Bellarmine "Attack on the Copernican Theory"

Thesis: Bellarmine, a Cardinal, showed his strong disapproval for Galileo not to defend the Copernican Theory, for he expressed his displeasure with heliocentrism.

• 3 arguments against Copernican Theory in letter to Foscarini
• Affirmation that in reality the sun is the center of the world
• To think that the earth revolves around the sun is dangerous to express because it will irritate all philosophers and theologians while going against the Holy Scriptures (“claiming them false”)
• Council of Trent prohibits interpreting Scripture against the common consensus of the Holy Fathers
• “Agree with the literal translations and interpretation that the sun is in the heaven and turns around the earth with great sun”
• The earth is far from heaven and sits motionless at the center of the world
• Church won’t tolerate your sense of prudence
• “For it is heretical to say that Abraham did not have two children and Jacob twelve”; therefore, it is heretical to change the idea that the earth revolves around the sun
• If there was a true demonstration that the sun is the center of the world and the earth is in the heaven and that the sun does not circle the earth but the earth circles the sun = one would have to proceed with great care in explaining that theory
• And point out what is false about ancient theories
• But it is possible to demonstrate your ideas but first you need concrete and solid proof