Giordano Bruno

Giordano Bruno

This article relates to Heresy

Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) was an Italian Dominican priest, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. After studying for several years in Naples, he entered the Order of St. Dominic at the age of 15, and was ordained priest in 1572. He was known for his belief in the infinite nature of the universe, identifying the Earth's sun as just one of an infinite number of stars and heavenly bodies, and asserting that God had no particular relation to Earth over any other part of the universe. He was charged with heresy in 1576 for his views and outspoken criticism of theological doctrines. From then on he wandered from country to country, facing persecution in each place until he was finally delivered to the Inquisition in 1592. The numerous charges against him included blasphemy, immoral conduct, and heresy. He refused to recant, and was burned at the stake on the Campo del Fiori in Rome, Feb. 17, 1600.

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This "beyond the book article" relates to Heresy. It originally ran in March 2010 and has been updated for the February 2011 paperback edition. Go to magazine.