Labelling Europeans at the time as Christians is a misleading. At that time a huge parts of Europe were pagan, and also in much of "Christian Europe" people worshipped Christ as well as pre-Christian pagan practices. Even in Byzantium (AKA Eastern Roman Empire) there were still pagans which might have survived up to 10th century. There were a lot more Christians outside of Europe rather than in inside Europe. In fact Europe will not be fully Christianized until 14th century, with last areas which accepted Christianity being in the Baltics. Also not all of Europe was in darkness. Only areas which were formerly under control of Roman Empire in Western Europe. Much of Europe was living like a more primitive indigenous peoples, and also let us not forget kingdoms in Eastern Europe along with Byzantium (Eastern Rome) which were impressive in their own right. Point being picture when it comes to Europe was a lot more nuanced.
Thank you for sharing your perspective-it’s always fascinating to explore the complex religious and cultural landscape of history. You're absolutely right that Europe’s Christianization was a gradual process, with pagan practices lingering for centuries, even blending with Christian traditions. I’m curious-what is your own faith or background? As a Muslim, I find it inspiring to reflect on how civilizations influenced each other during that period. While much of Europe was still transitioning, the Muslim world was flourishing during its Golden Age. Cities like Baghdad and Cordoba became global centers of learning, producing advancements in medicine, astronomy, and philosophy. Muslim scholars preserved ancient knowledge and expanded upon it, creating a legacy that eventually made its way to Europe, shaping the Renaissance and beyond. It’s incredible how interconnected our histories are, showing that no civilization exists in isolation. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can learn from these shared histories to foster greater understanding today.
Labelling Europeans at the time as Christians is a misleading. At that time a huge parts of Europe were pagan, and also in much of "Christian Europe" people worshipped Christ as well as pre-Christian pagan practices. Even in Byzantium (AKA Eastern Roman Empire) there were still pagans which might have survived up to 10th century. There were a lot more Christians outside of Europe rather than in inside Europe. In fact Europe will not be fully Christianized until 14th century, with last areas which accepted Christianity being in the Baltics. Also not all of Europe was in darkness. Only areas which were formerly under control of Roman Empire in Western Europe. Much of Europe was living like a more primitive indigenous peoples, and also let us not forget kingdoms in Eastern Europe along with Byzantium (Eastern Rome) which were impressive in their own right. Point being picture when it comes to Europe was a lot more nuanced.
Thank you for sharing your perspective-it’s always fascinating to explore the complex religious and cultural landscape of history. You're absolutely right that Europe’s Christianization was a gradual process, with pagan practices lingering for centuries, even blending with Christian traditions.
I’m curious-what is your own faith or background? As a Muslim, I find it inspiring to reflect on how civilizations influenced each other during that period. While much of Europe was still transitioning, the Muslim world was flourishing during its Golden Age. Cities like Baghdad and Cordoba became global centers of learning, producing advancements in medicine, astronomy, and philosophy. Muslim scholars preserved ancient knowledge and expanded upon it, creating a legacy that eventually made its way to Europe, shaping the Renaissance and beyond.
It’s incredible how interconnected our histories are, showing that no civilization exists in isolation. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can learn from these shared histories to foster greater understanding today.