The Bible and Astronomy [antikvár]

PREFACE Two billion people were preparing for the anniversary of the second millennium of our era. What exactly were they preparing for? Older people perhaps expected that some catastrophe prophesied long ago woud now occur. Younger people seemed more inclined to expect the coming of an age of universal peace and social well-being. But both groups were destined to be disappointed to some extent. The truth is probably going to be found somewhere in between these two ideas. The leaders of Christian states and churches payed little attention to prophecies. Instead, they encouraged their peoples to cooperate in order to bring about the renewal of social justice and peace and to befittingly celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of Christ's birth. Some historians and asfronomers have proved that our era is most probably seven years late, if we want to determine the date exactly from the year Jesus was born. All researchers will agree that the Christian calendar established in the 6th century is late, if we take into account the evidence provided by historical dates. However, there are still some people who argue about the dates and there are others who consider this question unimportant. Nevertheless, various Church organizations agreed that the commemorative year of Christianity will be the year 2000 of the traditional calendar. When we were children, the preparation for the Christmas season used to be a happy time. We enjoyed the Nativity plays. In the evenings we used to dress up as kings, shepherds and angels. We went from house to house singing folk songs and carrying the Nativity creche and the big star. On January 6, the day of Epiphany, we were happy to carry the holy water while escorting the parish priest, who went round the village blessing each house and home. With a piece of white chalk he used to write the date and the initials of the Three Holy Kings on each door. This is what he would have written in this year: 20 + G + M + B + 00 As children it never occurred to us to ask who Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar were. We were used to hearing and repeating their familiar sounding names at Christmas time and we thought of them as generous and holy kings, who were there to protect our homes from all misfortune in the forthcoming new year. Tempusfugit (time flies). But life is half spent before we know what it is all about. We had to spend a great deal of our time studying hard and we have become neither shepherds nor kings. First I studied mathematics and physics and then philosophy and theology, until I realized that without the knowledge of cultural history it was hardly possible to understand and evaluate the scientific progress of our age. Si'