All Entries Tagged With: "Vatican Astronomer"

The Pope’s Astronomer: In Conversation With Brother Guy Consolmagno

The idea of a “split” between science and religion is a fairly modern one, mostly dating from the 19th century and the rise of professional scientists who were making a living independent of the Church. That’s why the Church specifically started funding an observatory, in 1891, to show the world that it supported science. Our duties at the observatory today are simply to “do good science” — we’re left to decide for ourselves what science to do — as a way of continuing to demonstrate that support.

Do Space Aliens Need Baptism? The View From Gliese 581g

By Paul Wallace, Religion Dispatches
What is generally less known is that, at the same moment that the Pope was having his say with the UK’s radical non-believers, Vatican astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno, also in England, was busy talking about baptizing space aliens. Which, to me, sounded preposterous. But, after some contemplation, I’ve decided that it’s not preposterous after all.

Last week, a new planet—Gliese 581g—was