This document summarizes how several prominent scientists and philosophers were criticized or condemned by religious authorities for their work. It provides brief biographies and reasons for criticism of Averroes, Galileo Galilei, Giordano Bruno, Hypatia, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, and Nikos Kazantzakis. Their work was seen as challenging or contradicting religious doctrines, and some like Bruno and Hypatia faced severe punishment including execution. The document aims to showcase how scientific or philosophical thinking has at times come into conflict with religious viewpoints.

1. PROJECT’S SUBJECT: SCIENTISTS
CRITICIZED FROM THEIR RELIGION FOR
THEIR WORK
Students: Marianna Tzivanopoulou
Christina Marantidou
Teacher: Albanaki Xanthi & Kyriaki Vasiloy
School Subject: Religious Education & English Language
School: Experimental High School of University of
Macedonia
Thessaloniki 15/01/2016

2. Context
 Averroes
 Biography
 Reason for criticism
 Galileo Galilei
 Biography
 Reason for criticism
 Giordano Bruno
 Biography
 Reason for criticism
 Hypatia
 Biography
 Reason for criticism
 Muhammad ibn Zakariya
al-Razi
 Biography
 Reason for criticism
 Nikos Kazantzakis
 Biography
 Reason for criticism

3. Averroes

4. Short Biography
 Ibn Rushd was born in Cordova,
Spain (1126), to a family with a
long and well-respected tradition
of legal and public service.
 Ibn Rushd's education followed a
traditional path, beginning with
studies in hadith, linguistics,
jurisprudence and scholastic
theology.

5. Reason for criticism
 Through most of Ibn Rushd's service, the Almohads grew more liberal,
leading eventually to their formal rejection of Ibn Talmart’s theology
and adoption of Malikite law in 1229.
 public pressure against perceived liberalizing tendencies in the
government led to the formal rejection of Ibn Rushd and his writings in
1195.
 He was exiled to Lucena, his writings were banned and his books
burned.
 Ibn Rushd returned to Cordoba two years later, but died the
following year.

6. Galileo Galilei

7. Short Biography
 Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer who perfected the
telescope and helped considerably the evolution of science.
 Born in 1564 in Pisa, he was taught reading and writing at the
Camaldolese monastery at Vallombrosa, Florence and studied
physics and mathematics at the universities of Pisa and Florence.

8. Reason for criticism
 In 1609, he discovered the telescope and perfected
 He prove the truth behind Copernicus’ heliocentric theory.
 This was considered to be against the Biblical writings.
 In 1623 he published a book which seemed to be in favor of and
Copernicus’ heliocentric theory and as a result Galileo was called
in Rome to defend his position.

9. Giordano Bruno

10. Short Biography
 Giordano Bruno was born in 1548 .
 He was a mathematician, astronomer and
philosopher.
 When he was 17 years old he joined the
Dominican Order and at the age of 24
he became a priest.
 he had to flee Naples because of an
indictment that was prepared against him
due to some of his controversial beliefs.

11. Reason for criticism
 Around 1591, he was invited by Giovanni Mocenigo to teach him
the art of memory.
 When he decided to leave the city his student denounced him to
the Inquisition.
 He was arrested with charges for heresy and blasphemy and was
transferred to Rome where he was imprisoned for 7 years.
 The inquisition sentenced him to death and he was burnt at the
stake in the Campo de’ fiori. It is said that he replied to his judges;
“Perhaps you pronounce this sentence against me with greater fear
than I receive it"
 Giordano Bruno believed in the plurality of worlds, the infinity of
the universe and Copernicus’ heliocentric theory.

12. Hypatia

13. Short Biography
 Hypatia was born in Alexandria, in 370.
 She was an astronomer, mathematician and Neoplatonic
philosopher and she is considered to be the first famous woman
mathematician.
 She studied at Athens and Italy and returning to Alexandria she
became the leader of the platonic school where she taught
philosophy and mathematics.

14. Reason for criticism
 According to Scholasticus who give us a detailed account of her
death Hypatia was "victim to the political jealousy which at the time
prevailed". were political antagonists.
 Some Christians blamed Hypatia that she prevented the
reconciliation of the two leaders, the governor of Alexandria,
Orestes and the bishop of Alexandria, Cyril, because she was
Orestes’ close friend.
 She was killed by a Christian mob, guided by a fanatic cleric, which
bared her, torn off her flesh with shells until she died and then
mutilated her body and burned it.

15. Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi

16. Short Biography
 Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyyā Rāzī (also known by
his Latinized name Rhazes or Rasis)
 He was born in 854 CE and died in 925 CE.
 He was a Persian polymath, physician, alchemist and
chemist, philosopher and important figure in the history of medicine.
 As a practicing physician, Razi wrote a pioneering book
about smallpox and measles providing clinical characterization of the
diseases

17. Reason for criticism
 Biruni wrote a short treatise (risala) dealing with al-Razi, criticizing him for
his sympathy with Manichaeism, his Hermetical writings, his religious and
philosophical views, for refusing to mathematize physics, and his active
opposition to mathematics.
 Avicenna, who was himself a physician and philosopher, also criticized al-
Razi. During a debate with Biruni, Avicenna stated:
 “Or from Muhammad ibn Zakariyyab al-Razi, who meddles in
metaphysics and exceeds his competence. He should have remained
confined to surgery and to urine and stool testing—indeed he exposed
himself and showed his ignorance in these matters.”
 Nasr-i-Khosraw posthumously accused him of having
plagiarized Iranshahri, who Khosraw considered as the master of al-Razi.

18. Nikos Kazantzakis

19. Short Biography
 Nikos Kazantzakis was born in 18 February 1883 and died in 26
October 1957.
 He was a Greek writer, celebrated for his novels which include Zorba
the Greek (1946) Christ Recrucified (1948), Captain Michalis (1950)
and The Last Temptation of Christ (1955).
 He also wrote plays, travel books, memoirs and philosophical essays
such as The Saviors of God: Spiritual Exercises.

20. Reason for criticism
 Many Orthodox Church clergy condemned Kazantzakis' work and a campaign was
started to excommunicate him. His reply was:
 "You gave me a curse, Holy fathers, I give you a blessing: may your conscience be
as clear as mine and may you be as moral and religious as I"
 The excommunication was rejected by the top leadership of the Orthodox Church
but emblematic of persistent disapprobation from many Christian authorities for his
political and religious views.

21. Bibliography
 http://www.newsbeast.gr/portraita/arthro/517104/o-pateras-tis-sughronis-
epistimis-galilaios
 http://www.sansimera.gr/biographies/1198
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia#Death
 https://sciencearchives.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/%CF%85%CF%80%CE%B1%
CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B1-%CE%B7-
%CF%80%CF%81%CF%8E%CF%84%CE%B7-
%CE%B3%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B1-
%CE%BC%CE%B1%CE%B8%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%B
A%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%BA%CE%B1/
 http://www.sansimera.gr/biographies/668
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno
 http://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/nikos-kazantzakis-giati-i-ekklisia-ithele-na-ton-
aforisi-ke-o-mitropolitis-kantiotis-apilouse-oti-tha-empodisi-tin-kidia-tou/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Zakariya_al-Razi#Criticism
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Averroes
 http://www.iep.utm.edu/ibnrushd/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikos_Kazantzakis

22. Thank you for your time!