"Since we astronomers are priests of the highest God in regard to the book of nature, it befits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."
— Johannes Kepler
Since We Astronomers Are Priests Of
Since we astronomers are priests of the highest God in regard to the book of nature, it befits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God.
About this quote
Johannes Kepler wrote this in Astronomia Nova (1609), in a passage explaining why astronomers bore a special responsibility for accuracy and humility. Kepler was a devout Lutheran who saw no conflict between his faith and his science; his three laws of planetary motion were, for him, the mathematical language in which God had written the structure of creation. The sentiment also reflects his awareness of the arrogance that could accompany great intellectual achievement.
Source
Astronomia Nova (1609)