Facts

Galileo supported Corpernius views that the sun was the center of the universe. Galileo also stated the laws for falling bodies. These theories or laws contradicted the Bible teachings and threatened the Church’s authority.

Conflict with the Church

Galileo took the new telescope and observed the 4 moons around Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, the phases of Venus, which supported the heliocentric theory. He also discovered spots on the sun and craters on the moon contradicting the Church’s view that the heavens were perfect and the earth was the center of the universe. Galileo wrote his findings in the vernacular so most everyone could understand which further antagonized the Church.

Threatened by torture, Galileo was forced to recant his findings. However, Galileo’s findings and his ideas spurred others on to observe and reason giving way to the empirical method of observation and drawing conclusions.

Galileo wrote the Grand Duchess, Christina, justifying his findings by stating that the Bible and science were both right. The bible teaches about God and not the heavens above.