May, 1615
To me, the surest and swiftest way to
prove that the position of Copernicus is not contrary to Scripture
would be to
give a host of proofs that it is true and that the contrary cannot be
maintained at all; thus, since no truths can contradict one another,
this and
the Bible must be perfectly harmonious. But how can I do this, and not be merely
wasting my time, when those Peripatetics who must be convinced show
themselves
incapable of following even the simplest and easiest of arguments?...
Eight days ago I wrote to Your
Reverence in reply to yours of the second of May. My
answer was very brief, because I then
found myself (as now) among doctors and medicines, and much disturbed
in body
and mind over many things, particularly by seeing no end to these
rumours set
in motion against me through no fault of mine , and seemingly accepted
by those
higher up as if I were the originator of these things.
Yet for all of me any discussion of the
sacred Scripture might have lain dormant forever; no astronomer or
scientist
who remained within proper bounds has ever got into such things. Yet while I follow the teachings of a book
accepted by the Church, there come out against me philosophers quite
ignorant of such teachings who tell me that they contain propositions
contrary
to the faith. So far as possible, I
should like to show them that they are mistaken, but my mouth is
stopped and I
am ordered not to go into the Scriptures.
This amounts to saying that Copernicus’ book, accepted by the
Church,
contains heresies and may be preached against by anyone who pleases
(sic) while
it is forbidden for anyone to get into the controversy and show that it
is not
contrary to Scripture….
Yet I should not despair of overcoming
even this difficulty if I were in a place where I could use my tongue
instead
of my pen; and if I ever get well again so that I can come to
Source: Arthur Koestler, Sleepwalkers (1959).
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