Re: [asa] a theological exercise

On Tue, 3 Jun 2008, Dennis Venema wrote:

> Itıs not just verses about the sun rising: Psalms speak of the Lord
> establishing the earth that it might never be moved, and Joshuaıs ³long day²
> specifically refers to the sun stopping, not the earth. Ecclesiastes also
> states that the sun moves relative to the earth as it hastens back to the
> place of its rising.
>
>> Yet, maybe that reflects my own historical situatedness to some degree.
>
> I would say so: this was no trivial discussion when it took place.
>
> Hereıs Lutherıs take on the issue:
>
> ³People gave ear to an upstart astrologer who strove to show that the earth
> revolves, not the heavens or the firmament, the sun and the moon. Whoever
> wishes to appear clever must devise some new system, which of all systems is
> of course the very best. This fool [or Œmanı] wishes to reverse the entire
> science of astronomy; but sacred Scripture tells us that Joshua commanded
> the sun to stand still, and not the earth.² ‹ Martin Luther, Table Talk

Luther's argument depends on understanding the Hebrew verb damam to mean
stand still, whereas its literal meaning is to be silent. The verses that
I know of that speak of the earth not moving appear to me to say that it
cannot be moved off its foundation. Therefore I think that the real issue
ought to be the meaning of the earth's foundation rather than the meaning
of motion.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Tue Jun 3 21:40:58 2008