DBQ 14-1 APEH The European Heritage (Since 1300) The religious authorities were often critical of the discoveries and theories of 17th and 18th century science. For years, before his condemnation by the Roman Catholic Church in 1633, Galileo had contended that scientific theory and religious piety were compatible. For many years, he argued that God had revealed the truth in both the bible and physical nature did not contradict the bible if the latter were properly understood. Galileo encountered difficulties regarding this because it represented a layman telling Church authorities how to read the bible.