You mention cohesive cultural institutions where you are now... I'm curious, what are those, exactly? One of my long-term interests is the role religion plays in developing social cohesion; I've been researching how the medieval church, by allowing older "pagan" customs to exist in a Christianized form, helped to preserve some degree of …
You mention cohesive cultural institutions where you are now... I'm curious, what are those, exactly? One of my long-term interests is the role religion plays in developing social cohesion; I've been researching how the medieval church, by allowing older "pagan" customs to exist in a Christianized form, helped to preserve some degree of social continuity, ancestral wisdom, and connection to the land, particularly in Britain. Much of this was lost with the Protestant Reformation as peasants became unrooted and communities were atomized; the English Reformation particularly was driven by the desire of aristocrats and gentry for more land with which to implement newly developed methods for increased productivity. Dissolving the monasteries freed up land for acquisition and destroying the joyful, festal culture of Medieval Catholicism dissolved the social ties that kept people rooted.
Of course, feudal Europe was not an ideal society, there were deep class inequalities, people were often tied to the land by serfdom and religious cohesion was maintained not only by a patriarchal hierarchy but also, to some extent, by scapegoating and persecuting Jews. But there were some things that worked well and might be worth reclaiming.
Given that Europe, particularly Northern Europe, is largely secularized now, I'd love to hear more about what sorts of institutions remain and how they work.
Oh I have all kinds of things to say on this as I find it fascinating. Unfortunately, I've limited time at the moment to respond, but I absolutely think you're looking in the right direction there. And to be clear, though it's "officially" secularized Europe really isn't, especially anywhere outside of the major cities.
You mention cohesive cultural institutions where you are now... I'm curious, what are those, exactly? One of my long-term interests is the role religion plays in developing social cohesion; I've been researching how the medieval church, by allowing older "pagan" customs to exist in a Christianized form, helped to preserve some degree of social continuity, ancestral wisdom, and connection to the land, particularly in Britain. Much of this was lost with the Protestant Reformation as peasants became unrooted and communities were atomized; the English Reformation particularly was driven by the desire of aristocrats and gentry for more land with which to implement newly developed methods for increased productivity. Dissolving the monasteries freed up land for acquisition and destroying the joyful, festal culture of Medieval Catholicism dissolved the social ties that kept people rooted.
Of course, feudal Europe was not an ideal society, there were deep class inequalities, people were often tied to the land by serfdom and religious cohesion was maintained not only by a patriarchal hierarchy but also, to some extent, by scapegoating and persecuting Jews. But there were some things that worked well and might be worth reclaiming.
Given that Europe, particularly Northern Europe, is largely secularized now, I'd love to hear more about what sorts of institutions remain and how they work.
Oh I have all kinds of things to say on this as I find it fascinating. Unfortunately, I've limited time at the moment to respond, but I absolutely think you're looking in the right direction there. And to be clear, though it's "officially" secularized Europe really isn't, especially anywhere outside of the major cities.