From: george murphy (gmurphy@raex.com)
Date: Thu Oct 09 2003 - 09:07:11 EDT
Today in the calendar of the Book of Common Prayer is the commemoration of Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln (+1253). Besides his strictly ecclessiastical work he did a good deal in
natural philosophy, including a commentary on Aristotle's Physics & a book of his own on optics. He wasn't a pure theorist: Some of the work he did in renovating Lincoln Cathedral apparently
made use of some of his work in optics.
Among other things, this commemoration can help to remind us of the falsity of the old stereotype of a Christian Middle Ages were completely sterile as far as science was concerned.
The Prayer of the Day for commemorations of artists and scientists in the Lutheran Book of Worship is appropriate:
"Almighty God, beautiful in majesty, majestic in holiness: You ahve shown us the splendor of creation in the work of your servant Robert. Teach us to drive from the world the ugliness of
chaos and disorder, that our eyes may not be blind to your glory, and that at length everyone may know the inexhaustible richness of your new creation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Shalom,
George
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