http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item...ory+of+reason\'

An excellent book!

I just finished reading it last week. Great apologetics book. It examines why Western Civilization has been so successful and it specifically points to the Catholic Church for the answer. Stark argues that it was the study of the theology, unique to Christianity that led to our success. Because we have never taken the bible word for word, but contextually, it opened the door for scholarly research, and new interpreations. Interpretations that fostered the creation of the university, ended slavery and led to the creation of capitalism in the early Itallian city states. He points out how everyone points to the marvels of Islamic civilization. But he dismisses there adaptation of gunpowder as alchemy not chemistry, the chinese compass as a device for rituals not exploration and mayan observations as astrology not astronomy.Only the west was able to make this adaptation, because of Christinity. Islamic faith was revealed in the koran, unchaning and literal, it cannot be interpreted and researched. The Far eastern religions were of a mindset that everything that was known was good enough, that tradition was important. He even cites how freedom in Northwest china led to a booming steel industry that led to a strong middleclass, but because of confuscism and tradition the mandarin class grew jealous and made it state owned, where it quickly collapsed.

So many instinces of where and why Christianity prevealed above all the other religions. He even does a good job of defending the Church for suppoused hinderence in science.
I highly suggest it.