Galileo, Science and the Church, by Jerome J. Langford, are about the trials and
tribulations of Galileo with the Roman Catholic Church in the 1600’s. The
church did not agree with Galileo’s ideas; mainly theories associated with
Copernican astronomy. The primary intention of Langford is to bring the truth of
Galileo’s trials to his readers, and to show that ultimately Galileo was
correct in his theories and was not trying to go against the churches’ belief.
Galileo was merely trying to seek truth in science, and wanted to be known as a
historical scientific figure. Therefore, Galileo was unjustly accused,
ridiculed, and convicted of heresy. In Galileo’s defense of heresy, Langford
writes, “ This was an unfortunate decision on several accounts. First the
Copernican opinion was treated as heretical when, in reality, it was not.”
(155) Langford goes on to explain that the theological Consultors in 1616
recognized the earth’s mobility as “formally heretical”, but this did not
make the immobility of the earth a matter of faith. Catholic philosophers and
theologians also agree that the decree of the Holy Office did not make the
immobility of the earth or the mobility of the sun a matter of faith. These
points clearly support the argument of Galileo’s unjust conviction of heresy.
Langford also uses excerpts of other writings to illustrate his main points. The
following is one of many excerpts Langford uses: “ Inasmuch as no dogmatic
decision was rendered in this case, either on the part of the Pope or on the
part of a Council ruled by the Pope and approved by him, it is not, by virtue of
that decree of the Congregation, a doctrine of faith that the sun is moving and
the earth standing still.... Yet every Catholic is bound by virtue of obedience
to conform to the decree of the Congregation, or at least not to teach what is
directly opposed to it.”(156) This excerpt, as do many others, clearly support
Langford’s argument. The church disagreed with Galileo’s thoughts. They
actually went as far as telling Galileo that he was to stop preaching his ideas
as long as he was involved with the church. Langford writes, “Yet, recalling
the tone of the prohibition, Urban conceded that so long as Galileo treated the
Copernican theory as a hypothesis, he could write all he wanted on the
subject.” (114) If he would leave the church, he would be able to voice his
opinions and ideas freely. I believe Langford’s clever use of excerpts; prove
that he is not alone in his belief that Galileo was wrongly accused. He also
gets his point across by noting that the immobility of the earth is not a matter
of faith. This alone demonstrates that Galileo did not commit heresy. My opinion
is that the church should have allowed Galileo to voice his opinion of the
Copernican theory because he was trying to seek the truth in science, to better
educate the world, not trying to go directly against the church. Therefore,
Langford has succeeded in his belief that Galileo was unfairly convicted of
heresy.

GALILEO'S ASTRONOMY
By Allama Muhammad Yousuf Gabriel
Our unscientific philosopher has rightly remarked that Galileo's astronomy has affected a great revolution of thought. Indeed a revolution. A revolution not of thought only, but the revolution of mind also along with the revolution of earth. That is, the mind of man was at comparative rest when the earth was considered as stationary. But later, when it was believed that the earth was in rotation, mind of man also assumed rotation along with the earth. Since that day peace has left the mind, and the mind is in constant revolution. The discovery, of Galileo might mean much to the astronomers, but to the humanity in general he did no more than a topsyturvification of the former Ptolemic system. That is whereas ptolemy held the earth at rest by his right hand and moved the firmament with his left around the earth, Galileo after his life-long watching, held the sun stationary by his left hand and moved the earth around the sun by his right. This fact so trivial in itself, has indeed topsyturveyed the whole world. It caused a science-religion conflict as fierce as rent the heavens of humanity's mind. It has reversed the entire outlook of man. It has snatched away all the peace and rest from human mind. It is like a man walking on his hands, head down, and legs up like an acrobat. The denizens of this earth who before the discovery of earth's motion had gone about their business with a confidence that the earth beneath their feet, was at rest and reliable; are now seen in their hard endeavour to catch up with furiously racing earth, they being mercilessly tossed about; their bellies convulsed by the jerks and jumps , their hats flying backwards in the fierce back-rush of wind and they with their mouths wide open struggling to keep their balance, rising and falling alternately. And when we see this our condition, we are reminded of a verse of the Quran which reads:-
"Is he, therefore, who goeth groveling upon his face, better directed than he who walketh upright in a straightway?".
(Quran 67 ¸22)
It is amusing to observe Milton, in the midst of raging controversy about the rotation of earth, chanting his worthy verse and wonderful thought in so detached a manner:-
What if the sun,
Be center to the world, and other stars
By his attractive venture and their own
Incited, dance about him various rounds?
Their wandering course, now high, now low, now hid,
Progressive, retrogressive or standing still,
In six thou seest and what if seventh to these,
The Planet earth, so steadfast though she seem,
Insensibly three different motions move.
(Paradise Lost Book VIII)
The Quran says also and astonishingly so:-
"Say: Unto whom (belongeth) the earth and whosoever is therein, if ye have knowledge? They will say: Unto Allah. Say: Will ye not then remember? Say: Who is Lord of the Seven heavens, and Lord of the Tremendous Throne? They will say: Unto Allah (all that belongeth). Say: Will ye not then keep duty (unto him) ? Say: In Whose hand is the dominion over all things and He protecteth, while against Him there is no protection, if ye have knowledge? They will say: Unto Allah (all that belongeth). Say: How then are ye bewitched?".
(Quran 23 ¸ 84 to 89)
Now whether the earth moved around the sun or the sun moved around the earth, or both moved around each other in a dance, or whether earth moved from West to East or East to West, what should all this mean to us mortals who have but to sojourn for a while in the earth and then leave it as strangers. The significance has to be attached to Him who owns all this. The real Master. And our ability, entity, genius and power be directed towards finding out the reality of Him who created all this that we see, touch, taste, hear and smell but fail to understand further the ultimate reality. And let the Creator be the object of our search, whether through his material works, the objects of our sense, or through the inner world of mind, for, that also is a world in itself, complete. Or else we die, all of us, and our boat sinks in atomic hell.
Allama Muhammad Yousuf Gabriel
Adara Afqar e Gabriel QA Street Nawababad Wah Cantt Distt Rawalpindi Pakistan
www.oqasa.org
yousuf_gabriel@yahoo.com