The Heliocentric Theory vs. The Catholic ChurchWe view the world today as the Earth and planets revolving around the Sun. Naturally, this always wasn’t the case. Aristotle created a model in which since Godcreated the Earth and man, therefore everything should revolve around us, creating ageocentric model of the known universe. This model was widely accepted by the people,as well as the Church, since the theory was God-centered. It wasn’t until Aristotle’s timewhen scientists started to challenge this model due to advances in technology andtheories, and the heliocentric model was starting to take form, which went againts whatthe Church strongly believed. In this paper I will explain the creation of the heliocentricmodel, and the Church’s reactions and responses to the new works on a sun-centereduniverse.During the Renaissance, many began to "toss aside medieval preoccupations withsupernatural forces and turned to secular concerns.” (Yamasaki, p.50) During this time,people began to think for themselves and ponder truths through philosophy, science,astronomy, astrology, etc. Philosophers' minds began to turn, the human mind was finallyawake. At the time, the thought of heavenly bodies being divine, and stars being eternalobjects in unchanging motion were common knowledge. A philosopher, scientsit, and one of Plato's pupils, Aristotle, was also a veryimportant figure. Born in Stagira in 384, Aristotle is regarded as the most influentialancient philosopher of the sciences. Aristotle refined Callippus' geometrical and sphericalconcepts, and developed the geocentric theory, which was believed for many years. Beingunder Plato’s teachings, Aristotle believed that the sphere is the most perfect figurebecause when rotated to any diameter it occupies the same space; and that circularmotions are a sign of perfection, which is why Heaven is considered divine. Thespherical nature of the Earth and Universe a...
