If Christianity is opposed to science, why does the Vatican have its own observatory?

Answer 1

it's not opposed to science. Sometimes science explains how god did something.

Answer 2

This is one of the major schisms between some Protestant fundementalists and the Roman Catholics. The Catholic Church does not declare that every word of the bible is to be taken literally. Catholics (including the popes) have been heavily involved in the pursuit of God's truths as revealed by science. Examples are

Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Canon (priest) of the Catholic Church and astronomer.

Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher and although his theories were not imediately accepted by the Church, he was eventually vindicated (although his theory was incomplete and probably still shouldn't be accepted!).

Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was a devout Catholic and philosopher, mathematician and scientist.

Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) the Augustine Monk is credited with laying the mathematical base for genetics.

Georges Lemaitre (1894-1966) the Priest and Cosmologist who's Big Bang theory is the most accepted model to date.

Erwin Schrödinger (1887 – 1961) was an Austrian - Irish physicist who achieved fame for his contributions to quantum mechanics, especially the Schrödinger equation, for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1933. In 1935. He was a practicing Catholic.

And there are many more examples on the links below of scientists who were practicing in both Catholicism and other Christian religions. I believe it is a recent phenomena that radicalized (against science) fundamentalist evangelical preachers have shunned science in order to prey on the least educated and educable of society.

My youngest daughter graduated from a Jesuit university, Loyola in New Orleans with honors in history and theology and she is an Atheist so...

Answer 3

Christianity isn't opposed to science--it's afraid of science, because science provides answers to questions that are different than the answers it provides.

Christianity, like all religions, provides answers based on faith--the belief in something without evidence. Scientific answers are based on evidence. Thus the threat.

My personal feeling is, they're two sides of the same coin. Science is stuff we've figured out--or think we have. Religion is stuff we haven't figured out--or think we haven't. As to the original question, why does the Vatican have its own observatory, I think the answer is, why take chances? If we're wrong about God it can't hurt to have a telescope. Also, they're loaded and can buy any damn thing they want.

I'm not a particularly religious person but I do believe in God, and I thank Him for people like you out there asking questions.

Have a very nice day.

Answer 4

Obviously christianity is not opposed to science, its just the two openly contridict each other sometimes in matters explained by the vatican to be acts of god. But so what if it has an observatory? They can view the planets and stars and ect, that doesn't mean they agree with all aspects of science.

Answer 5

that's probably the strongest schisms between some Protestant fundementalists and the Roman Catholics. The Catholic Church does now no longer declare that each and every word of the bible is to be taken truly. Catholics (including the popes) have been heavily frightened interior the pursuit of God's truths as stumbled on by way of technological be attentive to-how. Examples are Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Canon (priest) of the Catholic Church and astronomer. Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher or perhaps inspite of the incontrovertible fact that his theories weren't imediately approved in the time of the Church, he was finally vindicated (even inspite of the incontrovertible fact that his theory was incomplete and frequently inspite of the actuality that should not be approved!). Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was a non secular Catholic and philosopher, mathematician and scientist. Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) the Augustine Monk is credited with laying the mathematical base for genetics. Georges Lemaitre (1894-1966) the Priest and Cosmologist who's substantial Bang theory is definitely considered one of the main approved type for that reason a ways. Erwin Schrödinger (1887 – 1961) was an Austrian - Irish physicist who performed acceptance for his contributions to quantum mechanics, surprisingly the Schrödinger equation, for which he gained the Nobel Prize in 1933. In 1935. He was a guidance Catholic. And there are various greater suitable examples on the links under of scientists who have been guidance in each and every Catholicism and diverse Christian religions. I evaluate this is a up as much as now phenomena that radicalized (in opposition to technological be attentive to-how) fundamentalist evangelical preachers have prevented technological be attentive to-how with a objective to prey on the least knowledgeable and educable of society. My youngest daughter graduated from a Jesuit college, Loyola in New Orleans with honors in historic previous and theology and he or she is an Atheist so...

Answer 6

Who says Christianity is opposed to science? The only thing followers of Christ say is that if the Bible says it, it's true. Science and scripture "seem to clash" at times, and we KNOW God can't lie and that He created everything anyway and the Bible doesn't contain the word and will of God; it IS the Word of God! Therefore it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE ABSOLUTELY ALL OF THE TIME!
We "believers in Christ/God" just 100% accept what God says and know that if it is important, you un-believers have to wait on science to find out or catch up or discover it to accept it. We do not have to "see and hold and touch and measure and label" before we know it's a REAL thing!
How you know you got a brain? You ever seen it or just accept you have one because of the evidence and result it produces? See? Can you measure love or wisdom or your potential or your grief or fear or faith? Well can you tell me it doesn't exist? And where does it come from and can you prove you even have any expectations or love? You know subjective belief doesn't prove anything? according to you. An observatory is used to observe what is visiable; and so?
Science is also biology and genetics and medicine and immunology and astronomy and lots of things that could not be seen until a microscope was invented.., did it make "unseen" things UNREAL??
Get a life and let your mind out of that box! O yea, that's one of those things that isn't VISIBLE or MEASURABLE!!
Watch how far you carry your theories.
Where do questions come from?

Answer 7

Christianity is not opposed to science. The Bible does not support evolution, because evolution is not a science. It’s a hypothesis that has never been proved.

Science does not claim a 10 billion year history of the world. Such a claim is beyond its scope. It only claims that, if we assume that the present laws of nature were always in force, then the world is that old.

Bible denies the non-scientific assumption of the scientists and does not quarrel with their scientific reasoning. Bible does not contradict the claims of science, but only the hypothesis of scientists, which is no science at all

Answer 8

Christianity is the greatest friend science has ever had.

Where has the OVERWHELMING proportion of scientific knowledge come from (geographically) during the period 600 ad - 1900s?

Not even close: the Christian nations.

BTW, the Vatican astronomers knew the earth revolved around the sun before Galileo did.

Answer 9

Where did you find that Christianity was opposed to science? Chrisitians believe whole-heartedly in science. Usually the just take it a step further and say that God made science happen. I hope this helps. This is my way of answering.

Answer 10

Christianity is not opposed to science so long as science is not opposed to Christianity.

Answer 11

You have some bad information, Christianity is not opposed to science. We believe that all knowledge comes from God. He gives man the knowledge to harness electricity, heal diseases, travel through space, etc.