The Catholic Times had an article featuring the Church's interest in astronomy. An interest deeply connected to its history.
The calendar we use today, the 'Gregorian calendar,' is also the result of the church's long-standing astronomical research. Going further back, the fact that the date for the celebration of the Lord's Resurrection could be determined at the Council of Nicaea in 325 was based on astronomical knowledge that allowed calculation of the vernal equinox and the full moon.
Above all, the Bible tells us that the first people to worship Jesus when he was born in this world came following a 'star.' These were the Magi from the East. In his 2009 Epiphany sermon, Pope Benedict XVI explained, 'The Magi, who were astronomers, observed the appearance of a new star in the sky and understood this phenomenon as a sign heralding the birth of the King of the Jews, as foretold in the sacred Scriptures.' He continued, 'Even today, thanks to the passion and faith of many scientists following in the footsteps of Galileo, the Christian understanding of the universe demonstrates interesting new signs that unfold without abandoning reason or faith, allowing both to bear fruit together.'
Following the successful launches of Nuri and Arirang-7, interest in space and astronomy in Korea is growing. While observing the stars and conducting research are often regarded as the domain of secular scientists, the Church has long shown a profound interest in astronomy. Why does the Church look to the 'stars'?
When it comes to the Church and astronomy, many people think of the 'trial of Galileo Galilei.' The debate over the heliocentric and geocentric models is often perceived as a conflict between faith and astronomy, but in fact, before Galileo, the heliocentric theory was systematically established by the priest Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543).
Even afterward, priests continued to leave their mark on the history of astronomy. Father Christoph Scheiner (1575–1650) was a representative astronomer who left systematic records of sunspots through telescopic observations. Father Benedict Sestini (1816–1890) was the astronomer to first begin classifying and cataloging the 'colors' of stars.
Jesuit priests also played a major role in astronomy, which is why today, 33 craters on the Moon are named after Jesuit priests. Furthermore, Father Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) was the first to propose the ‘Big Bang theory,’ which is the most widely recognized theory explaining the origin of the universe today.
The fact that the Church has produced such distinguished priest-astronomers demonstrates its deep interest in astronomy. Astronomical discoveries like the heliocentric model and the Big Bang theory might seem to contradict the teachings of the Bible, but the Church teaches that such discoveries actually allow a deeper understanding of God’s creative mystery. Since 1891, the Vatican Observatory has been operated by the Holy See, conducting research in astronomy and space science for precisely this reason.
The Church’s focus on astronomy is also tied to its history and Following the successful launches of Nuri and Arirang-7, interest in space and astronomy is growing in Korea. While observing the stars and conducting research are often regarded as the domain of secular scientists, the Church has long shown a profound interest in astronomy.
When it comes to the Church and astronomy, many people think of the 'trial of Galileo Galilei.' The debate over the heliocentric and geocentric models is often perceived as a conflict between faith and astronomy, but in fact, before Galileo, the heliocentric theory was systematically established by the priest Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543).
Even afterward, priests continued to leave their mark on the history of astronomy. Father Christoph Scheiner (1575–1650) was a representative astronomer who left systematic records of sunspots through telescopic observations. Father Benedict Sestini (1816–1890) was the astronomer to first begin classifying and cataloging the 'colors' of stars.
Jesuit priests also played a major role in astronomy, which is why today, 33 craters on the Moon are named after Jesuit priests. Furthermore, Father Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) was the first to propose the ‘Big Bang theory,’ which is the most widely recognized theory explaining the origin of the universe today.
The fact that the Church has produced such distinguished priest-astronomers shows how deeply interested it has been in astronomy. Astronomical discoveries like the heliocentric model and the Big Bang theory might seem to contradict the teachings of the Bible, but the Church teaches that such discoveries actually allow a deeper understanding of God’s creative mystery. Since 1891, the Vatican Observatory has been run by the Holy See, conducting various research projects related to astronomy and space science for precisely this reason.
Pope Francis also remarked at a 2014 meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, saying, 'The Big Bang theory, which posits that the universe began with a massive explosion, does not contradict the intervention of the Creator; rather, it requires the existence of a Creator.'
The church's interest in astronomy is deeply connected to its history. The calendar we use today, the 'Gregorian calendar,' is also the result of the church's long-standing astronomical research. Going further back, the fact that the date for the celebration of the Lord's Resurrection could be determined at the Council of Nicaea in 325 was based on astronomical knowledge that allowed calculation of the vernal equinox and the full moon.
Above all, the Bible tells us that the first people to worship Jesus at his birth came following a 'star.' These were the Magi from the East. In his 2009 Epiphany sermon, Pope Benedict XVI explained, 'The Magi, who were astronomers, observed the appearance of a new star in the sky and understood this phenomenon as a sign heralding the birth of the King of the Jews, as foretold in the sacred Scriptures.' He continued, 'Even today, thanks to the passion and faith of many scientists following in the footsteps of Galileo, the Christian understanding of the universe demonstrates interesting new signs that unfold without abandoning reason or faith, allowing both to bear fruit together.'
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