Recently an unbeliever tried to discredit me by saying Christians don’t use their brains. And he brought up the widely-held belief that Christians once insisted the earth was flat.
But that's a myth.
Early church fathers and theologians actually formed the largest group of individuals who advanced and supported the spherical earth view. And Christian scholars are credited with some of the best explanations of the spherical earth in ancient and Middle Age literature. In fact, early European missionaries spread the spherical earth view along with the gospel.
This myth about flat-earth Christians originated when Washington Irving wrote The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. He mixed fact with fiction and created a story about foolish flat-earth Christians opposing Columbus’ voyages. And somehow this fiction became “fact,” and a popular way to discredit Christianity.
But we can rejoice even in this: “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you.” Matthew 5:11
And I might add that my rude commenter didn't take his own advice--he didn't use his brain. He accepted the myth about flat-earth Christians without checking its validity.
Resources for further study:
4 Facts About Figurative Language in Scripture
Did the Church Teach the Earth Was Flat?
Myth of the Flat Earth
Washington Post: Busting the Myth
Note: Some people bring up the trial of Galileo as a proof that Christians believed in a flat earth. This is another example of not getting the facts straight. The trial of Galileo is a complex political, scientific and theological controversy. The scientific aspect was NOT about the shape of the earth. All parties believed in a spherical earth. It was over the widely accepted (but wrong) geocentric theory versus Galileo's correct heliocentric belief. It was not the church vs. science. There were scientists on both sides and Christians on both sides.
Want to read more? See: Wiki Galileo; Galileo Controversy
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Bible Love Notes
Good point!! Similarly, missionaries to Hawaii were given a bad reputation because of James Michener's book, Hawaii. Years later, early missionaries to Hawaii still were discredited in their godly intentions. We are to be of no-reputation, like Christ. Oh to be more like Christ. This isn't easy!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gail - it is so true that those who can't explain our joy and way of living seek to discredit us. Great scripture to encourage. BTW, happy anniversary sweet lady
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Tracy
It amazes me that critics would reach that far back in history to find criticisms of Christians. Now that I read your post, I remember learning that a great motivator for Columbus was to spread the gospel. Great verse to include! Thanks for all your efforts here!
ReplyDelete"He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end." ~ JOB 26:10
ReplyDeleteThe word "compassed" (Hebrew khug) means to be made spherical (referring to the shape of the earth). You will find similar verses in Proverbs 8:27 and Isaiah 40:22 where the same word is used with the same connotation.
~ Henry M. Morris
Hi there, I just wanted to share the above information from a favorite book of mine, THE REMARKABLE RECORD OF JOB showing the insinuation that the earth was round. The author Dr. Morris shows how much science was already perfectly understood and recorded by Gods inspiration. GOD already had the answers in the Scriptures to many scientific questions/observations/facts. Many of which are in the Book of Job. What an awesome Creator we have! And what a confirmation that Christians have had the truth from the very beginning ~ in the Bible!
Thanks for adding these additional thoughts and references. Bless you, Gail
DeleteIt is actually Hebrew word khoog which means circle, circuit, circular line! No sphere because a circle has a face a sphere does not! Are you denying God's firmament? No big bang! No evilution! No outer space! Wake up!
DeleteI'm not exactly sure what you saying, MikeinOhio. I do deny the big bang and evolution because God doesn't need to use mutations and billions of years of mistakes, accidents, and errors to create a world. Nor do I think evolution adequately explains the complexity of our world's design. Nor do I think it is part of God's character to create man in His image by letting the strongest kill the weakest.
DeleteBut this devotion isn't about any of those things. It's about false accusations that the Bible teaches the earth is flat and the false accusations that Christians were big advocates of a flat earth.
Two thumbs up! I didn't know this. Do you have any reading recommendations for this subject? I love Biblical Science and History. Thanks for sharing at Mom's Library!
ReplyDeleteThat’s a lie! Do you know how old Christianity is? Do you know how long the globe theory has been around? Do some research.
ReplyDeleteRomans 3:4 (TS2009) Let it not be! But let Elohim be true, and every man a liar, as it has been written, “That You should be declared right in Your words, and prevail in Your judging.”
Hello Flat-earth believer.
DeleteYou sound very passionate about a flat earth.
I assume you think that Romans 3:4 has something to do with a person's belief about the shape of the globe, but it's about belief in Christ, not belief in the flat earth. It's in a passage about the differences between Jews and Gentiles and those who reject or accept Christ.
The passages that speak of the earth as flat are figurative language used in the poetic books. If you take them literally, then you must also believe that trees have hands because the Bible says the trees clap their hands (Is. 55:12).
And I wonder if you are aware of Scriptures like Colossians 4:6 which says Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. It also contains some figurative language. We aren't literally supposed to pour salt on our words. But it means that we speak the salt of God's Word with grace, and no one would consider your comment gracious.
So, it would appear that you think a person's view of the earth is more important than gracious speech.
And if you are going to stand by that belief based on the figurative language of Scripture, then please be ready to prove that trees have hands and please carry a salt shaker with you whenever you speak about God's truth.