withallyourmind.net

On this day in 1564 Galileo Galilei was born. Galileo is often trumpeted as a hero in the triumph of rational science over religious superstition. His story is sometimes offered as the paradigm of how Christianity opposed science and reason. Often, one reads a simplistic representation of his conflicts with the Catholic Church, offered in support of this false claim. Galileo himself would have been quite surprised to be painted as a scientist opposed to religion. In fact, it was Galileo’s deep Christian faith which nurtured his scientific discoveries. He understood the importance of both special revelation and general revelation. These are not in conflict, but both give accurate, non-conflicting representations of reality. Galileo said:

God is known by nature in his works, and by doctrine in his revealed word.

Galileo quoted Augustine in order to show how science and scripture are not in conflict or contradiction:

And in St. Augustine [in the seventh letter to Marcellinus] we read: “If anyone shall set the authority of Holy Writ against clear and manifest reason, he who does this knows not what he has undertaken; for he opposes to the truth not the meaning of the Bible, which is beyond his comprehension, but rather his own interpretation; not what is in the Bible, but what he has found in himself and imagines to be there.”

So, Happy 544th Birthday, Galileo! Thanks for your contributions to science and faith.