Tom Holland On How Christianity Has Shaped Western Morality

Author and historian Tom Holland sits down with Dan Snow to talk about the history of Christianity, and how the religion has shaped morality in Western culture to this day.

In this thought provoking interview, Dan quizzes Tom on the birth and rise of Christianity, the debate on religion and science, and whether liberal and socialist values can be divorced from Christian teachings.

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#TomHolland #Christianity #HistoryHit

[lukefortier]

The world needs these kinds of conversations and perspectives. As a person who values intelligence, I am confident this is the best interview Spiderman has ever given.

[HistoryHit]

It's a big topic, but tell us if you agree with Tom here? Are modern Western values inseparable from Christianity?

[fd]

Its good to just let these people talk without being interrupted. You get totally absorbed into what he is saying without being distracted by constant interruption of the interviewer like I’m so many other types of these videos. Well done Dan

[CMFelos]

I have a degree in history and was fascinated by antiquity however I am a devout Christian trying to explain to my agnostic daughter these very ideas. I have not read his book but I am going to. Ordered 3 copies 😆 Tom you express so eloquently the ideas I was trying to express. Thank you.

[kenthebean]

What a clever, balanced and incredibly intelligent man. His mind and words are so amazingly correlated. His logic and delivery are absolutely gripping. Thank you. Even rattled Dan Snow I reckon.

[MrAnperm]

I have been thinking about the effect of Christianity on Western morality a lot lately, even as a non-Christian.

[anthonycostello]

The principle that Holland is pointing out is Hegel's idea of the assimilation of the historical into the historical process itself. Christianity is indelible to Western culture and, as such, to the world. It can be rejected and denied at particular times and in particular places, but it can never be expunged from culture. Of course, the fact that Christianity is true, is also one reason for that indelibility.

[dannyr]

Honestly one of the most fascinating interviews I've ever seen. Stumbled onto it but now I'm gripped. Hope to see more brilliant content like this.

[Neceros]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 📚 *Tom Holland's Evolution of Thought*
- Tom Holland's fascination with ancient empires and identification with strong figures.
- Evolution of Holland's perspective from admiration for ancient empires to questioning their moral values.
- Introduction to the exploration of the evolution of Western morality shaped by Christianity.
03:37 🌍 *Christianity as a Civilization Matrix*
- Holland's realization that he is essentially Christian in his cultural background.
- Viewing Christianity not just as a religion but as a civilization, shaping Western society.
- The argument that the past 2000 years of Western history, despite changes, are grounded in Christian impulses.
05:48 🔄 *Tracing Christian Influence Through Time*
- Excitement about tracing the influence of Christianity from antiquity to the present.
- Holland's ability to write about periods beyond antiquity due to the broad scope of the book.
- The personal touch in the book, reflecting Holland's journey in understanding his moral, ethical, and cultural roots.
06:31 🔍 *Revolutionary Ideas in Early Christianity*
- Paul's radical ideas about the Messiah's humiliating death and its revolutionary impact.
- The subversive nature of Paul's teachings challenging established norms.
- The emergence of a new doctrine of charity and the transformation of the church in the Roman Empire.
12:10 🌐 *Church's Emancipation in the Early Middle Ages*
- The church gaining a sense of dignity independent of emperors in the early Middle Ages.
- Augustine's distinction between the City of Man and the City of God.
- The separation of the church from the fabric of the state and its survival beyond the fall of the Roman Empire.
17:30 🔄 *Continuous Cycle of Reformation*
- The idea of religio as a binding force counterpointing the cyclical nature of the secular world.
- The weaponization of religio in the 11th century and the birth of radical nations.
- The continuous cycle of reformation and revolution within European history, shaping cultural evolution.
21:33 🌏 *British Construction of Hinduism in India*
- The British, encountering the diversity of beliefs in India, constructed the idea of Hinduism as a religion, drawing parallels with their own understanding.
- The process involved imposing Christian-like categories such as temples, priests, and scriptures onto Hindu practices.
- India later gained independence as a secular state, reflecting a borrowed notion of secularism shaped by British education.
23:15 🕊️ *Christianization in India: Conversion and Secularization*
- The process of Christianization in India occurred not only through conversion but also through secularization.
- Indian scholars highlight that the notion of the secular and the categorization of Hinduism as a religion are seen as foreign impositions.
- The rise of Hindu nationalism in contemporary India can be understood as a reaction against the perceived alien concept of secularism.
24:56 🤔 *Atheism and Humanism: Christian Roots of Human Dignity*
- Tom Holland, an atheist, acknowledges the Christian roots of the humanist concept of universal human dignity.
- Humanism is viewed as an attempt to abstract this notion from Christian beliefs, providing a secular framework for the inherent dignity of humanity.
- The discussion explores how various ideologies, including Marxism and science, attempt to justify moral positions rooted in Christian morality without necessarily embracing Christian belief.
29:22 🔬 *Science as a Construct and Its Relation to Religion*
- The concept of science, constructed in the 19th century, is presented as a conceptualization emerging in response to evolving notions of religion.
- The construction of science as a counterpart to religion reflects Protestant assumptions and a desire to distinguish it from superstition.
- Individuals promoting science often see it as a means to banish superstition, portraying themselves as moral arbiters, rooted in Protestant ideals.
32:09 ⚖️ *Nietzsche's Critique: Loss of Christian Belief and Morality*
- Nietzsche's parable of the "death of God" and the subsequent challenges to sustaining Christian morality without belief are discussed.
- The critique explores how ideologies like humanism, Marxism, and science attempt to retain Christian morality without the religious foundation.
- The historical context post-World War II, with the shock of the Holocaust, led to the preservation of Christian ideals as a response to Nazi atrocities.
35:13 🌐 *Christian Values vs. Post-Christian Challenges*
- Post-World War II, the preservation of Christian ideals is seen as a response to Nazi atrocities and the rejection of core Christian teachings.
- The discussion questions the sustainability of these Christian values without the theological and cultural framework that gave them birth.
- The impact of the rejection of Christian beliefs on the ability to upholdideals like the equality of all humans and the responsibility of the strong toward the weak is examined.

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[iteor]

Spoiler: He is also in the new Spider-Man movie.

[coinneachreid]

Its so true I'm an agnostic, but I can only be an agnostic in a Christian world .

[drmatt]

What an incredible exposion of the fundamental truth of Christian morality. That all humanity is endowed with fundamental dignity and the powerful have a duty to the weak should be universal values as Christ shows us.

[bigdave]

Excellent!! I so appreciate Tom Holland’s intellectual honesty, his accurate scholarship, and his balanced treatment of these issues. I am also appreciative of Dan’s bringing these issues before the public in such a collegial disposition. Outstanding broadcast and why I am a subscriber of HistoryHit!!!!

[stevephillips]

Anyone who would take issue with Tom's assertions here should read "The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization" by the Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi. He looks at the same questions and assertions from the viewpoint of a native Indian, immersed in Indian culture.

[robgrabowski]

I absolutely love these personal interviews with historians, Dan, please keep up the great work! Thank you :)

[johnnyboy]

I always thought the great influence of Christianity on the West - especially concerning morals and ethics - was common sense. 1, 500 years of Christianity in Europe, more than half of that with the Church being at the center of education starting with the cathedral schools and ending with the university, not to mention the power the church had over the European state, and it being at the center of people’s lives with a church at the center of practically every town…how could it not have an enormous impact?!

[sr]

Im not a christian. But sometimes it amazed me how the atheist failed to believe that christianity heavily influenced today morality. Let the atheist spread their own "morality" then humanity will be in chaos in a few decades.

[kevfoda]

Dan is a great interviewer! Great interview. I got to see exactly what Tom believes and studied without interruption

[wendellmatthew]

No there are no spoilers here. You're safe.

[differnet]

I love how people assume science was always around. Science as we understand it is a modern idea. If you were to go back before the 1700s, people would have thought they were studying natural philosophy, largely as part of faith - a study of understanding God's creation.