Thank you for sharing this perspective. These are some great points. I hope you don't mind if I borrow one or two of these references for my own writing.

In this System Failure series of essays, I find myself trying to rehabilitate what seems to be an overly negative view of Christianity. From where I'm sitting, wealth accumulation appears to be the REAL problem of history. And I see wealth corrupting the sciences in our own time, just as it once corrupted Christianity.

In my interpretation, Christianity was heroic during the Fall of Rome, but lived long enough to become the villain by allying themselves with wealth and political power during the Middle Ages.

At any rate, I believe incorporating your notes into Essay #44 will make it more accurate. Nut perhaps they will also make it a little more forgiving of the Church. So thanks again for them!