angelo

Only one churchman? I'm sure there would be more.There would have been, just as today, that some clergy would view science books as the work of the devil, and take all that is in scripture as the word of their God. Cheers.

Roger Pearse

IIRC, books 1-5 are dedicated to putting forward his theory, and 6-10 to rebutting the objections of his fellow monks that he was off his head, mostly by ad hominem arguments against paganism.

Photius' comments are in codex 36 of the Bibliotheca, here: "He relates much that is incredible from an historical point of view, so that he may fairly be regarded as a fabulist rather than a trustworthy authority."

I don't think that John Philoponus mentions Cosmas, tho. See here.

Mind you, you have to respect a chap who had really made the fabulous journey from the Roman Empire to India in ancient times!

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Antipope Innocent II

The myth of the medieval "Flat Earth" discussion is irrelevant to this thread and so is continued HERE.

Antipope Innocent II

From elsewhere ...

Yes, and one unknown to the medieval Church in Europe. Despite your strident and now clearly baseless assertion about how the medieval Church taught the earth was flat. Time to admit you were wrong there, perhaps?

You're "sure" based on, what, exactly? Other than your desire to be sure?

Maybe. But since the theology of the medieval European Church followed Augustine's doctrine of the "treasures of the Egyptians" and so revered ancient pagan wisdom and preserved ancient knowledge when it could, any such maverick would be irrelevant. If you could show they existed beyond hopeful hand-waving about how "sure" you are.

Do you know what I'm talking about regarding Augustine, BTW?

Actually, it's quite clear you dont'. It's also clear you didn't have the vaguest idea about medieval cosmology when you made your baseless assertion aboiut how the medieval Church taught the Earth was flat. An asserion you're now dancing away from.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to know what you're talking about in future.

Roger Pearse

I'm sure that you are right.

But let's not crucify AA for being new to internet discussion groups. We all were cubs once. We all came online asserting what we thought were facts to meet people who had a million caveats or qualifications to offer, who had seen people like us many many times before. No doubt AA is just a bit shocked at what seems like the ferocity of the response.

AA, you need to be more cautious about what you assert. People will call you on it whenever it seems inconvenient to them, and demand you prove it. It's best to quote your source or say 'I have read somewhere that...'.

Don't feel hurt or got at -- we all got this treatment.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

aa5874

I am truly shocked by your response. Your assumptions are completely in error.

aa5874

To know the Medieval Church position on the 'flat earth' theory, just read about the trial of Galileo. Based on the trial of Galileo, the Medieval Church firmly believed and taught the earth was flat up to the 17th century. According to the Church, God created an 'immovable earth' with foundations.

Job 38.1 & 4, "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said........Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding'.

See http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/proj...demnation.html

Gooch's dad

Huh?

What does an "immovable earth" have to do with a flat earth? The medieval church believed in an earth-centered solar system. That has absolutely nothing to do with "flat earth".

Sheesh. The crap one reads on this forum sometimes boggles the mind.

Virginia-American

Think of the symbolism of the orb carried by emperors and kings.

RareBird

Though it may not have been a matter of "scientific expression" of factual reality, the presumption of a flat Earth is primary to the medeivil religious world view. The presumption that heaven is in the "up" direction reflects the parochical view that everyone everywhere lives on the same plane. The assumptions of Jesus and Mary only make sense under this "fixed" "flat plane" constant. If the actual truth were observed the questions would arise as to where the bodies of Jesus and Mary would go since the orientation of the Earth to the cosmos changes each moment it rotates. Do the bodies just stop at the end of the atmosphere and disappear? Or do they do a victory lap around the globe to show everyone they've assumed? Or are the narcissistic Jews and early Christians the only ones who matter in the world? Or what? No one has to emphatically insist on the world being flat, they just have to fail to challenge presumptions made that come from a fixed flat plain world view--one which sees the self as the center of the universe and everything else a provision of god to that narcissistic self.