Hi Van,
I think you will find the additional information (below) helpful for clarifying Calvinās state of mind.
Calvin was steeped in geocentrism
I learned the following from @TedDavis in a recent discussion on another forum:
Calvin began his university education at Paris, where maybe (I havenāt seen his transcript) he took the standard introductory course in astronomy that most universities then required. The text used at Paris and many other universities had been written by a famous Parisian professor of the 13th century, namely, the English monk John of Sacrobosco. Like every other medieval astronomy text, it teaches both the Earthās round shape and its place in the center of the universe.
Calvin regarded geocentrism as the correct and obvious interpretation of Scriptures
Calvinās copious commentaries tie many specific Biblical passages to geocentrism. I will only mention two in this comment. The first is Psalm 93:1, about which Calvin comments:
"The heavens revolve daily, and immense as is their fabric, and inconceivable the rapidity of their revolutions, we experience no concussionānod disturbance in the harmony of their motion. The sun, though varying its course every diurnal revolution, returns annually to the same point. The planets, in all their wanderings, maintain their respective positions. How could the earth hang suspended in the air if not upheld by Godās hand? By what means could it maintain itself unmoved, while the heavens above are in constant rapid motion, did not its Divine Maker fix and establish it? " [Emphasis mine]
In modern English, Psalm 93:1 states:
The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. (English Standard Version)
One can understand how Calvin would read this verse in a geocentric fashion; does it not state that the world shall never be moved? Is this not the simplest exegesis of the verse?
Calvin also saw geocentrism in Psalm 104:5, as demonstrated by this commentary:
āHere the prophet celebrates the glory of God, as manifested in the stability of the earth. Since it is suspended in the midst of the air, and is supported only by pillars of water, how does it keep its place so stedfastly that it cannot be moved? This I indeed grant may be explained on natural principles; for the earth, as it occupies the lowest place, being the center of the world, naturally settles down there.ā
Again, a glance at the verse shows how Calvin could draw the conclusion that the science of geocentrism was in the Bible:
He set the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved. - English Standard Version
I acknowledge that we should not hold Calvinās ancient view of astronomy against him; in his time, the heliocentric view was in its infancy and not yet well established by the data.
Calvin *ferociously* defended geocentricity
Calvin spoke quite bluntly about the peril of questioning the Bibleās geocentrism. His sermon on I Corinthians 10 - 11 is what we moderns would call a āscorched earth attackā on the monstrous and demonic questioning of geocentrism!
ā[The Christian is not to compromise so as to obscure the distinction between good and evil, and is to avoid the errors of] those dreamers who have a spirit of bitterness and contradiction, who reprove everything and pervert the order of nature. We will see some who are so deranged, not only in religion but who in all things reveal their monstrous nature, that they will say that the sun does not move, and that it is the earth which shifts and turns. When we see such minds we must indeed confess that the devil possesses them, and that God sets them before us as mirrors, in order to keep us in his fear. So it is with all who argue out of pure malice, and who happily make a show of their imprudence. When they are told: āThat is hot,ā they will reply: āNo, it is plainly cold.ā When they are shown an object that is black, they will say that it is white, or vice versa. Just like the man who said that snow is black; for although it is perceived and known by all to be white, yet he clearly wished to contradict the fact. And so it is that they are madmen who would try to change the natural order, and even to dazzle eyes and benumb their senses.ā
The devil possesses those who question geocentrism, says Calvin! Does that sound like heās just speculating and he would likely admit it, Van?
Luther also condemned heliocentrism as an attack on Scripture
It is thought that Luther was referring to Copernicus when, at a table talk on the subject of Joshua 10:12, he stated:
āThere was mention of a certain new astrologer who wanted to prove that the earth moves and not the sky, the sun, and the moon. This would be as if somebody were riding on a cart or in a ship and imagined that he was standing still while the earth and the trees were moving. [Luther remarked] āSo it goes now. Whoever wants to be clever must agree with nothing that others esteem. He must do something of his own. This is what that fellow does who wishes to turn the whole of astronomy upside down. Even in these things that are thrown into disorder I believe the Holy Scriptures, for Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.ā
Modern science: attack on Scripture, or source of wonder?
Clearly, Luther and Calvin were mistaken when they viewed non-geocentric astronomy as an attack on Scripture. The great theologians of the Reformation insisted that geocentric passages should be interpreted in the obvious way, and that dissent on this question was a dangerous attack on the authority of Scripture.
But thereās a better way to regard modern science. I think you get it exactly right, Van: it helps us wonder at Godās majesty, power, and wisdom.
Very well stated! This is exactly how I view evolution. When I learn something about all the intricacies of DNA transpositions, recombination, allele frequencies, start and stop codons, gene regulatory networksā¦and on and onā¦I am in wonder at Godās marvelous ways.
Regards,
Chris