NGAPHAMBI kwesikhathi sikaGalileo, abantu abaningi babekholelwa ukuthi ilanga, amaplanethi nezinkanyezi konke kwakuzungeza umhlaba. Leyo nkolelo yayiyingxenye yemfundiso esemthethweni yeSonto LamaKatolika.

Nokho, esebenzisa isibonakude sakhe, uGalileo wabona ubufakazi obabuphikisana nezimfundiso zesayensi ezazemukelwa kabanzi. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba ayebuka amabala amnyama ayebonakala sengathi ayahamba elangeni, waphawula ukuthi ilanga liyaphenduphenduka. Ukuphawula into enjalo, kwaluthuthukisa kakhulu ulwazi lwabantu ngokuma kwendawo yonke, kodwa futhi kwakuzophumela ekuxabaneni kukaGalileo neSonto LamaKatolika.

Emashumini eminyaka ngaphambili, isazi sezinkanyezi sasePoland uNicolaus Copernicus saqhamuka nemfundiso yokuthi umhlaba uzungeza ilanga. UGalileo wawufunda lo msebenzi kaCopernicus wokuhamba kwamaqoqo ezinkanyezi nokunye, futhi wathola ubufakazi obuhambisana nale mfundiso. Ekuqaleni, uGalileo wayekungabaza  ukudalula ezinye zezinto ayezitholile, esaba ukuthi zazizogxekwa futhi zibukelwe phansi. Ehluleka ukubamba intshiseko yakhe ngalokho ayekubone ngesibonakude sakhe, wagcina ephumele obala ngalokho ayekutholile. Abanye ososayensi bathola izinkulumo zakhe zilumela, futhi ngokushesha abefundisi benkolo base bemgxeka emapulupiti abo.

Ngo-1616, uKhadinali uBellarmine, “owayeyisazi sezenkolo esiphambili ngaleyo nkathi,” watshela uGalileo ngesinqumo esisha samaKatolika esasikhishwe ngokumelene nemibono kaCopernicus. Wancengisisa uGalileo ukuba ahambisane naleso sinqumo futhi phakathi neminyaka eyalandela, uGalileo akazange aphumele obala ngokuthi umhlaba uzungeza ilanga.

Ngo-1623, uPapa Urban VIII, umngane kaGalileo, waqala ukubusa. Ngakho, ngo-1624, uGalileo wacela lo papa ukuba ahoxise isinqumo esenziwa ngo-1616. Kunokuba enze kanjalo, u-Urban wacela ukuba uGalileo achaze ukungqubuzana kwemfundiso kaCopernicus neka-Aristotle ngaphandle kokuthatha uhlangothi.

UGalileo wabe esebhala incwadi enesihloko esithi, Dialogue on the Great World Systems. Nakuba upapa ayemcelile uGalileo ukuba angathathi hlangothi, le ncwadi yabonisa ukuthi wayesekela uCopernicus. Ngokushesha, izitha zikaGalileo zathi le ncwadi yakhe yayihlazisa upapa. Emangalelwa ngokuba yisihlubuki, futhi esatshiswa ngokuhlushwa ngonya, uGalileo waphoqwa ukuba aphike izimfundiso zikaCopernicus. Ngo-1633, iNkantolo YamaRoma Ethetha Amacala Ezihlubuki yamnikeza isigwebo sokuboshelwa endlini unomphela nezincwadi zakhe zavinjelwa. UGalileo wafela ekhaya e-Arcetri, eduze kwaseFlorence, ngo-January 8, 1642.

Kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka, eminye yemisebenzi kaGalileo isohlwini lwezincwadi amaKatolika ayengavunyelwe ukuzifunda. Kodwa ngo-1979, isonto labuye labukeza isinqumo esasithathwe iNkantolo YamaRoma Ethetha Amacala Ezihlubuki eminyakeni engu-300 ngaphambili. Ekugcineni, ngo-1992, uPapa John Paul II wavuma ukuthi iSonto LamaKatolika lalenze iphutha ngokugweba uGalileo.