RE: [asa] a theological exercise

Regarding the stopping of the Sun found in Joshua, you might enjoy an
argument given by Galileo countering the dogmatic Ptolemy model. From a
non-rotating Geocentric view, the Sun would have to increase its speed along
its west to east natural path in order for it to appear to stop. If the
Sun's motion were to literally stop it would set sooner, not stay in the sky
longer.

This means a relative view is taken of how the Sun appeared to behave.
Thus, if a relative view, rather than an absolute one, is allowed, the more
sensible relative view is that the Earth's rotation was slowed or stopped
since the Moon's motion was also noted to behave as the Sun's.

Coope

-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of gordon brown
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 8:40 PM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: [asa] a theological exercise

On Tue, 3 Jun 2008, Dennis Venema wrote:

> It¹s not just verses about the sun rising: Psalms speak of the Lord
> establishing the earth that it might never be moved, and Joshua¹s 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.
>
> Here¹s Luther¹s 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 Œman¹] 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 Wed Jun 4 08:32:30 2008