hristian apologists such as Henderson (1999) and Birkett (1996) argued that the conflict between Galileo and the Catholic Church is a battle between old science (Ptolemaic astronomy) and new science (Copernican astronomy), rather than a battle between science and religion. Bergman (1996) and Birkett (2000) pointed out that many Catholic clergymen were neutral to Galileo's theory and several Jesuit astronomers even endorsed Galileo's telescopic discoveries when he traveled to Rome in 1611. However, secular scientists who disagreed with Galileo and failed to defeat him took the dispute to the church. It is unfortunate that the Catholic Church was "used" by Galileo's enemies and since then the Christian religion has been misperceived as "an enemy of science." Clausen (2000) and Snow (1999) went even further to assert that not only does the Christian religion not hinder science from development, but also fundamental doctrines of Christian theology help the birth of modern science.
