followers, but generally abandon the fight Protestantism once the “Theories of Copernicus” were confirmed with indisputable evidence. In this paper, I will first evaluate the history about how “Copernican Theory” and its model of the earth came into existence. I will also analyze the “Copernican Theory” in light of Churches idea of the earth being flat. I will ultimately argue that Nicolaus Copernicus played an important role in the history of Philosophy of Science.