Thursday, November 14, 2013

Stark: "Scientific revolution"?

In many ways the term "Scientific Revolution" is as misleading as "dark Ages".  Both were coined to discredit the medieval Church.  The notion of a "Scientific Revolution" has been used to claim that science suddenly burst forth when a weakened Christianity could no longer prevent it, and as the recovery of classical learning made it possible.  Both claims are as false as those concerning Columbus and the flat earth.  First of all, classical learning did not provide an appropriate model for science.  Second, the rise of science was already far along by the sixteenth century, having been carefully nurtured by devout Scholastics in that most Christian invention, the university.  

Rodney Stark, For the Glory of God (Princeton University Press), p134

GMH: My own heart

Hopkins, for me, captures painfully well the man with the mind that will not, just will not, stop processing painful thoughts. And gives good advice: call them off to somewhere else, so that God may have space to grow comfort and joy.


MY own heart let me have more have pity on; let
Me live to my sad self hereafter kind,
Charitable; not live this tormented mind
With this tormented mind tormenting yet.
  I cast for comfort I can no more get
By groping round my comfortless, than blind
Eyes in their dark can day or thirst can find
Thirst ’s all-in-all in all a world of wet.
Soul, self; come, poor Jackself, I do advise
You, jaded, let be; call off thoughts awhile
Elsewhere; leave comfort root-room; let joy size
At God knows when to God knows what; whose smile
’s not wrung, see you; unforeseen times rather—as skies
Betweenpie mountains—lights a lovely mile.