Presidential candidate Rick Santorum rebuked Pope Francis this week, saying the pope should “leave science to the scientists” with regard to the pontiff’s remarks on climate change.

Pope Francis — who has a degree in chemistry — has said causing climate change is a sin because the Earth is God’s creation and should be protected. “Safeguard Creation,” he said in a speech last month. “Because if we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us! Never forget this!”

Santorum, a devout Catholic and far right conservative, has expressed disbelief in climate change — and evolution, for that matter — and routinely rejects evidence scientists present on both matters.

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Santorum describes himself as a “huge fan” of the pope, but on “The Dom Giordano Show” on Monday, he said “the church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we’re really good at, which is … theology and morality.”

He continued, “When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is probably not as forceful and credible.”

Santorum surprised the nation in the 2012 presidential race when he won the Iowa caucuses, as well as ten other states. Four years later, the candidate argues his time has arrived.

“I know what it’s like to be an underdog. Four years ago, no one gave us much of a chance, but we won 11 states,” he declared in Cabot, Pennsylvania, last week. “We got four million votes and it’s not just because I stood for something, it’s because I stood for someone — Americans.”