Richard J. Blackwell is professor emeritus of philosophy, Saint Louis University. He is the author of numerous books, including Behind the Scenes at Galileo's Trial (University of Notre Dame Press, 2008), and is translator of A Defense of Galileo, the Mathematician from Florence (University of Notre Dame Press, 1994).
"An interesting and important book on science and faith interacting
in the Galileo affair. [Blackwell] gives us many new insights and
describes well the conflict about Copernicanism as viewed by two
very important persons involved: Galileo, the observational
astronomer who was also an amateur exegete, and Bellarmine,
cardinal and inquisitor, who was also an amateur astronomer. This
book will make fascinating reading for students of modern and
ancient conflicts between religion and science." —Theological
Studies
"Blackwell's book admirably succeeds in its objective, which is to
present 'the intellectual ground occupied by serious Catholic
thinkers who stood, as it were, on the other side of the fence from
Galileo' during his conflict with the Inquisition. . . . Blackwell
writes lucidly, provides a useful bibliography, and, best of all,
translates many of the relevant documents, including Foscarini's
treatise." —Choice
". . . Blackwell has shed new light on an old controversy. His
scholarhip is impeccable, his insights sharp, his prose readable."
—America
"A study of Galileo's confrontation with the church over the
biblical assessment of heliocentrism from a theological perspective
with special emphasis on the role played by the views at that time
of the meaning, truth status, and authority of the Bible in the
Galileo affair. The author argues that the maintenance of
ecclesiastical authority, not the scientific issues themselves, led
to Galileo's trial. Nine appendices give translations of relevant
documents, writings, and correspondence of Galileo, Zuniga,
Bellarmine, Foscarini and Dini." —Philosophy of Science
". . . [A] fresh, close reading of key texts." —Journal of Modern
History
"Much has been written about Galileo, and a considerable amount
about Bellarmine, but no one recently has attempted a precise
account of the encounters between them from the viewpoint of all
the biblical, ecclesiastical, and scientific issues these involved.
Blackwell has now filled this lacuna in exemplary fashion,
providing an even-handed account that does full justice to the
parties involved. The result is a work that not only illuminates an
enigmatic episode in the history of the so-called 'warfare between
science and religion' but also prompts reflection on similar
episodes that surely lie ahead." —Catholic Historical Review
"Blackwell's book should be of interest to every theologian. He
makes us further in his debt by appending a generous (nearly
one-hundred-page) selection of documents pertinent to the debate as
they impinge on the question of biblical truth and scientific
observation." —Commonweal
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