Debate about the Shape of Earth

Whatever your opinion on whether Christopher Columbus believed the world was flat, you will be engaged by thought-provoking material posted online for Dr. Bruce Railsback’s geology course at the University of Georgia – GEOL 1122 – Earth’s History of Global Change. The professor adds spice to the course with a transcript of a Debate about the Shape of the Earth. Here’s some help on the meaning of prolate spheroid.

The Bible affirms Earth is spherical. Isaiah wrote, “Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:21-22, KJV).

Earlier, Job had observed, “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing“ (Job 26:7).