Describe the Ptolemaic astronomical system and explain why that system was embraced by Christian theologians.
Ptolemy, a Greco-Egyptian stated that all the celestial objects, such as sun, moon, stars and the planets travel around the earth’s orbit, which is circular and the earth in the center of the universe did not move at all. His model is called as Ptolemaic system.
Ptolemaic system is a mathematical model of universe, which assumed that earth is at the center of the universe and is stationary. All other celestial objects in the universe move in circular motion along the most perfect path possible. It also called as geocentric model. Two common observations made by the Ptolemaic system are as follows:
i. Earth is at the center of the universe.
ii. Earth is spherical, stable, solid and unmoving.
Ptolemaic system was embraced by Christian theologians because of the geocentric concept. They supported the system as it gave the human a center place in the universe. Geocentric model is the biblical perspective, which supported some passages in the Bible. The system agreed with the Christian view of mankind that earth is at the center of the earth separating it from the heavens. This system was also accepted in Islamic world during the middle ages.