Episode 45. In 1616 the Roman Catholic Church bands Copernicus's famous book on the Revolutions, which outlines a heliocentric universe. A committee made up of only theologians and pastors judged two propositions. Proposition number 1, the Sun is at the center of the world and does not move and number 2, the Earth is not at the center of the world and is in motion. The scientific judgment of the committee stated that the Copernicus's heliocentric view was, foolish and absurd in philosophy. In this context, the term philosophy meant natural philosophy or science. This judgment was not at a tall all that unreasonable because after all, we see that the Sun moves across the sky every day and no one feels the Earth moving. This committee also offered a theological judgment of Copernicus's heliocentric view of the universe. In quote 1, committee members all said that this proposition that is number 1, which claims the Sun is at the center of the world and does not move. This proposition, explicitly contradicts in many places the sense of the Holy Scripture according to the literal meaning of words. Continuing with quote number 1, committee members all sad that this proposition, that is number 2, which asserts, "The Earth is not at the center of the world and that the Earth is in motion." Committee members said that this proposition, in regard to theological truth is at least erroneous in faith. During this time in history, the church was entrenched in scientific and concordism. As we noted in our Hermeneutical principles, the Bible states number 1, that the Sun moves daily across the sky, which appears in Ecclesiastes 15 and Psalm 19 verse 6 and number 2, that the Earth is a movable as found in Psalm 93 verse 1 and Psalm 104 verse 5. This aligns with a Geocentric Universe accepted by the majority of scientists during Galileo's Day. Galileo's most famous book is published in 1632 and it is titled Dialogue on Two Chief World Systems, Ptolemaic and Copernican. As we noted earlier, the Ptolemaic World is a Geocentric Universe and the Copernican World is Heliocentric. This book makes it clear that Copernicus's Sun-Centered World is much better than Ptolemy's Earth-Centered World. But in the next year, in 1633, the Roman Catholic Church bands Galileo's dialogue, and the church also demands that he reject his scientific views. Galileo's heresy trial occurred in June of 1633, and quote 2, is as so-called, Recantation. He said the following, "I, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzo Galilei of Florence, 70 years of age. I have been judged vehemently suspect of heresy, namely of having held and believed that, number 1, the Sun is the center of the world and motionless, and number 2, that the Earth is not the center and moves. With a sincere heart and unfazed faith, I adjure curse and detest the aforesaid heros and heresies." To be sure, this recantation is regrettable, but somewhat understandable. Galileo was 70 years old and sick, and he just wants to get home, he returns to Florence and was under house arrest for the rest of his life. But Galileo continues his scientific work, the church did not place him in a dungeon in chains. This is another myth concocted by 19th century anti-religious individuals. But with this trial, the damage was done. Galileo becomes the symbol of the warfare relationship of science and religion, and sadly this image of conflict continues today. In 1642, Galileo dies January 8th, and was buried in Florence, Italy. Thankfully, in 1992 Pope John Paul II issues what has come to be known as the apology to Galileo. This Pope sharply criticizes the theologians who charged Galileo with heresy. Instead, John Paul II charges that, the theologians were hermeneutically incompetent. In other words, the theologians in Galileo's Day did not know how to read their Bible. This is the perfect time to turn to examine Galileo's amazing hermeneutics, and to show that he was not only an amazing scientist, but his approach to interpreting the Bible was far better than the literalism and scientific concordism held by the theologians in his day. End of episode.