If religion is the antihesis of science, how come so many great universities were founded by the Church?

Answer 1

Because they were founded long ago, prior to the advent of what we call science.

Most of the great European universities were established originally, primarily for the teaching of theology, law, etc., long before the Renaissance; which was the fountainhead from which the concept of the scientific method ultimately evolved.

Wotan

Answer 2

The church had a monopoly on reading and writing because only monks had the facilities to learn these things which were almost entirely confined to religion and law.
These were originally the subjects upon which universities were founded.
The other subjects came in over the centuries as people became more educated after the invention of printing and religion gradually became weaker in the face of scientific progress

Answer 3

Jpenergy is partially correct.
But the universities were originally created (in the Renaissance) to be training centers for clergy. Later more academic fields were added on as extensions of the clerical mission (law and medicine). Noble and middle class parents started to send their kids off to become educated (to become "Renaissance Men").
Soon the clerical mission became overshadowed by the other disciplines. During the Enlightenment (1600-1800) science took off and became the norm of thinking for educated people.

Answer 4

Religion is not necessarily the antithesis of science. If you read much at all by St. Thomas Aquinas you would see that the Church was not as anti-science as you may have been led to believe. Great scholars of the Church were in search of the truth - wherever / whatever that happened to be.

Answer 5

priests and monks were often the only one who could read in the Dark ages and after, so it was natural that they open universities, but after they did many of their former students began to question the dogmatic explanations. and hence furthered science. and all other disciplines.