In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published his world-changing book On Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres. In it, he details a new way of seeing our place in the universe. He proposed that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around. This idea brought about much debate throughout Europe, but ultimately led to an explosion of new understanding and cultural momentum.

This shift in the scientific landscape beautifully mirrored another shift happening in the spiritual landscape of the time. Only 26 years prior to Copernicus’ publication another revolutionary piece of writing came out called the “95 Thesis.” In that text, Martin Luther challenged some of the fundamental perspectives of the established religious community of the day. By the time Copernicus wrote down his own theories, the Protestant Reformation was off the ground, revolutionizing western civilization. Though many people would see these as two separate issues, they were intrinsically linked. A new way of seeing God and the church was corresponding to a new vision of seeing the sun and the earth. (Which is quite a beautiful metaphor: The sun is the Great Light, representing the Creator, while the earth represents humanity.)

There is indeed a parallel here. As our spiritual perspectives are expanded and purified, our natural and scientific perspectives are as well…

In the years following Copernicus’ Revolutions, Galileo Galilei began to build upon this heliocentric theory of the solar system. He developed and enhanced the telescope, bringing about new evidence that Copernicus was correct. What began as wild mathematical ideas became solid and verifiable.

We find a similar pattern with the Reformation. In the years following Luther’s work, there were others after him who enhanced mankind’s understanding of the Scriptures, fashioning a new spiritual telescope for a wider body of people to look into. Yet both of these adjustments in perspective (the scientific and spiritual) were met with great opposition. In the western world, the idea of a sun-centered solar system was intensely debated because it was outside of people’s literal interpretations of the Bible (even Martin Luther rejected heliocentrism because of the literal implications of Joshua 10:13).

But there is a deep irony in this heliocentric paradigm shift. It was actually a double attack on religious pride: The earth (man) is not the center of everything. The sun (God) is…

If the church were open to this new idea they would have found that this newfound perspective of the universe was actually bringing more glory to God!

But here’s the main point of all this…

Over time, Galileo’s discoveries brought about a “revolution” of perspective and knowledge, which in turn brought about a revolution of technology and culture. The Reformation also had a significant impact on the culture and opened the way to the Renaissance. Their impact was far-reaching, like a spider web tracing out through the centuries. Today we are still impacted and connected to that web woven by people like Galileo and Luther.

But there are new revolutions happening today. Whole cultures and spiritual communities are turning in a new direction and its impact will be quite astronomical. 500 years after the Reformation and Renaissance, something similar is happening again. Breakthroughs in spiritual paradigms with corresponding scientific breakthroughs are emerging and growing. Be excited, because in the midst of this, new ways of thinking, new ways of culture, and new forms of technology are going to bring great change in the earth. It will affect our education systems, our exploration of earth and space, and it will certainly affect our spiritual communities.

If you were to create a picture of the world pre-1510s and the world thereafter, it would be like looking at two totally different planets! The jump in culture and knowledge from the 1510s and afterwards is uncanny. (We just take it for granted, because we were born into the “new” world and it’s all we’ve known.) But rest assured, the same thing will be said of the world pre-2020s and the world thereafter: Two totally different planets. Breakthroughs are going to happen in the sciences and in the religious realm that will challenge the status quo like never before.

And in the midst of it we will gain a deeper understanding of our Maker and His creation (even if it offends some of our previous perspectives). All we can do is learn from the past and approach the future with a deep humility and an adventurous spirit.

Great change is here. A new vision of the Son is emerging and fresh light is dawning on humanity.

(Above image by Joshua Werner, used with permission)