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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I absolutely devoured How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. The title might sound grand, but the content is far from dry, it’s actually a fascinating reappraisal of how much we owe to the Church beyond stained-glass windows and epic cathedrals.
Thomas E. Woods Jr. weaves a compelling case that the Church didn’t just preserve knowledge during the so-called Dark Ages - it actively built the backbone of modern society. I was genuinely surprised to learn how the university, the concept of international law, charitable institutions, even free-market economics and modern science, all have deep roots in Catholic medieval thought.
What really hit home was how Woods challenges familiar myths (like the Galileo narrative) and shows how mostly it was a glitch, not a full-scale war on science. The book doesn’t shy away from discussing darker chapters, but it places them in context without feeling defensive or preachy.
I love books that flip history on its head without resorting to gloating or hyperbole. Here, you get solid footnotes, clear storytelling, and a refreshing case for rediscovering our intellectual and moral debt to medieval Catholicism.
If you’ve ever wondered why Western civilization looks the way it does, or why we talk so much about human rights, universities, and the rule of law, this book is a great place to start. It opened my eyes to how much the Church truly shaped the world we take for granted.
Five stars from me - this one’s worth a whole bookshelf of textbooks.
Thomas E. Woods Jr. weaves a compelling case that the Church didn’t just preserve knowledge during the so-called Dark Ages - it actively built the backbone of modern society. I was genuinely surprised to learn how the university, the concept of international law, charitable institutions, even free-market economics and modern science, all have deep roots in Catholic medieval thought.
What really hit home was how Woods challenges familiar myths (like the Galileo narrative) and shows how mostly it was a glitch, not a full-scale war on science. The book doesn’t shy away from discussing darker chapters, but it places them in context without feeling defensive or preachy.
I love books that flip history on its head without resorting to gloating or hyperbole. Here, you get solid footnotes, clear storytelling, and a refreshing case for rediscovering our intellectual and moral debt to medieval Catholicism.
If you’ve ever wondered why Western civilization looks the way it does, or why we talk so much about human rights, universities, and the rule of law, this book is a great place to start. It opened my eyes to how much the Church truly shaped the world we take for granted.
Five stars from me - this one’s worth a whole bookshelf of textbooks.
informative
medium-paced
An exquisite look at the rarely discussed ways the Catholic Church has influenced western civilization. A lot of events discussed in the book were unknown to me and illustrated how deep Catholicism runs in the west.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
An important review of the legacy ond role of the church in the building of western civilization. Though a lot of it is one sided, presenting only the good things and brusñshing off the worsy chapters of church history, it's worth a read to understand a lot of medieval history, and the origing of things like international law, the university system, and human rights.
informative
medium-paced
A very interesting book and I learned a lot. I listened to it, and think this is one I need to go back and read in hard copy to really think about all the information it gives! This book is full of facts and lots of topics I'd like to dive deeper into.