Alchemy involved beliefs chemistry allowed for the changing of elements as iron to gold. The alchemist believed they would eventually determine the method to induce such changes through simple chemical reactions. Today we know the process is more complex and really a physics issue not a chemistry issue. Alchemist had no set of standards so many alchemist disagreed with each other so all cannot be judged as one. For example the appearance of bugs on dead flesh was a mystery to many, so some believed it was spontaneous development of life. As you can see the Alchemist who believed they were spontaneously creating life probably ran afoul of the church however this was by no means a blanket statement against all alchemists
