Catholicism and Civilization
Explore essential books on Catholicism and its profound influence on civilization. Discover theological works, historical insights, and cultural impacts that shaped the modern world.
![The city of God ; an abridged version from the translation by Gerald G. Walsh [and others] with a condensation of the original forward by Etienne Gilson. Edited, with an introd. by Vernon J. Bourke Cover](https://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385029101.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
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How the Irish Saved Civilization
by Thomas Cahill
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A book in the best tradition of popular history—the untold story of Ireland's role in maintaining Western culture while the Dark Ages settled on Europe. • The perfect St. Patrick's Day gift! Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization. Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars"—and thus preserve Western culture while Europe was being overrun by barbarians. In this entertaining and compelling narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Europe evolved from the classical age of Rome to the medieval era. Without Ireland, the transition could not have taken place. Not only did Irish monks and scribes maintain the very record of Western civilization -- copying manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers, both pagan and Christian, while libraries and learning on the continent were forever lost—they brought their uniquely Irish world-view to the task. As Cahill delightfully illustrates, so much of the liveliness we associate with medieval culture has its roots in Ireland. When the seeds of culture were replanted on the European continent, it was from Ireland that they were germinated. In the tradition of Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, How The Irish Saved Civilization reconstructs an era that few know about but which is central to understanding our past and our cultural heritage. But it conveys its knowledge with a winking wit that aptly captures the sensibility of the unsung Irish who relaunched civilization.
Book
The Cube and the Cathedral
by George Weigel
Argues that Europe's separation of religion from politics has led to its decline and that religion, instead of being suspect, should be viewed in the U.S. and Europe as an ally of human rights and freedom.
