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Galileo's great theory was that the earth rotated on its own axis around the sun. Before his time, it was believed that the sun revolved around the earth, but he corrected that notion and was therefore exposed to great persecution from the Church of Rome. He was summoned twice before the Inquisition, the doctors of which pronounced that his theory was "false in philosophy and heretical in religion." He made a promise, extorted from him by compulsion that he would no longer teach his theory. Such was the conduct of an 'infallible" church on a theory it now believes itself.