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Abelard, a Breton philosopher in the late 11th century, was already making rationalistic criticisms of Christianity during the First Crusade. This highlights how quickly Europeans began using new intellectual traditions, often challenging the Catholic Church itself.

In the 14th century, the Catholic Church's arrogance led to a conflict with the king of France, who murdered the pope and installed a French pope. This period, known as the Babylonian Captivity, marked a low point for Catholicism.

Constantine's conversion to Christianity in the early 4th century marked a pivotal moment in history. Before this, Christianity was the religion of about 10% of the Roman Empire's population and was brutally oppressed. Constantine's embrace of Christianity may have been a turning point that led to its dominance in the Roman Empire.

The Catholic Church in medieval Europe allowed for a surprising amount of political discourse, providing structures for what could be agreed upon and what could not. This openness to disagreement is a notable aspect of the Church's influence at the time.

Napoleon, who rose to military dictator, made a deal with the Pope to bring Catholicism back because he thought religion was necessary to social functioning. This was after the French Revolution, which was atheist and persecuted Catholicism in France, the most populous Catholic nation in the world.

In the High Middle Ages, the Catholic Church's influence was so pervasive in Western Europe that it shaped the very identity of its people. They identified first as Christians rather than Europeans, and this religious framework influenced everything from science to ethics.

The Goths' adherence to Arianism may have been a strategy to maintain their identity and avoid assimilation during their migrations from the Balkans to Western Europe.

In France, the Catholic Church supported freedom and education, collaborating with scientists like Descartes. However, the government maintained a Catholic theocracy, which the Church didn't oppose until the French Revolution. This led to France becoming the most educated country, but also fostered a secular intellectual tradition due to restrictions on religious free thinking.

During the Dark Ages, the Catholic Church faced theological disputes, particularly with Arian Christians like the Visigoths and Ostrogoths. These groups believed Christ was a man connected to God, not divine. This theological stance led to political tensions and oppression of local Catholics by these Germanic elites.

Universities in medieval Europe originated as Catholic institutions and became key in developing cities as organizational alternatives to the Church. By the 12th century, they began secularizing, showing Europe's rapid adoption of logical traditions from Byzantines and Muslims.