In 1633, Roman Catholic astronomer Galileo Galilei was punished for suggesting that Earth revolves around the sun, a scientific theory that threatened the Churchs place in the universe. Since then, scientists and theologians alike have jealously guarded their domains like a mother protects her child from infection.

"We believe God created everything in the universe, by whatever means or method," says founding member and club president Patrick C. Carr. "After that, science is a perfectly acceptable way of learning how the universe works."

Galileo Galilei, Christian Astronomer

Galileo Galilei was a Roman Catholic astronomer, philosopher, and mathematician in Italy. In 1633, the Roman Catholic Inquisition sentenced Galileo tolife in prison for teaching the Copernican theory that the earth revolves around the sun.

At the time, the Roman Catholic Church believed the Copernican theory conflicted with the Bibles description of Gods universe. Refusing to abandon science, Galileo spent much of his remaining life studying the motion and strength of materials.

The religious scientist once wrote, "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use."

Formed in June 1999, CASE strives to educate the public about astronomy through club meetings, star parties and teaching at local schools and camps. The public appears eager to learn, as between 30 and 50 people show up for CASEs monthly star parties. "Thats pretty good for a town with a population of just 10,000," says Carr.

The crowd CASE draws is diverse, too. Star parties have included theologians, a biologist, a Mennonite and many women -- the latter very rare in most astronomy clubs. The group once received a call from a non-Christian who just wanted his son to find an activity with "the right people."

The doomsday cult

In fact, interest in CASE, believed to be the worlds first Christian astronomy club, reaches across the nation and around the globe. Carr has heard from people in other states looking for local chapters (which dont yet exist). He recently spoke with a man from Australia who wanted advice on dealing with a doomsday cult of Christians who believed the world would end on May 5, when five planets and the moon formed an arc in the sky.