Where to Turn? Religion, science, and the direction of Mecca
There is a great new entry in the Vatican Observatory Faith & Science pages (or so say I, but since I am the editor of that resource, I am rather biased). The entry is called “The Qibla Debate”. “Faith and science” discussions tend to focus on a certain selection of very familiar materials, such as Darwin and evolution and human origins, or the Galileo story, or maybe Giordano Bruno. “The Qibla Debate” features a faith and science discussion that revolves around material with which most people in non-Muslim cultures will be unfamiliar: the direction of Mecca. What is the direction of Mecca from where you are right now? Muslims are enjoined to face Mecca during daily prayers. Mosques should be oriented toward Mecca also. So what direction is that, and how do you know? Early mosques were built before the Islamic world had developed much science. Their directions were not determined scientifically. And, as science developed in the Muslim world, … Continue reading →