Since stellar close encounters are very rare, planetary systems would be correspondingly scarce. Bishop Barnes argued that the collision theory was not correct. Thus he was arguing against a scientific theory from a theological premise, an intellectually courageous act in the post Darwin world. We now know that Bp. Barnes was correct.
Planetary systems are quite common in our galaxy.
Better models of their formation have been developed which are consistent with this. However none of this scientific information was available to the Bishop 70 years ago. Return to index Bruno, Giordano Giordano Bruno is often supposed to be someone who was executed by the Roman Catholic Church because of his belief in the heliocentric theory of the solar system. Those beliefs, rather than Copernicanism, appear to be the basis of his conviction for heresy in 1600. Copernicanism was not condemned as a result of his trial, and, in fact, the RC Church did not address the subject until 1616.