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Thursday, 24 August, 2006

Vatican Astronomer Canned
(with comments)

Pope news: Pope Replaces Intelligent Design Critic at Observatory.

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed a new director of the Vatican Observatory, replacing the Rev. George Coyne, a long-serving Jesuit astronomer and a vocal opponent of "intelligent design" theory.

It was unclear if the replacement of Coyne, the observatory's director since 1978, reflected a sense of disapproval within the Vatican over his opposition to intelligent design -- the idea that the world is too complex to have been created by natural events alone.

Coyne has frequently attacked the theory as a "religious movement" lacking scientific merit. He could not be reached for comment.

There was no mention of Coyne in a brief statement released by the Vatican on Saturday (Aug. 19) announcing the appointment of the new director, the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, who is also a Jesuit.

Congratulations to Funes on his new job.

By the way, did you know that the Vatican Observatory Research Group has offices in Tucson at the University of Arizona?


Permalink | Posted in Religion |
  1. By Jackson. Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @08:48am:
    No, no no!

    He was canned for refusing to believe that Pluto is a planet!
  2. By wally the duck. Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @09:12am:
    He was 73 - maybe he just retired?
  3. By Dick. Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @09:13am:
    Why is the Vatican even looking up? They know in their hearts that they can only learn things that are contradictory to their faith, so wouldn't it be better to not even seek out those facts? Maybe they'll see Jesus or Mary in the stars. Hey, if someone can make an archer or a bear out of a grouping of stars, anything is possible.
  4. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @09:46am:
    I sense a "conspiracy". Vatican Astronomer Canned and Pluto denied planethood by IAU! Somethings afoot!
  5. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @09:47am:
    Seems like that's a hard job to keep...I heard Gallileo had some problems with it, too.
  6. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @11:17am:
    He should have known expressing an opinion in the Catholic Church is a death sentence. silly man!
  7. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @12:38pm:
    Vatican Observatory
  8. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @01:17pm:
    is vatican observatory an oxymoron?
  9. By . Comment posted 24-Aug-2006 @06:34pm:
    Had an evening long ago spent with friends staring up into a very clear and very starry sky (out in the country). We had a ball making up new constellations: johnny mop, water closet, etc. Wish I could see that sort of evening sky again some night.
  10. By Snag. Comment posted 25-Aug-2006 @06:27am:
    The University of Arizona has been in the international press this week for another historic reason .... the proof that dark matter exists !

    Great work guys ... future generations will remember you, even if the current one is blissfully disinterested.

    http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060824/NEWS07/608240421/1009
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