Appealing to Ahaz: The Jesuits and the Sundial of Ahaz in the Era of Copernican Astronomy

Brent Purkaple

Jump to Content

Chapter 3 Appealing to Ahaz

The Jesuits and the Sundial of Ahaz in the Era of Copernican Astronomy

In: Manipulating the Sun

Author:

Brent Purkaple

Brent Purkaple
Search for other papers by Brent Purkaple in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 101–140

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004677654_005

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€42.00€35.00 excl. VAT

Add to Cart

Redeem Access Token

Abstract

The biblical story of the Sundial of Ahaz was important in the early modern period for a variety of reasons, one of which was its relationship to Copernican astronomy. A miracle of a moving shadow seemed to clearly imply a moving sun, hence disproving Copernican astronomy. Yet, what is intriguing is that when one traces this biblical miracle among many members of the Society of Jesus, for whom the rejection of Copernican astronomy was important, it is not altogether apparent that this text was important because of its bearing upon Copernicanism. Rather, the fundamental interest of the Jesuits with regard to this biblical event was defending its miraculousness. The bearing of the miracle upon Copernicanism was secondary, and even then such a connection was not altogether clear. This chapter covers these aspects and others as a reminder that Copernicanism came about at a time when the Sundial of Ahaz was an important topic, even apart from its cosmological implications.

Citation Info

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share link with colleague or librarian

You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://brill.edhh.ma/abstract/book/9789004677654/BP000005.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Manipulating the Sun

Picturing Astronomical Miracles from the Bible in the Early Modern Era

Series: Nuncius Series, Volume: 13

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004677654

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 29 Nov 2023

Subjects

Front Matter

Part 1 The Horologium Ahaz and Joshua Stopping the Sun in Early Modern Printed Material

Part 2 The Horologium Ahaz and Joshua Stopping the Sun on Early Modern Scientific Instruments

Part 3 The Horologium Ahaz and Joshua Stopping the Sun in Art and Architecture in Specific Locations

Back Matter

Metrics

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	1405	309	53
Full Text Views	22	6	0
PDF Views & Downloads	9	2	0

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Chapter 3 Appealing to Ahaz

The Jesuits and the Sundial of Ahaz in the Era of Copernican Astronomy

Abstract

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Manipulating the Sun

Picturing Astronomical Miracles from the Bible in the Early Modern Era

Table of Contents

Metrics

Metrics