Question

How did the Catholic Church respond to the Scientific Revolution?

The Church tested new theories to prove or disprove them.
The Church embraced new discoveries as signs from God.
The Church persecuted scientists who challenged religious teachings.
The Church supported the work of some scientists but not others.

Answer 1

The best choice is: "The Church supported the work of some scientists but not others."

Explanation, briefly:
- The Church’s response was complex and changed over time. It patronized and employed many scientists (Jesuit astronomers and mathematicians, the Vatican observatory, universities) and accepted work that didn’t threaten doctrine.
- At the same time it punished or censured those whose findings were seen as contradicting Scripture or Church authority (notably Galileo’s trial; Giordano Bruno’s execution involved broader theological charges).
- Institutional actions included book bans and trials aimed at protecting interpretation of Scripture, even as clerics and religious orders contributed to science.
- So the response was mixed — encouragement and participation in scientific work in many cases, suppression in others when religious or political authority was felt to be at stake.