Why did many people living during the scientific revolution find it difficult to question the knowledge put forth by church leaders? What were the consequences of questioning church teaching about the natural world?

During the 1500s and 1600s, a handful of brilliant individuals laid the foundations for science as we know it today. Some historians consider the development of modern science the most important event in the intellectual history of humankind.

The Catholic Church condemned those who questioned the church's teachings as heretics because they proved harmful to their power. People could not express their scientific discoveries as these discoveries would debunk many of the things that the church taught their people. It should be noted that the church was already losing power because of protestants, so new discoveries that made them less powerful were targeted.