Catholic Church nursed and nurtured science in its early days. Let us look at the great Journey.
1. We have conflict thesis
Christianity was responsible for ancient Greek Science
Galileo ‘s copernicanism was condemned.
Towards the end of the 19th century were responsible to create this conflict view due to Draper -White conflict thesis .
Pope John Paul II rehabilitated Galileo and wrote a letter to the Scientists
2. Afred North Whitehead and Paul Davies on foundation of Science
Alfred North Whitehead said that science was born in Christianity
Paul Davis says that it is Christianity and Greek philosophy produced modern Science
Rodney Stark studied 52 scientists the founders of Modern Science ( 50 were believing Christian , 2 were agnostics of them 26 were catholics , 13 were clergy, of them 9 were catholic priests ( 4 of them were Jesuits).
Lawrence M Principe of Hopkins University says Catholic Church was responsible for the rise of modern science (2009).
Others like John Heilbron (1934-2023 ) and Thomas Woods (1972 – ) says that Church has played a great role in the development of modern science
3. Jesuit Science
William Asworth wrote on Jesuit science
George Sarton : if you throw a stone on mathematicians in the 16th and 17th century, It will land on Jesuit head
4. Important contributions by Catholic Clergy Men :
Nicholas Copernicus : Heliocentrism
Roger Biscovich : Atomic theory ..( Inspired Dalton)
Gregor Mendel : Genetics
George Lemaitre : Big Bang
5. Names and Honours
35 Lunar craters are named after the Jesuits
30 Astroids ( Astroids are formed between Mars and Jupiter ) are named after Jesuits
Seismology was called a jesuit Science.
Jesuits discovered the first two binary stars (Jean Fontenay and Jean Richaud )
6. In India
Jean Richaud a French Jesuit discovers a binary star
Jesuits used the telescope in India . It was used in Goa at Rachol and Diwar simultaneously. Maps of India were drafted by the Jesuits.
80 species of plants are associated with Jesuits . An insect is named after Jesuit Ignasi Muthu.
Fr Eugene Lafont of St. Xaviers Kolkata is responsible for the cultivation of Science
7. In China
we have Mathew Richee , Johann Adam who brought modern science.
8. In Rome
College Romano was a main centre of the Jesuits.
( Gregorian University and now Vatican Observatory)
Vatican Observatory started by Pope Gregory XIII in 1578. Now due to light pollution it is chiefly working in Arizona.
9 Science Society
The Pontifical Academy of Science was founded by Pope Piux IX in 1847.
Stephen Hawking was a life member of this academy in our times
Church in the middle ages Church contributed medicine .. ( in Goa in Rachol we had a Jesuit medical centre). We also contribution to bacteriology by Jesuit Athanasius Kircher .
10. Learning centres
Schools and Universities led to the teaching of Science (Jesuits are called the educators of Europe).
We have several Christians who have contributed to modern science . Louis Pasteur for instance was an exemplary French Catholic. Here we have mainly considered the contributions of the clergy.
