I’d like to say I’ve finished reading “On The Revolutions Of The Heavenly Spheres,” by Copernicus (1473-1543), but I haven’t. I have, however, completed the “Dedication of the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies: to Pope Paul III” (1543), as well as the commentary and reading guide. A guided tour of the work seemed more suitable for this tired old man than an all-out trek.
Copernicus knew he was onto something so controversial that the first printed copy of his work was not available until he was on his deathbed (note: the printing press was only 30 years old). The Dedication opens, “I can easily conceive, most Holy Father, that as soon as some people learn that in this book which I have written concerning the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, I ascribe certain motions to the Earth, they will cry out at once that I and my theory should be rejected. . . when I considered this carefully, the contempt which I had to fear because of the novelty and apparent absurdity of my view, nearly induced me to abandon utterly the work I had begun.” In other words, Copernicus proved the earth was not fixed nor do the heavens moved around it and he knew his findings would literally change the world. He only published with the support of scholar-friends.
Copernicus makes it clear he wants to preserve orthodoxy while demonstrating where and how the math and science were wrong. His goal is to agree with The Great Architect while appealing to ancient scholars who also once held the same position. The reason he writes to the Pope is “so that by your authority and judgment you can easily suppress the bites of slanderers. . . “ The current science has not produced an accurate calendar, affecting the Church calendar; but, Copernicus offers that his science will bring stability to the Church. Overall, he knows he is breaking tradition and would rather offend science and not the Church.
