Episode 109. Next to his remarkable views on nature, Galileo had an equally amazing understanding of scripture, the book of God's words. Galileo was quick to note that scripture is inerrant, not its interpreters. In quote 17 he argues, holy scripture can never lie or error, and its declarations are absolutely and inviolably true. Though the scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit, we cannot assert with certainty that all interpreters speak by divine inspiration. Since, if this were so, then there would be no disagreement among them about the meeting of the same passages. Galileo concludes holy scripture can never lie, as long as its true meaning has been grasped. Galileo clearly accepted the doctrine of biblical inspiration. He believed that scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit. He also accepted the doctrine of biblical inerrancy. According to Galileo, the Bible can never lie or err and biblical declarations are absolutely and inviolably true. Consequently, human interpreters are the problem and this is why we need hermeneutics. Galileo was firm in believing that the intention of scripture is for salvation, not science. In quote 18 he states I should believe that the authority of Holy Writ was merely the aim of persuading men of those articles and propositions which are necessary for their salvation and surpass all human reason, and so could not become credible through some other science or any other means except the mouth of the Holy Spirit. If the first sacred writers had been thinking of persuading the people about the arrangement and the movements of the heavenly bodies, they would not have treated them so sparsely. In this quotation, we clearly see that Galileo accepts the hermeneutical principle of authorial intentionality. He contends that there is dual authorship of scripture. The divine intention deals with salvation and this revelation comes from the mouth of the Holy Spirit itself and it is the aim of the Bible. Galileo also acknowledges the human intention in scripture, and that it was not to reveal science. Because the first sacred writers would not have treated astronomy so sparsely. In the next two quotations, Galileo essentially summarizes the hermeneutics of this course. First, he asserts that science in scripture is incidental. In quote 19 he writes, scripture speaks incidentally of the Earth, water, Sun, and other created thing. Then he continues, sciences are discussed in scripture to a very minor extent and with disconnected statements. Such is precisely the case of astronomy. So little of which is contained therein that one does not even find there even the names of the planets except for the sun, the moon, and once or twice Venus under the name Morning Star. This quotation reflects the message incident principle. The science and scripture is incidental. And this science only appears to a very minor extent and with disconnected statements. Quote 19 inspires me to ask the question, does scripture speak incidentally of the origin of the world? What do you think? End of episode.