GALILEO BELIEVED IN GOD
“As to
the truth, of which mathematical demonstrations give us the knowledge, it is the same
which the Divine Wisdom knoweth; but . . . the
manner whereby God knoweth the infinite propositions, whereof we understand some few, is
highly more excellent than ours, which proceedeth by ratiocination, and passeth from
conclusion to conclusion, whereas His is done at a single thought or intuition. Now the
inferences which our intellect apprehendeth with time and a gradual motion the Divine
Wisdom, like light, penetrateth in an instant, which is the same as to say, hath them
always present” (Burtt, 1951, 72).
“May it be our lot, by the
grace of the true Son, pure and immaculate, to learn from Him, with all other truths, that
which we are now seeking” (Poupard, 1983, 42).
“God could have made birds
with bones of massive gold, with veins full of molten silver, with flesh heavier than lead
and with tiny wings . . .
He could have made fish heavier than lead, and thus twelve times
heavier than water, but He has wished to make the former of bone, flesh, and feathers that
are light enough, and the latter as heavier than water, to teach us that He rejoices in
simplicity and facility”
(Ibid., 99).
“I therefore conclude,
that our knowledge . . . is separated from the Divine knowledge by an infinite
interval” (Ibid., 101).
“When I reflect on so many
profoundly marvellous things that persons have grasped, sought, and done I recognize even
more clearly that human intelligence is a work of God, and one of the most
excellent” (Ibid., 101).
“To the Lord;
whom I worship and thank; That governs the
heavens with His eyelid.To Him I return
tired, but full of living” (Chiari, 1970, 321).
“To me the works of
nature and of God are miraculous”
(Brunetti, 1964,
506).
“One must not doubt the
possibility that the Divine Goodness at times may choose to inspire a ray of His immense
knowledge in low and high intellects when they are adorned with sincere and holy
zeal” (Ibid., 545).
“I trust the infinite goodness
of God may direct toward the purity of my mind a small amount of His grace that I may
understand the meaning of His words”
(Ibid., 550).
“The Holy Scriptures
cannot lie.” (Ibid., 558).
_______________________________________
Burtt, E.
A. The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Science. New York: The
Humanities Press Inc., 1951.
Poupard, Cardinal Paul.
Galileo Galilei. Pittsburgh:Duquesne University
Press, 1983.
Chiari, A.
Galileo Galilei, Scritti Letterari. Florence: Felice Le Monnier,
1970.
Brunetti,
F. Opere di Galileo Galilei. Torino: Unione Tipografico-Editrice
Torinese, 1964.
