The Sun in the Church

Name: The Sun in the Church
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SKU: 9780674005365
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Cathedrals as Solar Observatories

By J. L. Heilbron

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Summary

The Sun in the Church by J. L. Heilbron explores how the Roman Catholic Church served as a patron and advocate for scientific progress, particularly in the field of astronomy. The book delves into the history of how cathedrals were used as observatories to measure the solar year with precision, demonstrating the Church's role in fostering scientific inquiry during times when faith and science were often seen at odds. This fascinating narrative challenges common misconceptions about the relationship between religion and science in history.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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The Sun in the Church

$68⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an interest in the intersection of science and religion, particularly concerning how the Catholic Church played a role in the development of astronomy during the Scientific Revolution. It offers a fascinating perspective on how cathedrals and churches were used as solar observatories, blending history, science, and theology in a compelling narrative.

The Sun in the Church

Between 1650 and 1750, four Catholic churches were the best solar observatories in the world. The Sun in the Church tells how these observatories came to be, how they worked, and what they accomplished. It describes Galileo's political overreaching, his subsequent trial for heresy, and his rehabilitation in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year, 1999.

Description

Between 1650 and 1750, four Catholic churches were the best solar observatories in the world. Built to fix an unquestionable date for Easter, these churches also housed instruments that shed light on the disputed geometry of the solar system, and thus, within sight of the altar, subverted Church doctrine about the order of the universe.

A tale of politically canny astronomers and cardinals with a taste for mathematics, The Sun in the Church tells how these observatories came to be, how they worked, and what they accomplished. It describes Galileo's political overreaching, his subsequent trial for heresy, and his slow and steady rehabilitation in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

The book offers an enlightening perspective on astronomy, Church history, and religious architecture, as well as an analysis of measurements testing the limits of attainable accuracy, undertaken with rudimentary means and extraordinary zeal. Above all, it illuminates the niches protected and financed by the Catholic Church in which science and mathematics thrived.

Superbly written, The Sun in the Church provides a magnificent corrective to long-standing oversimplified accounts of the hostility between science and religion.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

J. L. Heilbron's The Sun in the Church explores the unexpected role of cathedrals as solar observatories, challenging common perceptions of the Catholic Church's relationship with science during the scientific revolution. The book explains how the Church became a major patron of astronomy, using its cathedrals to conduct precise solar observations, primarily to improve the accuracy of the ecclesiastical calendar. With a richly detailed narrative, Heilbron illustrates the interplay between science, architecture, and religion, providing new insights into the Church's nuanced engagement with scientific progress after Galileo's condemnation.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674005365

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 April 2001

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Illustration: 8 color illustrations in an 8 page insert, 43 halftones, 75 geometric line illustrations, 12 digital line illustrations, 15 tables

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 171.0mm

Height: 248.0mm

Weight: 771g

Pages: 384

Collections

Arts & Culture Education & Reference European History History & Military J. L. Heilbron Non-Fiction Religion & Spirituality Science & Nature

About the Author

J. L. Heilbron, formerly Professor of History and the Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Berkeley, is a Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, University of Oxford. He was awarded the George Sarton Medal by the History of Science Society in 1993 for his contributions to the field.