The Galileo Controversy
The debate between Science and Religion is probably the most ancient, most complex, and the most capable of changing the thought pattern as well as the moral guidelines (Biema D.V. ,2006). What were Galileo Galilei's conflicts with the Roman Catholic Church? It was not a simple conflict between science and religion, as usually portrayed. It was rather a conflict between Copernican science and Aristotelian science which had become Church tradition. In the spring of 1633, Galileo Galilei, an Italian scientist, was delivered before the dreaded Roman Inquisition to be tried on charges of heresy. He was denounced, according to a formal statement, "for holding as true the false doctrine . . . that the sun is the center of the world, and immovable, and that the earth moves!" The statement went on to read that "the proposition that the sun is the center of the world and does not move from its place is absurd and... heretical, because it is expressly contrary to the Holy Scripture!" Galileo was found guilty and forced to renounce his views. He was sentenced to a life of perpetual imprisonment and penance. Galileo stood trial, was found guilty and spent the last eight years of his life in house arrest over the issue of geocentrism.
Galileo's big mistake was attempting to defend the Bible. He really loved the Bible but would have probably been better off if he hadn't dabbled in religion. Galileo knew the Church's interpretation of the Bible had to be altered because science was proving it wrong. At the time the Church felt that only they had supreme authority to interpret the Bible. The Church got pissed off when Galileo started teaching a modified interpretation of the Bible which wouldn't conflict with what he knew science was proving to be true. The new interpretation of the Bible was contrary to what the Church believed, and the Church had complete governing power to enforce its belief and sentence Galileo for heresy. Majority of the Catholic...