In February of 1616 Galileo’s belief in Copernicus’ theory, in which the sun was thought to be immovable and the centre of the universe, while the earth revolved around it, became very popularized and well known. Galileo found his ideas harshly criticized by the Jesuits, specifically Father Lorini of Florence. He was brought before the Bishop of Lodi, of the Holy Office, in 1616. The Bishop condemned Galileo’s heliocentric beliefs as heretical, and Galileo was made to renounce his beliefs, and no longer discuss them in anyway. The trial took place at the palace of Lord Cardinal Bellarmine, in Rome, and Reverend Badino Nores, Agostino …show more content…
Mongardo, acted as witnesses along with members of the household.
b) Briefly outline the steps in the trial (starting with the admonition and ending with the recantation) (6)
A committee from the Inquisition in Rome, announced that Copernicus’ Heliocentric theory was heretical in 1616.
Galileo was summoned to the home of Lord Cardinal Bellarmine, where he was presented before the Bishop of Lodi, who rebuked Galileo’s heretical beliefs, and then prohibited Galileo from discussing his work in anyway, although the transcript was never signed leading historians to doubt its authenticity. In 1618 three comets appeared in the sky, leading Galileo to write his Discourse on Comets in 1619, which discredited the beliefs of the Jesuits. Pope Paul V died in 1623, and his successor, Pope Urban VIII, felt more amiable towards Galileo’s astronomical discoveries, and allowed him to openly discuss his ideas as long as they remained ideas and not theories. Galileo began working on his Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, and in 1632 gained approval for it to be published. The book was was very popular, and very problematic for the Church, about six months after its first printing, the Pope ceased all publications of the book and commissioned it for review under a special committee, from their, the matter passed onto the Inquisition in Rome. Galileo was brought before the Inquisition in 1633, despite having been declared too ill to travel. After being thoroughly examined, and suffering through his illness, Galileo pleaded guilty in order to receive a lesser sentence. He recanted the statements made in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, and was put under house-arrest until his death in
1641.
c) What were the main arguments of Galileo and the Cardinal?(10)
In his first trial, although it was recorded that Galileo was reprimanded for heliocentric beliefs, and forbidden to discuss them, Galileo defended himself to the counsel by declaring that he was only told that Copernicus’s idea were held in contempt by the Church and believed to be heretical. He was able to produce a letter written to him by the Lord Cardinal Bellarmine, which supported his this claim. Galileo also argued that it had been such a long time since the trial, that if he had been told not to defend his ideas, then he must have forgotten. He claimed to have written his book to follow the censorship of the Supreme Inquisitor as closely as possible, to avoid its prohibition. He did not hide any of the ideas in his book, but wrote for his own glory, but wrote that he was willing to correct any faults found within his writing. He also reminded counsel to consider his sickly state, old age and poor mental health, and take pity.
The Cardinal condemned Galileo for teaching his disciples the beliefs held by Copernicus, for publishing his “Letters On Sunspots” which supported these beliefs, and his own development of the heliocentric theory, since this opinion had been banned in 1616 and heliocentric view denounced. The Cardinal felt that the Bishop had dealt kindly with Galileo in his first trial in which Galileo had been ordered to drop his beliefs of the false doctrine and no longer teach it, discuss it, or defend it, lest he should be imprisoned. The trial had been witnessed in the presence of Cardinal Bellarmine, and the Holy Congregation forbade any books which adhered to or reflected said doctrine, because they contradicted Scripture. Yet Galileo’s book Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, supported this theory and openly discussed it, the council examined the book, and found it to be in violation of the Church’s beliefs.
d) Why were Galileo’s views considered heresy?(4)
The Church used Biblical passages such as Joshua 10, and Psalm 104 which they interpreted to mean that the earth was stationary, and the center of the universe. Joshua 10:13 says: “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.” This was taken to mean that normally the sun moved through the sky from morning till night, but on this day, God kept the sun and moon from moving until the Israelites were avenged. In Psalm 104:5 it says “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.” Which claims that God laid made the earth with foundations to be unmoved, and remain forever.
Galileo’s beliefs were considered heretical, because they seemed to go against the teachings of the Bible, and break apart the Church’s basic understandings of the world. The Bible implied that the earth stood still, and the sun moved. If Galileo proved that the earth moved, and the sun stood still, he would be able to discredit the parts of the Bible, and then the whole Bible may be proven false. The church was such a fundamental part of society at the time, that if the Bible turned out to be a lie, their whole way of life could be turned upside down and torn apart. This was so inconceivable to the church, that they refused to consider Galileo’s ideas, and instead claimed that they were absurd, and heretical.