The Galileo Affair

1
The Galileo Affair

• Ptolemy (2nd century)
• Copernicus (d. 1543)
• GALILEO Galilei (1564-1642)
• Cardinal Robert Bellermine
• Pope Urban VIII
• Pope John Paul II

2
from Geocentric to Heliocentric cosmology

• Geocentrism (Ptolemy)
• logical to senses (vision, motion,
  non-experiment)
• teaching of ancients
• Biblical affirmation
• Heliocentrism (Copernicus ... Galileo)
• development of telescope
• theory (hypothesis) or fact? (verified 1851)
• biblical (mis)interpretation?

3
The Trials!

• 1616 censured
• 1629/32 publication of A Dialogue on Two Great
  World Systems
• 1633 house arrest
• 1981-1992 study, report, conclusions directed
  by John Paul II

• Galileos personality
• Popes umbrage
• jealous scientists
• erroneous judges
• disciplinary vs. doctrinal

4
Lessons Learned

• truth cannot contradict truth!
• science is premised on cosmos, not chaos
• science and faith are distinguished, not opposed
• horizontal AND vertical development

5
Thoughts to Consider

• The Bible teaches how one goes to heaven, not how
  the heavens go. (Galileo)
• Religion without science is blind science
  without religion is lame. (Einstein)
• Science can purify religion from error and
  superstition. Religion can purify science from
  idolatry and false absolutes. (John Paul II)

6
the new problem ... SCIENTISM

• Steven Weinberg
• Harvard University
• 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics

• One of the great achievements of science has
  been, if not to make it impossible for
  intelligent people to be religious, then at least
  to make it possible for them not to be religious.
  ... (G)ood people can behave well and bad people
  can do evil but for good people to do evil
  that takes religion.