What Does theocentrism Mean
In order to know the meaning of the term theocentrism, the first thing to do is discover its etymological origin. In that sense we can say that it derives from the Greek as it is the result of the sum of three components of that language:
-The noun “theos”, which can be translated as “god”.
- "Kentron", which is equivalent to "center".
-The suffix “-ismo”, which is used to indicate “doctrine”.
Theocentrism is called the doctrine that places God as the absolute director of all events in the universe. According to theocentrism, what happens in the world, including the actions of human beings, depends on God .
Theocentrists explain reality from the divine will : everything is subordinate to God . The science in this context, is in the background because any phenomenon, however small or insignificant it may be, is ultimately governed by divinity.
For many centuries, theocentrism was the predominant doctrine. From the beginning of the Christian era until the beginning of the Renaissance , the different philosophical currents used to place God in the center of the scene. The panorama began to change after the Renaissance , when the human being was placed as the central protagonist of the universe.
Precisely because of the primacy of theocentrism in medieval times it was understood that the lower classes were, as some historians have determined, not only pessimistic but also subjugated and without the spirit of struggle. This was due to the idea that everything was subject to the will of God, that the king was king because he had determined it that way and that nothing could be done to change things.
In the same way, this circumstance would also explain the fact that at that time initiatives were given shape that, in one way or another, offered individuals the power to strengthen their relationship with God, atone for their sins and even be able to make sure that after death they would have a life in absolute peace with the Creator Being. We are referring specifically to what were the pilgrimages to the Camino de Santiago, which are still in force today, and also the creation of different religious orders that were considered to be attached to values such as chastity, obedience or work.
As of the 15th century , most currents of thought stopped recognizing God as the sole cause of everything that happens in the universe , but came to be considered, only in some cases, as one of several factors.
Theocentrism, in this way, gave way to anthropocentrism , which takes people as the center of events. Anthropocentrism thinks about reality from the interests and conditions of human beings, unlike theocentrism that does so from the presence of God .
Biocentrism is located between theocentrism and anthropocentrism , which takes all living beings as its axis, beyond the human being.