[ZULU]

Christianity, in the form of Catholicism, saved western civilization.

It was monks, toiling away in the monasteries, copying priceless ancient manuscripts, and not Islam, which preserved the knowledge of the Ancient World. Clergymen like Bacon, Copernicus, and Mendel, made valuable contributions to modern science.

And Gallileo’s problems, while ostensibly religious, had more to do with Gallileo’s personality and Italian politics, than with sience.

[Jeff F]

Giordano Bruno's Cosmology was a relatively minor part of the charges against him which included blasphemy, immoral conduct, and heresy in theology of the Trinity, divinity of Christ, virginity of Mary, Mass, and beliefs in magic.

His defense strategy involved acquiescing to Church dogma while holding onto his views on cosmology. The Inquisitor would not accept less than a full recantation of all beliefs. Bruno at length refused which led to the sentence of death. He was burned at the stake by Roman secular officials.

As with Galileo, his persecution by the church likely had more to do with his abrasive personality and obnoxious tactics than his cosmology. Contrast these two with Copernicus who published similarly radical ideas about the cosmos 30+ years before his death (the Commentariolus) without suffering imprisonment or similar persecution.