Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina PDF

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Paper on Galileo's Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina...

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Reading Response to “Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina” In an effort to challenge traditional forms of authority, Galileo writes this letter for the Grand Duchess Christina with the hopes that some agreement can be made to find a common standing ground between science and religion. Galileo would describe the ideal relationship between church and science as one of harmony and cohabitation. Galileo described the ideal relationship between Church and science in this way: that what the Bible says shouldn’t contradict what astronomers say and that astronomers should be able to maintain their conclusions if they have solid arguments in favor of their hypothesis. He says in his letter, “It [the Bible] does contradict them if what they affirm is false, for that is true which is spoken by divine authority rather than that which proceeds from human frailty.” Galileo quotes St. Augustine in order to suggest a possible reconciliation between Church and science. “St. Augustine opines that we are not to be concerned lest the Bible contradict astronomers; we are to believe its authority if what they say is false and is founded only on the conjectures of frail humanity. But if what they say is proved by unquestionable arguments, this holy Father does not say that the astronomers are to be ordered to dissolve their proofs and declare their own conclusions to be false.” Galileo supports both sides of the argument in order to create harmony and unity between the two perspectives. He quotes clergymen in respect to what the Bible says about science and the solar system and effectively communicates his desire to create harmony between theologians and scientists....