For someone who extols the importance of understanding history the statement "The only institutions anywhere on earth seriously dedicated to preserving and expanding knowledge were Islamic." is incredible. Has the writer not heard of monasticism? The great monastic organisations from which grew hospitals and universities and by which governing institutions arose were essential in the formation of modern Europe.

yep twisting history to confirm ones ideology. Clueless!

Runner, if you want a reliable source of history, I would suggest to you and others of your faith, the Bible is not the place to look.

David

'Runner, if you want a reliable source of history, I would suggest to you and others of your faith, the Bible is not the place to'

I would suggest David that the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely more truthful and reliable than you. Oh that right you have no moral basis for truth anyway.

Makes perfectly good sense to me. Much learning was preserved in the monasteries. However, such learning was unavailable to the general public. During the Dark Ages Christians outside of the clergy were prevented from reading the Bible. Their religious information was supplied by clergy who often were pretty ignorant themselves. In general the Bible was not translated into the vernacular. Wycliffe translated the Bible into the English of his time. His followers, the Lollards, were declared heretics, and Wycliffe's corpse was dug up and burned. Some of the King James Version includes Wycliffe's work.

The Renaissance was based on connection with pre-Christian, classical knowledge, the Enlightenment was to a large extent freed European humanity from the power of the church to stifle free inquiry.

Having succeeded during the Dark Ages in keeping the masses of European humanity in abysmal ignorance some Christian apologists have tried to rewrite history and credit their superstition with freeing European humanity from ignorance.

Runner, It isn't Jesus who I am concerned with. It is the very fallible people who followed him who are responsible for distorting the details of his life, death and resurrection.

David