Running head: TRIAL OF GALILEO GALILEI 1

Trial of Galileo Galilei

Michael R. McKenzie

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

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Trial of Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was a famous Italian scientist and scholar. He became a

proponent of the Copernican theory, introduced by Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), which

supports a sun-centered solar system, also known as a heliocentric model of the universe.

However, at this time in history, and approximately the previous 2000 years, everyone

recognized and accepted as fact that the earth was the center of the universe, also known as the

geocentric model of the universe. For Galileo to support and teach this theory during his time

presented many problems, but mostly with the Catholic Church. The Catholic Churchs

interpretation of the Bible was the sun is the center of the universe, and any other explanation is

blasphemy. Although the church did allow Galileo to teach and write about the heliocentric

theory, they required that he basically present the theory as science fiction. Through many

scientific observations Galileo became convinced the universe did indeed revolve about the sun,

and it became apparent to everyone in his teachings and writings. So, in 1632-1633 Galileo

Galilei was put on trial by the Catholic Church for heresy.

Upon learning of a new concept tool called a telescope in 1609, Galileo Galilei developed

one for himself. Improving on the original design, this new tool allowed him to observe and

chart stars. An early observation using his telescope was that the moons surface was not flat as

previously thought. In observing Jupiter, Galileo Galilei discovered it had multiple moons. He

also observed these moons had a parallax shift, thus indicating the moons rotated around Jupiter.

Realizing the moons he observed rotated around Jupiter, and not Earth, he began looking deeper
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into space. Following further observations, Galileo concluded that the Earth could not be the

center of the universe, but that the sun must be.

Galileos conclusions of a sun centered universe were a direct conflict with the Catholic

Churchs interpretation of the Bible. The Bible states in Joshua chapter 10, versus 12-13:

Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you moon, over the Valley of Aljalon. So the sun stood

still, and the moon stopped (The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, 2011). It is

clear that the sun has to be in motion for it to have stopped. To further support this

understanding we find in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, versus 5: The sun rises and the sun sets, and

hurries back to where it rises (The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, 2011). Now

lets recognize that the earth is motionless by reviewing 1 Chronicles chapter 16, versus 30:

Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it can not be moved. (The

Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, 2011).

Some might perceive that the Catholic Church was anti-science, thus condemning Galileo

Galileis work. However, this could not be further from the truth. Many highly respected

astronomers and scientists during this time in history were actually members of the clergy. The

Catholic Church provided both support and funding to notable scientist. Many of the scientific

advancements made were as a result of church funding or made by the Churchs clergy

(Peterson, Purnell, & Carnes, 2008).

The great philosopher and scientist Aristotle (384-322 BC) observed that the earth is the

center of the universe. His observations stood the test of time for almost 2000 years prior to

Galileo, and were the popular belief by almost all scientists in Galileos time. Galileo could

never fully prove the heliocentric theory of the universe based on an argument made by Aristotle.
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Aristotle argued that there would be observable parallax shifts in the stars if heliocentrism were

actually true.

Galileo Galilei was no doubt a historically brilliant scientist. His efforts provided much

scientific advancement for humankind. However, his theory of a heliocentric universe does not

appear to be one of those. The Catholic Church was justified in denying Galileos theory to be

fact. The heliocentric model stated everything in the universe revolved around the sun. It is fact

that the stars in the heaven do not revolve about the sun. However, the Bible provides all the

justification needed.
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References

Editors, B. (2016, May 1). Galileo Biography. Retrieved from The Biography.com website:

http://www.biography.com/people/galileo-9305220

Peterson, M. S., Purnell, L. F., & Carnes, M. C. (2008). The Trial of Galileo: Aristotelianism,

The "New Cosmology," and the Catholic Church, 1616-1633. New York: W. W. Norton

& Company, Inc.

Robert H. Brom, B. o. (2004). The Galileo Controversy. Retrieved March 3, 2016, from Catholic

Answers: To explain & defend the faith: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-galileo-

controversy

The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. (2011). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.