There is no "direct contradiction" today, so there was none back then either. His conflict was with the church LEADERS who rarely cracked open a Bible themselves. Still a common problem in many denominations.
Aha. So your interpretation of the bible, made with the benefit of hindsight of the discoveries made by science, is correct whilst all previous interpretations made without this benefit of hindsight are wrong.
And yet we should consider the bible as our guide to truth. Not the science that provides you with your superior interpretation.
"The Bible is like a person, and if you torture it long enough, you can get it to say almost anything you'd like it to say." -- Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade (my respects to Granny Magda for stealing her signature quote)