> Actually, I think that Europe's roots are decidedly pagan! I think one would have to be blind to imagine that Europe does not have its strongest roots in the Christian Faith. Just a walk through many of the towns and cities and a glance at the architecture of church and cathedral gives an indication of the role the Christian Church has played in the European setting. One cannot read European history without discovering the role of the Church in the politics and culture of the day - for good or for ill. The beginnings of modern science, the Reformation, the use of one form of Christian Faith to suppress and dominate a people. The ability to call kings to order and create alliances have often depended on Christian allegiance.
Even where there are traces of pagan roots in Europe, they have often been so transplanted into the Christian Faith that modern day Europeans are largely unaware of their original meaning. For example, how many associate the term "Easter" with the fertility goddess Ostiris? The word "Easter" now has unavoidable reference to the Christian Faith. In the same way, "Good Friday" is not a reference to some long forgotten Scandinavian god, but a most central event in the Christian Faith. The Christian Church and the Christian Faith have left an indelible stamp on the nature of modern day Europe. It does seem bizarre to avoid acknowledging it. - Greg ------------------------------------------------------ - You are subscribed to the mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the message body 'unsubscribe insights-l' (ell, not one (1)) See: http://nsw.uca.org.au/insights-l-information.htm ------------------------------------------------------
