Former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller visited the headquarters of the Copernican Academy, of which he is a member. The firm views of the German cardinal, a defender of the Church’s traditional teaching and fidelity to the Magisterium, place him among the leading members of the debate on the role of the Church in today’s rapidly changing world.
Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller visited the Copernicus Academy on 15 May, and the meeting with the clergyman was attended, among others, by the Academy’s Secretary General, Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Górski, the Director of the Copernicus Academy Office, Dr. Witold Mazurek, and the Cardinal’s personal secretary, Rev. Slawomir Sledziewski.
Representatives of the Copernican Academy, an institution that works, among other things, to combine a scientific approach to reality with an openness to the spiritual aspects of existence, awaited with great interest the visit of the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who is known for his deep theological and intellectual understanding, which he combines with a scientific approach to problems.
As the Plenipotentiary for the Development and Internationalisation of Education and Science, Deputy Minister Tomasz Rzymkowski, emphasised even before the Cardinal’s visit, such meetings and discussions are particularly important for promoting dialogue between science and religion. The Deputy Minister of Education also expressed his satisfaction with the growing role of the Copernican Academy in its creation, recalling the undeniable contribution of scientists to the development of society.
Copernicus Academy as a link between the Church and the world of science
During the meeting with the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Secretary General of the Academy also spoke about the importance of linking science with other planes of life, including religion. Prof. Górski expressed his conviction that the Academy would continue to work towards this goal by facilitating the exchange of ideas and thoughts between scientists and representatives of the Church.
Cardinal Gerhard Müller also approached the topic of the relationship between faith and science with extraordinary erudition and care in his deeply reflective speech. The former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith referred on this occasion, of course, to the figure of Nicolaus Copernicus. – He is both a historical and a symbolic figure. His name is linked to the field of natural sciences, but also to the theme of faith or the Creator, the German clergyman said.
– We use the term Copernican revolution to refer to new ideas of fundamental importance. For example, one speaks of the Copernican Revolution in philosophy, initiated by Immanuel Kant. Copernicus’ name also appears in the context of the conflict between reason and faith, while the work ‘De revolutionibus orbium coelestiux’ by Copernicus himself was dedicated to Pope Paul III. So it seems to me that a visit by a cardinal of the Catholic Church to the Academy should prove interesting,” added the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
During the talks, Cardinal Müller also expressed his admiration for the work of the scientists and all those associated with the Academy, noting that the spheres of science and faith can and should complement each other.
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Photo: Waldemar Kompała
