Tulsa Yoga Meditation Center, 5319 S. Sheridan, Tulsa, OK 74145
  • HOME
  • TEACHERS
  • Blog
  • PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
  • REIKI

RISE OF CHRISTIANITY IN EUROPE AND THE DECLINE OF SCIENCE, MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH

12/6/2017

 
What is often referred to as the “Dark Age” in Europe ran from the 5th century (CE) to the 15th century. With the destruction of the Western Roman Empire, the Catholic Church quickly filled the vacuum by becoming a major political power force in Europe.

In order to consolidate it’s power and authority, the suppression and persecution of any viewpoints which challenged, in any way, Chrsitian doctrine and dogma. The prime target of Christian suspicion fell upon physicians, scientists and health care workers.
This period is called the “dark age” because medicine, science and health in Western Europe declined seriously impacting public health. Muslims who came into contact with Christians - such as poet, author and diplomat Usama of Shaizar who did so during the Crusades – were shocked and appalled by the primitive understanding of medicine and it’s relationship to public health.
At the time, Muslim science and medicine were among the most advanced in the world. For example, Muslims knew the importance of public cleanliness so they adopt public baths and stressed the importance of washing before meals.

Christians in Western Europe, however, bathing was discouraged by the Church. When a community established public bath houses which were common in ancient Rome, the church objected to people being naked together. Under pressure from the Church regular bathing declined and was often “spiritualized”. For example, St Fintan of Clonenagh was said to take a bath only once a year, just before Easter. The monks of Westminster Abbey bathed four times a year: at Christmas, Easter, the end of June, and the end of September. Queen Elizabeth I reportedly was said to have bathed twice a year, whether she needed to or not.
The black death of the 14th century which caused the death of more than 20 million Western Europeans may also have added more resistance with some religious leaders declaring that bathing opened the pores of the skin permitting evil spirits, such as the plague, to enter the body.
Today, Christian resistance to public health can be seen in the way some Church leaders resist and oppose yoga.


Comments are closed.

    Victor M. Parachin ...is a

    Vedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. 

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly