What do you think?
Rate this book
Christian Encounters Series
Galileo
We learn about life through the lives of others. Their experiences, their trials, their adventures become our schools, our chapels, our playgrounds. Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers, highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church through prose as accessible and concise as it is personal and engaging. Some are familiar faces. Others are unexpected guests. Whether the person is Galileo, William F. Buckley, John Bunyan, or Isaac Newton, we are now living in the world that they created and understand both it and ourselves better in the light of their lives. Their relationships, struggles, prayers, and desires uniquely illuminate our shared experience. HERO OR HERETIC? GENIUS OR BLASPHEMER? It's no mystery how profound a role Galileo played in the Scientific Revolution. Less explored is the Italian innovator's sincere, guiding faith in God. In this exhaustively researched biography that reads like a page-turning novel, Mitch Stokes draws on his expertise in philosophy, logic, math, and science to attune modern ears with Galileo's controversial genius. Emerging from the same Florentine milieu that produced Dante, da Vinci, Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Amerigo Vespuci, Galileo questioned with a persistence that spurred his world toward an unabating era of discovery. Stokes confronts the myth that Galileo's stance on heliocentricity stood astride a church vs. science divide and explores his calculations for the dimensions of Dante's hell, his understanding of motion, and his invention of the pendulum clock. To read this volume is to journey through Galileo's remarkable from his inquisitive childhood to his dying days, when, although blind and decrepit, he soldiered on, dictating mathematical thoughts and mentoring young proteges.
213 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2011
12 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Mitch Stokes
14 books76 followersDr. Stokes received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1992 and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida in 1994. While serving as an advanced and senior engineer in Florida in the 1990s, Dr. Stokes took theological courses at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He went on to complete an M.A. in Religion (Philosophy of Religion) at Yale University under Dr. Nick Wolterstorff in 2001 and an M.A. in Philosophy at University of Notre Dame in 2003. He completed his doctoral studies in Philosophy at Notre Dame under Dr.Alvin Plantinga and Dr. Peter van Inwagen in 2005, prior to joining the New Saint Andrews faculty.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 28, 2011
This was a really fun read. Quick, lively, pungent -- just a good job all around. The take away point is that the "lesson of Galileo" is almost the polar opposite of what everybody thinks it is. Galileo was in hot water because the Church had compromised with the best science available (Aristotelianism), and when the science changed, the Church was in a jam. Kind of like today when the science of microbiology makes Darwinianism at the cellular level kind of buffoonish, and yet the best brains in the Church signed us up for indentured servanthood that is due to last for another decade or so.
November 13, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did an excellent job of explaining the scientific concepts of Galileo's day in such a way that even those who struggle with science can grasp them. This was a good overview of the life of Galileo.
March 15, 2022
Stoke's prose is appealing and well-delivered. He strips away the popular, legendary view that Galileo was a 'martyr for science' and the epitome of the science/religion (supposed) conflict. I appreciate the frequent use of letters written by Galileo and those he interacted with -- engaging use of primary text. And the sheer number of footnotes attests to a well-researched, well-informed biography (the bibliography section is a whopping 16 pages); however, Stokes makes the historical details digestible and not overwhelming.
July 26, 2017
Part of a series of books entitled "Christian Encounters" it falls a little short of that. No real testimonial of any Christian experience given in this book, nor, I'm told by a family member who read it, does the Winston Churchill book in the same series. Galileo is said to be a good Catholic but even that is not defined. Did he place his trust solely in Christ? We are left with no answer.
The author does a good job recounting the general history of Galileo and I probably would have rated the book higher had it delivered on the promise of the series, but alas, it did not. I would not even necessarily call this a Christian book. It is clear of bad language. Galileo's affair is not romanticized but neither is it condemned.
The author does a good job recounting the general history of Galileo and I probably would have rated the book higher had it delivered on the promise of the series, but alas, it did not. I would not even necessarily call this a Christian book. It is clear of bad language. Galileo's affair is not romanticized but neither is it condemned.
June 24, 2023
Well done, Stokes. Well done.
March 4, 2017
/+Like all the best biographies, this book opens up a real window into the period in which the subject lived. Stokes does a great job of assessing Galileo according to the time he lived in rather than by our knowledge and standards. It is thus a sympathetic biography.
Stokes is a philosopher, and conversant in the history of science, and so he is an ideal biographer for someone like Galileo. I plan to move straight on to his life of Newton, which is practically a sequel to this book.
Loved it.
Stokes is a philosopher, and conversant in the history of science, and so he is an ideal biographer for someone like Galileo. I plan to move straight on to his life of Newton, which is practically a sequel to this book.
Loved it.
February 3, 2014
To say that science is not my best subject, would be an understatement. I am horrible at it, but math is much worse for me to understand and deal with. Science is my veritable forte compared to mathematics. So parts of this book went way, *way* beyond my head. I will say that the author, Mitch Stokes, helped to explain the issues well enough to make it clear that Galileo's supposed brave stand for secularism is an absolute myth that insults Galileo by denying his immense faith in Christ. It was a battle of philosophies, and that is where this review will focus.
Plato and Aristotle have had a HUGE impact on the study of philosophy and religion, due to the reworking of their ideas in the writings of Augustine and Aquinas, for each man respectively. This has had good and bad results both. The good results are the ways in which intellectualism and logic were shown to be compatible with faith, as was science.
This has been key to the development of Western thought. The nature of science was, at first, to examine how God created the universe to bring Him glory. And, of course, many are those who have been attracted by the existence of a religion that is not afraid of being disproved by science. The vitality and growth of Christianity, and the successes it has had as a civilizational structure, is largely dependent on this intellectual Platonic/Aristotelian lineage.
However, for all of this good, there has been a very dark side to this. And that is the dependence that many Christians historically have had on the ideas of Plato and Aristotle as reinterpreted by major thinkers in the Christian tradition. In his book, *Heaven*, author Randy Alcorn points out how the Platonic idea has done harm to the Christian conception of Heaven, and drawn us away from the Scriptural truth for centuries.
In *Christian Encounters: Galileo*, author Mitch Stokes examines how the allegiance to Aristotle among Christian thinkers has *equally* hurt both science *and* religion on another ground via the cult-like aspects of interpreting the ideas of Aristotle above those of the Bible and observed natural phenomena.
Stokes persuasively argues how the so-called "Galileo affair" was not an instance of science versus religious faith, but of science versus false logic. There was more to it in the form of personality conflicts, malicious rumors, and hurt feelings, but this is what it all boils down towards in the end. Galileo was not hounded and harmed due to actual blasphemy, but due to challenging how the Bible had been interpreted according to the enormous fealty that Christianity has historically had to two prominent *pagan* thinkers.
Galileo never *once* gave up his deep faith in Christ and adherence to principles of the Catholic Church. He had his foibles, and MAJOR sins, which should not be ignored. However, he also agreed to travel to Rome and accept what he thought would be a severe punishment instead of fleeing to other Italian city-states that had actually offered him asylum. He did this out of a desire to not be thought of as a bad Catholic or Christian. If he had seen how he would be lionized as a champion of secular science (at least by the modern idea of secularism, as opposed to his definition which the Catholic Church would later adopt), he would have been horrified.
In the end, Galileo had affirmed the primacy of the Church, and agreed with the Bible. Because the Bible was interpreted on Aristotelian terms at the time, he was falsely hounded for heresy that he did *not* commit. In modern times, he has been vindicated, as his methodology of Biblical interpretation in relation to the natural world is the one stated by the last Pope, the late John Paul II, during his papacy. It is interesting that a warning to examine Biblical and scientific evidence in light of each other, was John Paul's warning, as a result of official church documents pointing this out to be the reason for Galileo's mistreatment by the Church.
Galileo was a great scientist and man, so far as men go. The Catholic church is a great organization. That the two came into conflict is sad, but it is NOT due to some trumped-up incompatibility of science and faith. It is due to the cult of personality that caused Christians to mistakenly honor the thoughts of men over the Word of God in the Bible and the handwriting of God in Nature.
This biography, though heavy on science, was written easily and clearly enough where even a near science and math illiterate as myself could follow the general ideas. I can and would criticize the author for having spewed so much science that, unless one understands the ins and outs of the discipline, the audience could probably not ever understand all of it well. The fact that I spent so much time scratching my head at some of the information was a huge drawback. It seemed that Stokes actually tried to write in layman's terms, but kept slipping into technical terms. This back-and-forth could be jarring and confusing to read, and made the narrative more difficult to follow than it already was.
Despite this, the book was, as I stated earlier, eminently informative readable, if not always understandable. I encourage folks to read this in order to learn the truth behind one of the biggest myths in the history of science and of the Catholic church. Faith and science should be judged by themselves and each other, NOT by the ideas of popular men, or else heartache is inevitable. A fascinating read. Recommended.
-----
I received this biography of Galileo from free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am obligated to read it and give a review on my blog and on a commercial web site such as Amazon.com. Thomas Nelson emphasizes their desire for honest reviews, whether positive or negative, in order to help them create a better product. The opinions above are my honest viewpoint. I want to thank Thomas Nelson for allowing me to review this book, and thank you all for reading this.
Plato and Aristotle have had a HUGE impact on the study of philosophy and religion, due to the reworking of their ideas in the writings of Augustine and Aquinas, for each man respectively. This has had good and bad results both. The good results are the ways in which intellectualism and logic were shown to be compatible with faith, as was science.
This has been key to the development of Western thought. The nature of science was, at first, to examine how God created the universe to bring Him glory. And, of course, many are those who have been attracted by the existence of a religion that is not afraid of being disproved by science. The vitality and growth of Christianity, and the successes it has had as a civilizational structure, is largely dependent on this intellectual Platonic/Aristotelian lineage.
However, for all of this good, there has been a very dark side to this. And that is the dependence that many Christians historically have had on the ideas of Plato and Aristotle as reinterpreted by major thinkers in the Christian tradition. In his book, *Heaven*, author Randy Alcorn points out how the Platonic idea has done harm to the Christian conception of Heaven, and drawn us away from the Scriptural truth for centuries.
In *Christian Encounters: Galileo*, author Mitch Stokes examines how the allegiance to Aristotle among Christian thinkers has *equally* hurt both science *and* religion on another ground via the cult-like aspects of interpreting the ideas of Aristotle above those of the Bible and observed natural phenomena.
Stokes persuasively argues how the so-called "Galileo affair" was not an instance of science versus religious faith, but of science versus false logic. There was more to it in the form of personality conflicts, malicious rumors, and hurt feelings, but this is what it all boils down towards in the end. Galileo was not hounded and harmed due to actual blasphemy, but due to challenging how the Bible had been interpreted according to the enormous fealty that Christianity has historically had to two prominent *pagan* thinkers.
Galileo never *once* gave up his deep faith in Christ and adherence to principles of the Catholic Church. He had his foibles, and MAJOR sins, which should not be ignored. However, he also agreed to travel to Rome and accept what he thought would be a severe punishment instead of fleeing to other Italian city-states that had actually offered him asylum. He did this out of a desire to not be thought of as a bad Catholic or Christian. If he had seen how he would be lionized as a champion of secular science (at least by the modern idea of secularism, as opposed to his definition which the Catholic Church would later adopt), he would have been horrified.
In the end, Galileo had affirmed the primacy of the Church, and agreed with the Bible. Because the Bible was interpreted on Aristotelian terms at the time, he was falsely hounded for heresy that he did *not* commit. In modern times, he has been vindicated, as his methodology of Biblical interpretation in relation to the natural world is the one stated by the last Pope, the late John Paul II, during his papacy. It is interesting that a warning to examine Biblical and scientific evidence in light of each other, was John Paul's warning, as a result of official church documents pointing this out to be the reason for Galileo's mistreatment by the Church.
Galileo was a great scientist and man, so far as men go. The Catholic church is a great organization. That the two came into conflict is sad, but it is NOT due to some trumped-up incompatibility of science and faith. It is due to the cult of personality that caused Christians to mistakenly honor the thoughts of men over the Word of God in the Bible and the handwriting of God in Nature.
This biography, though heavy on science, was written easily and clearly enough where even a near science and math illiterate as myself could follow the general ideas. I can and would criticize the author for having spewed so much science that, unless one understands the ins and outs of the discipline, the audience could probably not ever understand all of it well. The fact that I spent so much time scratching my head at some of the information was a huge drawback. It seemed that Stokes actually tried to write in layman's terms, but kept slipping into technical terms. This back-and-forth could be jarring and confusing to read, and made the narrative more difficult to follow than it already was.
Despite this, the book was, as I stated earlier, eminently informative readable, if not always understandable. I encourage folks to read this in order to learn the truth behind one of the biggest myths in the history of science and of the Catholic church. Faith and science should be judged by themselves and each other, NOT by the ideas of popular men, or else heartache is inevitable. A fascinating read. Recommended.
-----
I received this biography of Galileo from free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am obligated to read it and give a review on my blog and on a commercial web site such as Amazon.com. Thomas Nelson emphasizes their desire for honest reviews, whether positive or negative, in order to help them create a better product. The opinions above are my honest viewpoint. I want to thank Thomas Nelson for allowing me to review this book, and thank you all for reading this.
March 29, 2018
My only complaint is that it was too brief and sometimes even rushed; otherwise a good read.
January 16, 2023
Interesting. But not a best seller.
July 15, 2011
An account of Galileo's life, work, and beliefs, with particular emphasis on his interactions with the Church--his attitude toward the Church, and the Church's somewhat inconsistent reactions to his research and ideas. Most notably, Stokes claims that Galileo never intended to rebel against the Church, but saw himself as a devoted Catholic and was constantly surprised by the violence with which his writings and teaching were opposed.
Informative, to be sure. But Stokes can't seem to make up his mind whether he's writing a serious biography or a more lighthearted account of Galileo's life and work. I enjoy the writer-as-storyteller trope, but Stokes comes across as unable to decide whether he wants to insert his own voice into the book. The result is choppy and disconnected writing--at times Stokes presents a straightforward historical account, at other times a humorous commentary on the events. The presentation of those events, too, is full of stops and starts; it lacks a smooth story arc. Which, of course, is true of history, but need not be true of biographical accounts of that history. The book seems to be well-researched, and in the hands of a better writer it could have been much stronger and more compelling.
Also, I confess that after a while, all the (extremely similar) Italian names started to run together. Which is no fault of Stokes', though I suppose a more skillful author might have offered more assistance to the reader in wrestling with the long list of characters in Galileo's story.
Bottom line: I know more about Galileo now than I did before, but I didn't necessarily enjoy the process overmuch.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Informative, to be sure. But Stokes can't seem to make up his mind whether he's writing a serious biography or a more lighthearted account of Galileo's life and work. I enjoy the writer-as-storyteller trope, but Stokes comes across as unable to decide whether he wants to insert his own voice into the book. The result is choppy and disconnected writing--at times Stokes presents a straightforward historical account, at other times a humorous commentary on the events. The presentation of those events, too, is full of stops and starts; it lacks a smooth story arc. Which, of course, is true of history, but need not be true of biographical accounts of that history. The book seems to be well-researched, and in the hands of a better writer it could have been much stronger and more compelling.
Also, I confess that after a while, all the (extremely similar) Italian names started to run together. Which is no fault of Stokes', though I suppose a more skillful author might have offered more assistance to the reader in wrestling with the long list of characters in Galileo's story.
Bottom line: I know more about Galileo now than I did before, but I didn't necessarily enjoy the process overmuch.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 14, 2012
Galileo by MItch Stokes
This is a book about Galileo Galilei and some other men of science. I always thought of Galileo being an astronomer but find he was so talented in mathematics and physics. His father wanted him to be in medicine but that was not where Galileo's interest was. This was a very detailed book on theories and methods of experiments. Math and physics are not at the top of my list so I had problems with some of the details; my husband could understand the physics when I read part of the book to him.
I liked the personal touches about his family and his devotion to the Church; it made the reader understand the man himself. References like: He played the flute which probably reminded him of his father. Galileo had poor health and still continued to write by dictating his books after he was blind. That was so impressive think that someone was so positive in what he believed. Galileo was a faithful Catholic to the end. I finished this book during Holy Week. Galileo was allowed go to Mass during Holy Week but could not talk to anyone; the Church had a lot of control in those days.
Some names in the book that we have read in our history and science books are Aristotle, Euclid, Newton, Plato, Pope Urban Vlll, Archimedes and Copernicus to name a few.
Galileo is a detailed book and there is so much in this small book of less than 200 pages. I think anyone especially interested in science and math should read it. It is a re-read for the readers who have an intetest.
Mitch Stokes is a Fellow of Philosophy at New St. Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. His classes must be very interesting with the knowledge he has. I look forward to reading other books by him. The book, Galileo, peaks an interest in reading more of the Copernicus Theory.
I received a complimentary copy of Galileo from Thomas Nelson Publishers and booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own. Go to www. thomasnelson.com for a list of the Christian Encounters Series.
This is a book about Galileo Galilei and some other men of science. I always thought of Galileo being an astronomer but find he was so talented in mathematics and physics. His father wanted him to be in medicine but that was not where Galileo's interest was. This was a very detailed book on theories and methods of experiments. Math and physics are not at the top of my list so I had problems with some of the details; my husband could understand the physics when I read part of the book to him.
I liked the personal touches about his family and his devotion to the Church; it made the reader understand the man himself. References like: He played the flute which probably reminded him of his father. Galileo had poor health and still continued to write by dictating his books after he was blind. That was so impressive think that someone was so positive in what he believed. Galileo was a faithful Catholic to the end. I finished this book during Holy Week. Galileo was allowed go to Mass during Holy Week but could not talk to anyone; the Church had a lot of control in those days.
Some names in the book that we have read in our history and science books are Aristotle, Euclid, Newton, Plato, Pope Urban Vlll, Archimedes and Copernicus to name a few.
Galileo is a detailed book and there is so much in this small book of less than 200 pages. I think anyone especially interested in science and math should read it. It is a re-read for the readers who have an intetest.
Mitch Stokes is a Fellow of Philosophy at New St. Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. His classes must be very interesting with the knowledge he has. I look forward to reading other books by him. The book, Galileo, peaks an interest in reading more of the Copernicus Theory.
I received a complimentary copy of Galileo from Thomas Nelson Publishers and booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own. Go to www. thomasnelson.com for a list of the Christian Encounters Series.
April 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Galileo by Mitch Stokes - Christian Encounters Series
I must admit it's been numerous years since I was in school learning about the sciences and the contribution made my men such as Galileo to astronomy and the knowledge of the planets. This is way I was so interested in reviewing this book from Book Sneeze, not only as a refresher but to learn more about this amazing man who lived during the volatile time of the inquisition and plague.
Though part of the Christian Encounters Series, don't mistake it for an evangelical promotion of the church. But, it certainly is a way of understanding the conflict that arose around Galileo and his ultimate condemnation by the Catholic Church who felt that views that negated the church's teaching of the earth at the center of the universe were an affront to the faith and subject to the inquisitions rulings.
Galileo was an upstanding member of the Catholic Church and though he had many supporters in the Church and the Scientific Community(Mathematics & Philosophy), he came under scrutiny. Rivals in his field of study may have initiated the attention of the inquisition, but such an enormous change of belief in the workings of the universe would have done so on it's on merits eventually.
Though others may find such topics boring, as a history nut I find them fascinating and truly enjoyed reading Galileo by Mitch Stokes. I give it a five star rating for it's historical interests alone which cover not only Galileo's dealings with the Church, but his family's inter-workings, and the controversy over which is correct- Aristotelian or Copernican ism and Pythagorean(mathematical) methods of looking at the universe.
Galileo by Mitch Stokes - Christian Encounters Series
I must admit it's been numerous years since I was in school learning about the sciences and the contribution made my men such as Galileo to astronomy and the knowledge of the planets. This is way I was so interested in reviewing this book from Book Sneeze, not only as a refresher but to learn more about this amazing man who lived during the volatile time of the inquisition and plague.
Though part of the Christian Encounters Series, don't mistake it for an evangelical promotion of the church. But, it certainly is a way of understanding the conflict that arose around Galileo and his ultimate condemnation by the Catholic Church who felt that views that negated the church's teaching of the earth at the center of the universe were an affront to the faith and subject to the inquisitions rulings.
Galileo was an upstanding member of the Catholic Church and though he had many supporters in the Church and the Scientific Community(Mathematics & Philosophy), he came under scrutiny. Rivals in his field of study may have initiated the attention of the inquisition, but such an enormous change of belief in the workings of the universe would have done so on it's on merits eventually.
Though others may find such topics boring, as a history nut I find them fascinating and truly enjoyed reading Galileo by Mitch Stokes. I give it a five star rating for it's historical interests alone which cover not only Galileo's dealings with the Church, but his family's inter-workings, and the controversy over which is correct- Aristotelian or Copernican ism and Pythagorean(mathematical) methods of looking at the universe.
June 8, 2011
If you’re looking for a book that will give you and your child some background into the man named Galileo then you’ll want to check out Galileo in the Christian Encounters series. If you just want to study up on famous people or you want to know more about old time astronomers this book will give you the history behind the man who was able to be both Christian and a scientist without letting go of either or of leaving behind his Christian faith.
While this book isn’t meaty it would be perfect for a family read aloud if you’re wanting more of a living book type of story or as a read alone if you want some information to pass along in your study of Astronomy or for a child who enjoys reading about Christians who were scientists or just likes history. The book provides enough information to understand some of the why’s and who’s that is Galileo but if you want a more in depth study this wouldn’t be the book. While not fluffy, I wouldn’t classify it as college level either but a middle school or high school level.
Overall, a very informative book for as few pages (213, including the notes) as it has great, sound information on this man of God. You’ll take an excursion looking at Galileo’s life as a young boy all the way up to his death bed. I cannot begin to imagine the great mind that Galileo was gifted with but this book makes him much more understandable especially in regards to his Faith which is often overlooked, ignored or even being debunked.
**I was given this book through the BookSneeze review program in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was given.
You can find more reviews at my blog www.homeschoolblogger.com/ohiosarah
While this book isn’t meaty it would be perfect for a family read aloud if you’re wanting more of a living book type of story or as a read alone if you want some information to pass along in your study of Astronomy or for a child who enjoys reading about Christians who were scientists or just likes history. The book provides enough information to understand some of the why’s and who’s that is Galileo but if you want a more in depth study this wouldn’t be the book. While not fluffy, I wouldn’t classify it as college level either but a middle school or high school level.
Overall, a very informative book for as few pages (213, including the notes) as it has great, sound information on this man of God. You’ll take an excursion looking at Galileo’s life as a young boy all the way up to his death bed. I cannot begin to imagine the great mind that Galileo was gifted with but this book makes him much more understandable especially in regards to his Faith which is often overlooked, ignored or even being debunked.
**I was given this book through the BookSneeze review program in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was given.
You can find more reviews at my blog www.homeschoolblogger.com/ohiosarah
March 26, 2013
This was a really good book; fun and to the point. There's a lot of information packed in this thing.
Galileo is often thought of as a secular freethinker who was persecuted by the church because of his views on science, as opposed to religion. But the truth is that he was a devout Catholic who wasn't pitting science against religion, but pursuing science because of his belief in God being the Creator of all things.
He got into trouble as he began to embrace Copernicanism and the heliocentric view of the earth revolving around the sun, but the Catholic Church couldn't embrace it because they were still holding onto Aristotelianism, which was the best science of the time. They couldn't reconcile their view of how to interpret Scripture (which was often literally) and the new scientific evidence of the sun being the center with the earth revolving around it. The church's theologians were mainly hung up on Joshua 10 where the "sun stood still" and Psalm 19, so they couldn't believe the Holy Spirit would lie and say that the sun revolved around the earth.
But Galileo's view was that two books should be read: his world and his Word. And because God is the author of both of these, they can never conflict when properly interpreted.
Galileo is often thought of as a secular freethinker who was persecuted by the church because of his views on science, as opposed to religion. But the truth is that he was a devout Catholic who wasn't pitting science against religion, but pursuing science because of his belief in God being the Creator of all things.
He got into trouble as he began to embrace Copernicanism and the heliocentric view of the earth revolving around the sun, but the Catholic Church couldn't embrace it because they were still holding onto Aristotelianism, which was the best science of the time. They couldn't reconcile their view of how to interpret Scripture (which was often literally) and the new scientific evidence of the sun being the center with the earth revolving around it. The church's theologians were mainly hung up on Joshua 10 where the "sun stood still" and Psalm 19, so they couldn't believe the Holy Spirit would lie and say that the sun revolved around the earth.
But Galileo's view was that two books should be read: his world and his Word. And because God is the author of both of these, they can never conflict when properly interpreted.
May 12, 2011
I recently received Mitch Stokes’ Galileo, and finally got a chance to read through it. Overall, it was definitely a good read, and was presented clearly and honestly. Stokes does a great job of recounting Galileo’s life and pursuits in an easy-to-understand manner. He could have easily taken a couple of different stances, either that of Galileo was just, pure awesome, or that of the church was just trying their best. Stokes did neither, and I appreciated it immensely.
Disclaimer: Recently, I signed up to be a "book review blogger" for Thomas Nelson publishers and/or BookSneeze, and was provided a copy free of charge to read and review. The thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of Thomas Nelson or BookSneeze. This is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Disclaimer: Recently, I signed up to be a "book review blogger" for Thomas Nelson publishers and/or BookSneeze, and was provided a copy free of charge to read and review. The thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of Thomas Nelson or BookSneeze. This is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
November 17, 2012
This was an enjoyable and approachable survey of Galileo's life and his conflict with the inquisition over Copernicanism. Mr. Stokes give us much background into the Aristotelian cosmology in vogue during the early renaissance period, and shows that in many ways, Galileo's trouble were caused more by his unseating of a pagan philosophy than his questioning of historical interpretations of scripture.
Mr. Stokes also does a good job of chronicling Galileo's scientific discoveries and methodologies which were unrelated to astronomy and which laid the groundwork for Newton and other great physical scientist. I was hoping for a bit more regarding a framework for Christians approaching scientific thought, but I realize that wasn't the purpose of the book.
Mr. Stokes also does a good job of chronicling Galileo's scientific discoveries and methodologies which were unrelated to astronomy and which laid the groundwork for Newton and other great physical scientist. I was hoping for a bit more regarding a framework for Christians approaching scientific thought, but I realize that wasn't the purpose of the book.
July 11, 2011
Picked this book up on Amazon's $.99-$2.99 sale, and did not know it was a Christian-based view of the great Galileo. Given his lifelong encounters with the church and how the organization affected his life, it hopefully will provide an interesting perspective.
UPDATE:
A very interesting, humorous at times, and well-written overview of Galileo's life. I didn't learn much new in the broader story, but many of the fine details that Stokes reveals paint an interesting story of the man's life. I wished there was more in it detailing his exploration of the cosmos, and less about his interactions with the church, but a good read overall.
UPDATE:
A very interesting, humorous at times, and well-written overview of Galileo's life. I didn't learn much new in the broader story, but many of the fine details that Stokes reveals paint an interesting story of the man's life. I wished there was more in it detailing his exploration of the cosmos, and less about his interactions with the church, but a good read overall.
September 8, 2012
I was not overly impressed with this work as the information presented had nothing to add to the hundreds of books about Galileo. This seemed to me to be just a regurgitation of the same story with maybe a little introspective of how Galileo lived his life as a religious/scientific person. I found nothing in the book that would make it unique and thought that it was a little pointless. However, if you are in need of a cliff note version of Galileo and his life you may want to pick this up. Could do well as a study guide or reference material. Otherwise your money may be spent better elsewhere.
February 17, 2013
Most bios these days aim to get close to the personality of their subject and, while some work brilliantly, it has become tiresome. While I feel like I know Galileo, I still feel like this is something I could have read from a very well informed reporter/philosopher. It is the philosophy bit that separates this biography from others. Galileo's case is very important for discussions of the philosophy of science and scientific inquiry and nobody can approach these questions neutrally and the book doesn't try to.
And the author's my professor. If you have an interest in this sort of stuff, buy it.
And the author's my professor. If you have an interest in this sort of stuff, buy it.
April 4, 2015
A good book by Mitch Stokes. He communicates well, keeping the research, endnotes, and prose on the level of an academic tome, while adding a bit of dry wit every now and again to tickle the funny bone. After all, even academics have funny bones.
His treatment of the strained relationship between Galileo and the Roman Catholic church seemed well-considered: neither one's hat being all white or all black. Culturally-based plausibility structures of the period were considered concerning the successes and failures of both sides.
It was a good read. Stokes has also written a bio on Isaac Newton in this same series, which I will order and read as soon as I can.
His treatment of the strained relationship between Galileo and the Roman Catholic church seemed well-considered: neither one's hat being all white or all black. Culturally-based plausibility structures of the period were considered concerning the successes and failures of both sides.
It was a good read. Stokes has also written a bio on Isaac Newton in this same series, which I will order and read as soon as I can.
August 29, 2011
This concise biography of Galileo won't take long for you to read, but you will pick up a surprisingly good understanding of the political forces that set off the Catholic Church's trial of Galileo for heresy toward the end of his life. It is fascinating that many of the problems that Galileo faced were just a clash of egos instead of ideas.
Galileo was one of the most brilliant scientists of any era. He completely changed the world's ideas of how the universe operated. It was not an easy job however,
Galileo was one of the most brilliant scientists of any era. He completely changed the world's ideas of how the universe operated. It was not an easy job however,
July 14, 2015
This highly entertaining and informative book helps rewrite the conventional wisdom the it was the church that stood in the way of Galileo and others as they pushed forward the idea that the earth was Not the center of the universe. The geocentric view was in fact widely adhered to by secular scientists, and the threat to their reputations and ability to earn a living were at the "center" of the opposition to Galileo. This is the same problem we face today with global warning, evolution, and many other areas where scientists refuse to look the facts straight in the eye.
May 30, 2011
I really did like this. These short 200 pages biographies have been excellently delivered and this has been just great.
Mitch Stokes does a great job of explaining the scientific background, ancient cosmology, the Aristotelian worldview etc.. He dispells the myths, giving us the authentic Galileo, who was neither the radical "free thinker", nor lone voice of Science against the Church.
Mitch Stokes does a great job of explaining the scientific background, ancient cosmology, the Aristotelian worldview etc.. He dispells the myths, giving us the authentic Galileo, who was neither the radical "free thinker", nor lone voice of Science against the Church.
September 12, 2011
A ton of fun and counter popular thought. Galileo was a churchman and faithful Christian working against Greek (natural) philosophy that had taken hold in parts of the Roman church. Stokes' writing is punchy, engaging and witty.
April 12, 2012
In this intriguing account of Galileo's life and works, Stokes carefully examines the complex issues between Galileo's discoveries and the Catholic church, between science and faith.
February 12, 2013
Dryly humorous and snappy. Dr. Stokes does a great job of introducing Galileo as a personality and also thoroughly explains the controversy surrounding his life.
Also read in Spring of 2012
Also read in Spring of 2012
June 23, 2011
Fantastic book
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews