How Christianity has done great things

[Jim_Baur]

Might someone have a list of the great gifts of Christianity to Europe and the world.

Universities

Hospitals and the like!

THANKS!

 

[Kaninchen]

Are you suggesting that the history of the entire world outside the Christian context was without medicine and higher education?

 

[dmar198]

Are you suggesting that the history of the entire world outside the Christian context was without medicine and higher education?

No, because medicine and higher education aren’t the same as hospitals and universities.

 

[Kaninchen]

No, because medicine and higher education aren’t the same as hospitals and universities.

Riiight, so the great contribution of Christianity has been to give different words for where such things are carried out.

 

[dmar198]

Riiight, so the great contribution of Christianity has been to give different words for where such things are carried out.

No, because universities and hospitals differ in more than just words from higher education and medicine.

 

[Kaninchen]

No, because universities and hospitals differ in more than just words from higher education and medicine.

Riiight.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Riiight.

Sorry, but dmar is correct. While it’s true that there have been various education systems throughout history (most commonly in the form of a master-apprentice relationship), none of them have succeeded in distributing knowledge like the university system has. They also have not promoted the growth of knowledge and understanding that the University system has. Similarly, while individual apothecarists (I have no idea what to call a pre-doctor doctor >_>) were able to make small advancements in medical knowledge and devise new remedies, it wasn’t until we have the hospital system that we see the study of medicine explode in a way in which it became preemptive rather than reactive.

There were educational institutes and medical knowledge prior to both hospitals and universities; but to deny the substantial positive impact and growth that such institutes have brought about is to be ignorant of history. Even if you are not Catholic, you should not be averse to admitting this, as it is historical fact. Similarly, despite my dislike of Islam, I cannot deny the significant impact certain Islamic scholars have had on the study of astronomy.

 

[Kaninchen]

Sorry, but dmar is correct. While it’s true that there have been various education systems throughout history (most commonly in the form of a master-apprentice relationship), none of them have succeeded in distributing knowledge like the university system has. They also have not promoted the growth of knowledge and understanding that the University system has. Similarly, while individual apothecarists (I have no idea what to call a pre-doctor doctor >_>) were able to make small advancements in medical knowledge and devise new remedies, it wasn’t until we have the hospital system that we see the study of medicine explode in a way in which it became preemptive rather than reactive.

There were educational institutes and medical knowledge prior to both hospitals and universities; but to deny the substantial positive impact and growth that such institutes have brought about is to be ignorant of history.

There’s a lot of wishful thinking and anachronism in all this. Just where and when was the knowledge generated and distributed and what generated modern medicine? For most of their history, universities were pretty pointless institutions in terms of the generation of what we would now consider ‘knowledge’ and one might argue were part of the problem rather than the solution. Again one might think of an essay topic like ‘discuss the relative contributions of the 19th century German dyestuffs industry and Christianity in the development of modern medicine’.

So, I’m sorry but all this self-congratulatory ‘we produced modern civilisation’ stuff might make people feel good but it’s much more complicated in reality.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

There’s a lot of wishful thinking and anachronism in all this. Just where and when was the knowledge generated and distributed and what generated modern medicine? For most of their history, universities were pretty pointless institutions in terms of the generation of what we would now consider ‘knowledge’ and one might argue were part of the problem rather than the solution. Again one might think of an essay topic like ‘discuss the relative contributions of the 19th century German dyestuffs industry and Christianity in the development of modern medicine’.

So, I’m sorry but all this self-congratulatory ‘we produced modern civilisation’ stuff might make people feel good but it’s much more complicated in reality.

I at no time claimed “we created modern civilization,” nor was I self-congratulatory. I simply stated that the University and hospital systems which have their origins in the Catholic Church have had a significant positive impact on the development of modern civilization. This is not an oversimplification, nor am I attempting to reduce the importance of additional factors to these developments.

I take issue with your assertion that the universities were pointless. While they may not have covered as many subjects as modern universities do, that does not mean that they were pointless. They were originally developed with the primary focus of spiritual development, and they were widely successful in that regard. As it became apparent that the system used to distribute this religious knowledge could be similarly applied to other subjects, their focus expanded. You cannot build a house without first laying the foundation, and once the house is built you cannot disregard the importance of that foundation.

I also did not say that hospitals were the main source of medical development. I said that they brought together medical minds in a way not done previously, and aided in the advancement of medical knowledge through the ability to study and better catalog the symptoms and effects of different maladies. More important than the medical knowledge gained was the fact that the first hospitals catered to the sick who couldn’t afford a private doctor (as was the norm). That is far more important than what was learned.

 

[Jim_Baur]

Any help?

Just a list, no need to explain.

It is personal–for myself. I just do not have the time to look!

THANKS!

 

[Kaninchen]

As it became apparent that the system used to distribute this religious knowledge could be similarly applied to other subjects, their focus expanded. You cannot build a house without first laying the foundation, and once the house is built you cannot disregard the importance of that foundation.

Except that the foundation-layers of the knowledge-generating institutions that foreshadowed our modern world were people of the Age of Enlightenment rather than the Age of Scholasticism.

I also did not say that hospitals were the main source of medical development. I said that they brought together medical minds in a way not done previously, and aided in the advancement of medical knowledge through the ability to study and better catalog the symptoms and effects of different maladies.

For the most part, until relatively recently in human history, bringing together medical minds was bringing together medical cluelessness.

More important than the medical knowledge gained was the fact that the first hospitals catered to the sick who couldn’t afford a private doctor (as was the norm). That is far more important than what was learned.

Most of the ‘sick’ never got near a hospital, of course, and one might dispute the idea that there is much continuity between the Medieval idea of a ‘hospital’ and modern idea of ‘hospital’.

By the way, one shouldn’t ignore the long history of Jewish medical practitioners and pharmacists - just thought I’d mention that.

 

[Jim_Baur]

Kaninchen

I am the OP.

I do not know your religious background, but please feel free to share those contributions.

I am not trying to cut down any religions or philosophies.

I merely was hoping to compile a list of scientific and philosophical contributions from Christianity.

I would happily read any steps in the developments of any cultures, religions, and philosophies.

THANKS!

 

[Kaninchen]

I do not know your religious background,

“Religion: Jewish” might be a bit of a clue.

I merely was hoping to compile a list of scientific and philosophical contributions from Christianity.

Did there need to be more than William of Ockham?

I wouldn’t want to appear to be overly hostile to your proposition - I’m the product of an old University and have a love of many of the old University cities - like Bologna and Padua - it’s that it was all a more complex, often dialectic, process than is often suggested here. The Church’s contribution was as much to create situations where people could ‘wrestle’ with its ideas rather than just listen with rapt attention to somebody with a golden circle around their head as in a Medieval fresco.

 

[Jim_Baur]

Thanks!

Kaninchen

 

[Jim_Baur]

Now, why the rabbit?

 

[Kaninchen]

Now, why the rabbit?

‘Kaninchen’ is German for ‘rabbit’ and “Il ruggito della coniglia!” in my signature is 'the roar of the rabbit!" in Italian - it’s a childhood nickname.

 

[Jim_Baur]

I knew the Italian and German, just curious about the Rabbit.

Thanks!

My original quest is an idea that applies to all religions, not just Christians.

The believers in HaShem and the Christians, not to mention Islam, have made many contributions to science and technology–from Algebra to map making and everything else.

It was for myself in the area of faith and reason (science)

As people of faith, our scientists have made countless advancements.

I just wanted an easy answer.

THANKS!

 

[Randy_Carson]

Might someone have a list of the great gifts of Christianity to Europe and the world.

Universities

Hospitals and the like!

THANKS!

You can see the table of contents in the preview at Amazon or read the comments.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Randy_Carson]

Might someone have a list of the great gifts of Christianity to Europe and the world.

Universities

Hospitals and the like!

THANKS!

Outline from Wikipedia:

1 Politics and law
1.1 From persecuted minority to State Religion
1.2 Medieval period
1.3 Reformation until Modern era
2 Sexual mores
3 Marriage and family life
3.1 Roman Empire
3.2 Medieval period
4 Slavery
4.1 Latin America
4.2 Africa
5 Letters and learning
5.1 Antiquity
5.2 Preservation of Classical Learning
5.3 Index Librorum Prohibitorum
5.4 Astronomy
5.5 Evolution
5.6 Embryonic stem cell research
6 Art, literature, and music
7 Economic development
8 Social justice, care-giving, and the hospital system
8.1 Medieval period
8.2 Industrial Revolution
9 Education
9.1 Europe
9.2 Latin America
9.3 North America
9.4 Australasia
9.5 Africa
9.6 Asia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_the_Catholic_Church_in_Western_civilization

 

[dmar198]

Outline from Wikipedia:

1 Politics and law
1.1 From persecuted minority to State Religion
1.2 Medieval period
1.3 Reformation until Modern era
2 Sexual mores
3 Marriage and family life
3.1 Roman Empire
3.2 Medieval period
4 Slavery
4.1 Latin America
4.2 Africa
5 Letters and learning
5.1 Antiquity
5.2 Preservation of Classical Learning
5.3 Index Librorum Prohibitorum
5.4 Astronomy
5.5 Evolution
5.6 Embryonic stem cell research
6 Art, literature, and music
7 Economic development
8 Social justice, care-giving, and the hospital system
8.1 Medieval period
8.2 Industrial Revolution
9 Education
9.1 Europe
9.2 Latin America
9.3 North America
9.4 Australasia
9.5 Africa
9.6 Asia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_the_Catholic_Church_in_Western_civilization

Thank you for this outline. I think it is indicative of Wikipedia’s secularist bias that the article on the Catholic Church’s role in Western civilization gives primacy of place to things like slavery and the Index of Prohibited Books, and fails to mention things like:

• The Church’s just war doctrine
• The concept of the rights of nations
• The separate spheres of Church and State
• The concept of personhood
• Universal human rights
• Women’s equal dignity
• The scientific method
• Modern genetics
• Modern geography
• Fluid dynamics (the modern science of)
• Most other fields of science.

All of these things came from the Catholic Church.