A HISTORY OF THE WARFARE OF SCIENCE WITH THEOLOGY IN CHRISTENDOM

by ANDREW DICKSON WHITE

CHAPTER XI. FROM "THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR" TO METEOROLOGY.

I. Growth of a Theological Theory

• The beliefs of classical antiquity regarding storms, thunder, and lightning
• Development of a sacred science of meteorology by the fathers of the Church
• Theories of Cosmas Indicopleustes Of Isidore of Seville Of Bede Of Rabanus Maurus
• Rational views of Honorius of Autun
• Orthodox theories of John of San Geminiano
• Attempt of Albert the Great to reconcile the speculations of Aristotle with the theological views
• The monkish encyclopedists
• Theories regarding the rainbow and the causes of storms
• Meteorological phenomena attributed to the Almighty

II. Diabolical Agency in Storms

• Meteorological phenomena attributed to the devil--"the prince of the power of the air"
• Propagation of this belief by the medieval theologians
• Its transmission to both Catholics and Protestants--Eck, Luther
• The great work of Delrio
• Guacci's Compendium
• The employment of prayer against "the powers of the air"
• Of exorcisms Of fetiches and processions Of consecrated church bells

III. The Agency of Witches

• The fearful results of the witch superstition
• Its growth out of the doctrine of evil agency in atmospheric phenomena
• Archbishop Agobard's futile attempt to dispel it
• Its sanction by the popes Its support by confessions extracted by torture
• Part taken in the persecution by Dominicans and Jesuits
• Opponents of the witch theory--Pomponatius, Paracelsus, Agrippa of Nettesheim
• Jean Bodin's defence of the superstition
• Fate of Cornelius Loos Of Dietrich Flade
• Efforts of Spee to stem the persecution
• His posthumous influence
• Upholders of the orthodox view--Bishop Binsfeld, Remigius
• Vain protests of Wier
• Persecution of Bekker for opposing the popular belief
• Effect of the Reformation in deepening the superstition
• The persecution in Great Britain and America
• Development of a scientific view of the heavens
• Final efforts to revive the old belief

IV. Franklin's Lightning-Rod

• Franklin's experiments witlh the kite
• Their effect on the old belief
• Efforts at compromise between the scientific and theological theories
• Successful use of the lightning-rod
• Religious scruples against it in America In England In Austria In Italy
• Victory of the scientific theory
• This victory exemplified in the case of the church of the monastery of Lerins
• In the case of Dr. Moorhouse
• In the case of the Missouri droughts