Author Topic: Poll: Is Geocentrism Necessary to the Faith (Read 22312 times)

s2srea · « **on:** August 30, 2016, 07:30:48 AM »

I'm curious if those who support Geocentrism find it a necessary theory is due to their understanding/interpretation of Holy Writ.

In other words, is Geocentrism, in your view, something Christians have a duty to believe based on Holy Scripture.

s2srea · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2016, 07:41:16 AM »

I, for one, do not believe this. If the evidence for the position of the Earth in our universe is shown to be in one place, or another, it has absolutely no effect on our understanding and belief of Holy Scripture. I believe that many Traditional Catholics have come to be influenced in how they interpret the Bible by many fundamentalist Protestants who erroneously interpret the bible in a literalist sense. This approach is foreign to the Church, and should be sternly rejected and condemned.

The Catholic approach, is the literal interpretation of Scripture. Reading Scripture with the understanding of the meaning that the author of that passage of Scripture intended to convey. Independent of Science- which can err- we can place our confidence in the passages of the Bible regarding the Earth. It would be a heresy, in my opinion, to think that geocentrism is a required belief of Catholics. I remember St. Thomas Aquinas speaking on this point specifically (but I can't remember where right now). He said (something to the effect of:), that if our understanding of the cosmos would have changed, which it very well may do, it would not have any affect on our Faith at all.

JezusDeKoning · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2016, 07:49:04 AM »

Even so, the Church is in eclipse. With the state of things now, planetary orbits should be the LEAST of one's concerns. I have no opinion either way on geocentricism vs heliocentrism. Whatever position I have the most evidence for, I'll adopt.

s2srea · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2016, 08:34:52 AM »

Quote from: JezusDeKoning

Even so, the Church is in eclipse. With the state of things now, planetary orbits should be the LEAST of one's concerns. I have no opinion either way on geocentricism vs heliocentrism. Whatever position I have the most evidence for, I'll adopt.

Those are also my sentiments.

Matto · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2016, 12:55:54 PM »

Well the Church did condemn heliocentrism as a heresy, some say infallibly. Then the Church later accepted heliocentrism, ane even taught it in their Catechisms (heliocentrism is taught in the Baltimore Catechism which I just reread). So I can understand Catholics holding both positions. I am open to geocentrism and would not be surprised if it turns out to be true but I don't really believe it yet. I do not believe the earth is flat, however, because there are certain facts I know about the world that could not be true on a flat earth as far as I understand.