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Tuesday, February 08, 2000 Page: 6A
Galileo has recently been the subject of two letters by Mark Bielinski
(Jan. 23, Feb. 1), complaining about the play, “The Legacy of Galileo,”
presented at College Misericordia. While I don’t know the merits or accuracy
of the play, I do know that Mr. Bielinski’s characterization of the Roman
Church and Galileo is historically incorrect.
Mr. Bielinski claims that the Roman Church was merely trying to make sure
Galileo could prove his theory as fact before he taught nonsense in its
universities. This assertion is factually wrong.
In fact, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church was not interested in
proof or argument. The Roman Church rejected out of hand any attempt to prove
that the Earth went around the sun, seeing it as heretical and “contrary to
Holy Scripture.”
The pope ordered the inquisition to put Galileo on trial because Galileo
published a book, “The Dialogue on the Great World Systems” presenting both
sides – although it, and the facts, favored Copernicus’ heliocentric theory.
The inquisition used forged evidence and the threat of torture to condemn
Galileo, putting him under house arrest and forbidding him to teach or publish
for the rest of his life.
Just as important as his historical misrepresentation, I believe Mr.
Bielinski’s attitude toward the whole affair is dangerous. Since Galileo could
not prove this theory as fact, Mr. Bielinski feels that the Roman Church had
every right to punish him. Yet very few things can be proven as fact,
acceptable by all, especially about religion.
The Roman policy hindered scientific development in Catholic countries for
centuries. Should any powerful institution crush the search for new truth
because it believes it already holds the only, eternal answers?
Mr. Bielinski accuses “Legacy of Galileo” of being “an anti-Roman
Catholic bash-fest.” To criticize the Roman Church’s unjust oppression of
Galileo and its misguided confusion of astronomy with dogma is not bashing
Roman Catholics.
Instead, I hope that people will remember how Galileo stood for liberty of
intellectual inquiry and freedom of the press.
Brian A. Pavlac
Asst. Professor of History
King’s College
Wilkes-Barre