Book Reviewed: Sacred Foundations: The Religious and Medieval Roots of the European State by Anna M. Grzymała-Busse

Christian footing in Europe The author presents some surprising and contrasting ideas in this book that suggests that the medieval Roman Catholic Church that emphasized spiritual monopoly in Europe also encouraged secular concepts such as the separation of church and state, education, the potential of human capital, the rule of law, representation, and sovereignty of European monarchies. The argument is that a secular state would be built on a sacred foundation of an established religion. I beg to differ from these arguments since the ambitions of the church were its authority and supremacy in all matters of the life of a person. It is an autocratic institution that allows little room for an independent democratic institution that may question the corruption of the church with European-state politics. The transformation of empires into democratic societies in Europe was slow and arduous.