__________ Geocentrism __________

Geocentrism is the belief that the earth is the immovable center of the universe, that it does not rotate, and that the sun, moon, planets, and stars revolve around the earth once each day. Some Christians believe that the Bible teaches geocentrism, and therefore, they must accept it as a matter of faith.

I think that’s a mistake for a couple of reasons. First, insisting that the Bible teaches geocentrism makes some Christians feel compelled to affirm something they know in their heart isn’t true, and second, it makes Sacred Scripture look ridiculous to educated people. If they think our Scriptures teach nonsense, why should they listen to what they  say about the gospel? 

So, sometime around 2002 I set out to show that God did not intend to teach geocentrism (or any other cosmology) in the Bible, and that geocentrism has been thoroughly disproved. I wrote a couple of articles, and I had a series of online debates with Robert Sungenis, a Catholic geocentrist.

Interestingly, I recently discovered that Mr. Sungenis wrote that “Mr. Cole and Mr. Hoge conceded the debate about a year later, acknowledging that my position was viable and could not be discredited, which then led them to take down all the material on their own website against geocentrism.” (Sungenis, Scientific Heresies and Their Effect on the Church, 2018, p. 101).

I can’t speak for Ken Cole, but I have never conceded that Mr. Sungenis’ position was “viable and could not be discredited.” On the contrary, I think his position is absurd and that I and others have thoroughly discredited it. But I invite you, gentle reader, to be the judge of that.

Articles

That Old-Time Science

Robert Sungenis’ crusade against modern astronomy.

As the Universe Turns

Is it physically possible for the whole universe to orbit the earth?

The Coriolis Force

How the behavior of the atmosphere disproves geocentrism.

Ken Cole

Dialogues

On Geocentrism and the Catholic Faith

Are Catholics required to believe in Geocentrism as an article of faith?

with Anonymous Catholic

• Part 2

On “Motionless” Satellites

How the existence of geostationary satellites proves that the earth is rotating.

with Robert Sungenis

• Part 2, Part 3

On Looping and Zig-Zagging Satellites

How the apparent motion of geosynchronous satellites proves that the earth is rotating.

with Robert Sungenis

• Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

On Satellites with Extremely Eccentric Orbits

How the flightpath of NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory proves that the earth is rotating.

with Robert Sungenis

• Part 2, Part 3

On the Center of Mass of the Universe

Why the earth can't be the center of mass of the universe.

with Robert Sungenis

• Part 2