But did it actually mean that science and the Bible are in opposition to one another? Not really. It only meant that what theologians had said about Scripture was different from Galileo's scientific conclusion based on the evidence. What is often overlooked, however, is the other fact that Galileo was a Christian. He said, "that the glory and greatness of Almighty God are marvelously discerned in all His works and divinely read in the open book of Heaven."

Cranmer clearly has before him—perhaps literally open to the page—Philippians 2:5-11:

Whole systems of religion were devised to facilitate the understanding of salvation-by-increments: acquiring grace by participating in the sacraments, and our modern-day "celebration of the disciplines" movements that mean to lead us towards the goal of obtaining human worthiness to stand before God. Preachers thrive on this. They are paid good money to fuss at their congregations for not getting better, chiding them to do more and try harder.

Before offering some criticism of how the principle of "no creed but the Bible" is sometimes used, it is first useful to understand what important truth those who use it are rightly trying to protect. That truth is the unique authority and sufficiency of the Bible as the source and criterion for Christian doctrine.