0005 Charles Halton, editor, pens the introduction.

Galileo serves as an example of the religion versus science debate.

Galileo’s interpretation of the Bible clashes with long-held, cherished interpretations.  His reputation is sullied by name-calling and legal wrangling.  A century later, Galileo is honored as one of the pioneers of science.  Three centuries later, the Catholic Church apologizes.

0006 If one interprets according to genre, then I propose that Galileo works according to the genre of science, while the seventeenth century Church operates in the genre of Thomist (or Aristotelian) metaphysics.

The dispute also may be described in terms of genre.  Galileo says that the propositions of the Bible are addressed to common folk.  That is a genre.  The ecclesial establishment says that Biblical propositions are uttered by the Holy Ghost.  That is a genre, as well.

Both sides may be correct, but that does not dampen the controversy.

0007 Why?

Both parties agree on the same principle.  Nature and grace are distinctly different.  They are not the same.  So, mechanical inquiry into what is does not necessarily cohere to theological inquiry into what ought to be, and visa versa.