Papers read the Bible differently from the contemporary school of The Galileo affair: biblical interpretation, i.e. higher criticism, and therefore are criticised by the liberal theological establishment and by natural scientists. history or heroic The picture of the Vatican process against Galileo Galilei, used by the Hemmingers and others, is not drawn hagiography? from historical research but from heroic hagiography. The picture of a life-and-death battle between a completely nar- Thomas Schirrmacher row-minded Christian Church and an ingenious and always objective natural science in the Galileo affair depends on The 17th-century controversy between Gali- too many legends. leo and the Vatican is examined. Fifteen Examples of hagiographies on Galileo that are full of theses are advanced, with supporting legends are the biographies of the anthroposophical author, evidence, to show that the Galileo affair Johannes Hemleben,2 the official Galileo biography of the cannot serve as an argument for any posi- former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) by tion on the relation of religion and science. Ernst Schmutzer and Wilhelm Schütz,3 and the chapter Contrary to legend, both Galileo and the on Galileo in Fischer-Fabian’s book The Power of Con- Copernican system were well regarded science.4 by Church officials. Galileo was the victim There are many examples of a virtually religious of his own arrogance, the envy of his col- ‘adoration’ of Galileo 5 in juvenile6 as well as in academic leagues, and the politics of Pope Urban VIII. literature.7 He was not accused of criticising the Bible, I know of only one printed exhaustive answer by a but disobeying a papal decree. creationist (in the broad sense) to the misuse of Galileo’s trial by evolutionists. This appears in The Doorway Papers by the gap theorist Arthur C. Custance.8 An even more extended comment by creationists on the Galileo affair is necessary. This article will give a first evaluation and list Introduction important literature, but can only help to start discussion. Koestler is right when he states, ‘Few episodes in history The process against Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) in th have given rise to a literature as voluminous as the trial the 17 century is frequently used as an argument against of Galileo.’ 9 creationist scientists and theologians, who make their belief In view of more than 8,000 titles on the Galileo affair and in the trustworthiness of the Bible the starting point of their the 20 volumes of the complete works of Galileo himself, scientific research. Absolute faith in the Bible, critics say, one article cannot discuss all aspects of the whole issue. blinds creationists to scientific progress and hinders science. The following 15 theses will show why the Galileo affair Thus, Hansjörg and Wolfgang Hemminger wrote in their cannot serve as an argument for any position on the rela- book against creationism: tion of religion and science. I will mainly follow Galileo’s ‘Today’s Creationism … turns against the great 10 11 th th own writings, the biography by K. Fischer, A. Koestler’s Christian naturalists of the 15 and 16 century, research on the original documents of the Galileo process,12 against Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton. It the essay by A.C. Custance8 and the scientific research of repeats the proceeding against Galileo and argues the Czech author Zdenko Solle.13 in principle with the Inquisitors, for the issue at the The intent of the theses can be summarised with Koes- trial was, among other things, whether the natural tler’s judgment, ‘I believe the idea that Galileo’s trial was scientist had the freedom to set experimentation and a kind of Greek tragedy, a showdown between “blind faith” observation above Scripture …. Today’s Creationists and “enlightened reason”, to be naively erroneous.’ 14 in principle have the same standpoint as the Inquisi- It goes without saying that these theses do not intend to tors because they follow their empirical-biblicistic 1 defend the Inquisition or aim at denying any of the scientific method.’ value of Galileo’s thinking or research. But Solle is correct, This, of course, is nonsense. Galileo was a sci- when he writes, ‘The picture full of contrast, showing a entist who believed in the trustworthiness of the Bible and heroic scientist in front of the dark background of Inquisi- sought to show that the Copernican (heliocentric) system tion will develop many different nuances.’15 was compatible with it. He was fighting against the con- temporary principles of Bible interpretation which, blinded Thesis 1. The Copernican system was well by Aristotelian philosophy, did not do justice to the biblical regarded by Church officials text. Galileo was not blamed for criticising the Bible but for disobeying papal orders. Today, most creation scientists An open defence of the Copernican system was, in principle, without danger. The Ptolemaic system had been CEN Technical Journal 14(1) 2000 91 Papers The Galileo affair: history or heroic hagiography — Schirrmacher denied by many high officials and Jesuit astronomers even the Accademia dei Lincei (Academy of the Lynxes), before Galileo was born. As the example of the Imperial which he had founded.’ 24 Court astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), 16 proves, Galileo’s first written statement in favour of the many of them followed the Copernican system. Copernican system, his Letters on Sunspots, was met with ‘The Jesuits themselves were more Copernican much approval and no critical voice was heard. Among than Galileo was; it is now well recognized that the the cardinals who congratulated Galileo was Cardinal reason why Chinese astronomy advanced more rap- Barberini, who later became Pope Urban VIII and would idly than European astronomy was simply because sentence him in 1633.25 In 1615, an accusation against Jesuit missionaries communicated to them their Galileo was filed but denied by the Court of Inquisition. Copernican views.’17 From 1615 till 1632, Galileo enjoyed the friendship of many ‘While Martin Luther called the author of De cardinals and the different popes.26 revolutionibus orbium coelestium [i.e. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543)] a “fool”, which will turn Thesis 3. Envy, not religion, was the trigger “the whole art of Astronomiae upside down”, the book had not been fought by the Vatican. It was seen The battle against Galileo was not started by Catholic as a “mathematical hypothesis”, but had already officials, but by Galileo’s colleagues and scientists, who been used as an aid in astronomical calculations were afraid of losing their position and influence. The for a long time. Only some time after leading Jesuit representatives of the Church were much more open to the scientists like Pater Clavius had Copernican system than were the agreed to the trustworthiness scientists and Galileo’s colleagues. of Galileo’s observations, did Galileo avoided and delayed an Copernicus and his followers open confession in favour of the become “suspicious”.’ 18 Copernican system in fear of his im- The book by Copernicus mediate and other colleagues, not in was not placed on the Vatican In- fear of any part of the Church.27 dex19 until 1616 to 1620 and was This was already true of Co- readmitted to the public after some pernicus himself. Gerhard Prause minor changes.20 Only Galileo’s summarises the situation: Dialogo remained on the Index from ‘Not in fear of those above 1633 till 1837.21 him in the Church — as is often wrongly stated — but because Thesis 2. Galileo was well he was afraid to be “laughed at regarded by the Church and to be hissed off the stage” — as he formulated it himself — by Until the trial against him, Gali- the university professor, did he leo stood in high esteem among the refuse to publish his work “De Holy See, the Jesuits and especially revolutionibus orbium coeles- the popes of his lifetime. His teach- tium” for more than 38 years. ings were celebrated. Galileo’s visit Only after several Church of- to Rome in 1611, after he had pub- ficials, especially Pope Clemens lished his Messenger from the Stars, Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) VII, had requested it, did Coper- ‘was a triumph’.22 ‘Pope Paul V nicus finally decide to publish welcomed him in friendly audience, his work.’ 28 and the Jesuit Roman College honoured him with various Only a few scientists living in Galileo’s time con- ceremonies which lasted a whole day.’ 23 Jean-Pièrre Maury fessed publicly that they followed Copernicus. Some did writes about this visit: so secretly, but most denied the Copernican system.29 ‘Now Galileo’s discoveries have been acknowl- ‘Thus, while the poets were celebrating Galileo’s edged by the greatest astronomical and religious discoveries which had become the talk of the world, authorities of his time. Pope Paul V received him in the scholars in his own country were, with a few private audience and showed him so much reverence, exceptions, hostile or sceptical. The first, and for that he did not allow him to kneel down in front of some time the only, scholarly voice raised in public him, as was usual. Some weeks later the whole Col- in defence of Galileo, was Johannes Kepler’s.’ 30 legio Romano gathered in the presence of Galileo Beside this, the Church represented not only the officially to celebrate his discoveries. At the same interests of theologians but also the interests of those scien- time, Galileo met all the Roman intellectuals, and tists who were part of the orders of the Church. The Order one of the most famous among them, Prince Federico of the Jesuits, who were behind the trial against Galileo, des Cesi, asked him to become the sixth member of included the leading scientists of that day.