Persecution of scientists

From PhiloWiki

Did the Church persecute early scientists?

Christian views

• Strobel states that the Church's persecution of early scientists is exaggerated [Case for a Creator, p 162].
  • Copernicus was not persecuted for his proposal that the Earth revolves around the Sun [p 162].
  • Galileo received an "honorable detention and a mild reproof", and also received a Church pension [p 163].
  • Bruno was executed [burned at the stake] for heretical views, but not for his defense of Copernicus [p 163].

Secular views

• The Retreat of the Church after its Victory over Galileo - Andrew Dickson White, Warfare of Science with Theology

"Any history of the victory of astronomical science over dogmatic theology would be incomplete without some account of the retreat made by the Church from all its former positions in the Galileo case."