What did the Christians ever do for us?

Mark Greene writes in Christianity (Oct' 06) at the start of his article, 'Can Christianity stop the rot?':

Whilst there are of course many factors in the rise and rise of the West, the single most distinguishing factor is Christianity. It was the Christian belief in a rational benevolent God who had created a rational universe that gave scientists the confidence to believe that its secrets could be unravelled, that there were answers. Similarly, the vast potential in the populations of Europe was released by the doctrine of the essential equality of all human beings. This belief that every 'ordinary' individual was created in the image of God and therefore equally and infinitely valuable to Him - whether slave or master, male or female, adult or child - is absent in Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism and served to undermine the feudal system.

This combined not only with the realisation that any individial could know the truth for themselves but with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. No one is inherently superior before God so why should I not be able to advance, make a little profit for myself and my family? And why should the Lord of the Manor simply be able to take it away from me if he feels like it? Christianity changed the intellectual climate, which in turn provided a different basis for economic activity. While China and India and the African kingdoms were all richer than Britain in the 13th century they certainly weren't by the 19th.

Obviously, the West, distinctively shaped as it has been by Christianity, has nevertheless done and continues to do terrible things not only to those outside the West, but to its own. Nevertheless, look around the world and ask yourself this - despite the patriarchal history of the church, in which societies is there more opportunity for the flourishing of women? China - where girl children are still killed? The Muslim bloc - where women are essentially second-class citizens? Or societies influenced by Christian doctrines? Christian-influenced societies may not always have been great new for their citizens, but on the whole they have been better news than the alternatives.

This is what Christianity is about. Very few of us are the George W. Bushes, Jerry Falwells and Fred Phelpses of this world.

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