“Of all the differences between the Old World and the New, this is perhaps the most salient. Half the wars of Europe, half the internal troubles that have vexed European States... have arisen from theological differences or from the rival claims of Church and State. This whole vast chapter of debate and strife has remained virtually unopened in the United States. There is no Established Church. All religious bodies are equal before the law, and unrecognized by the law, except as voluntary associations of private citizens.” WorldWarStatesWholeBodyLawDifferencesChurchReligiousUnitedHalfUnited StatesTroubleAtheismCitizensEqualEuropeClaimsPositive AtheismDebateInternalsAssociationChaptersStrifeRivalsChurch And StateTheologicalOld World Author:James Bryce
“One of the most persistent fallacies about the Christian Church is that it kept learning alive during the Dark and Middle Ages. What the Church did was to keep learning alive in the monasteries, while preventing the spread of knowledge outside them... Even as late as the beginning of the nineteenth century, however, nine-tenths of Christian Europe was illiterate.” AgeChristianChurchDarkAliveAtheismMiddleCenturyLateEuropeSpreadPositive AtheismNinePersistentMiddle AgesNineteenth CenturyPreventingFallacyIlliterateChristian ChurchMonasteriesKeep Learning Author:Margaret E. Knight
“This old aristocracy and Church-ridden, and tradition-ridden country will never grow wiser. Whilst we are fighting for supremacy in Europe, the [United] States are working, and not fighting for it, but winning it all over the world.” WorldCountryStatesFightingWinningGrowsChurchUnitedUnited StatesEuropeTraditionWiserAristocracySupremacy Author:John Bright
“During the centuries-long process of Reformation and Enlightenment, Christian churches had to accept some things they didn't like. Islam will have to do the same; otherwise it isn't part of Europe.” LongChristianProcessChurchAcceptingCenturyEnlightenmentEuropeIslamReformationChristian Church Author:Wolfgang Schauble