goldsteinquill replied: Alright. Let us continue with the Dark Ages example, which by recent scholarship and consideration wasn't all that 'dark'. It was so-called by Petrarch who considered Greek and Roman civilisations to be the height of humanity. Yes, the Church had a strong influence in the Early Middle Ages, but also remember at that time the Church had a more direct relationship with the vast majority of the people. Thereby providing a check on the monopoly of power a King may have had previously. The best illustration of this development is the Magna Carta, which was written with the help of the church. May I assume that you understand the impact that the document has had on modern society we have today?