I mention the political realm because we will never settle the theology. But Catholics and Protestants do at least usually agree about how to apply Christian principles to society. And there is no comparison in this regards. That is why 16th and 17th century England thrived. That is why America thrives. Both Protestant countries. That is why New England, which is predominately Catholic, is spiritually dead but the south and west (excepting the west coast) are on fire for the Lord.
Needless to say, Locke relied on St. Thomas Aquinas - through the Protestant filter of an Anglican canonist.
I fully agree that Aquinas and other Catholic scholars did important work. But the baton passed, which is why you never hear about 16th century scholastics doing important intellectual work. The Catholics remained stuck in a rut.
1) that doesn’t change anything I said, 2) That is misleading. How democratic was 17th century England really? How democratic was it before 1832?
England had far more liberty than any Catholic country in its own time.
Nonsense. As has been noted by far greater men than you, those countries which went Protestant often suffered culturally for decades afterward. England was considered culturally retarded well into the nineteenth century by many of its own people.
Unquestionably true - after the pilgrims left, England suffered for their lack. Again, the spiritual baton went from Rome, to England, to America. If Christianity keep spreading like wildfire in China, then in 50 years we may pass that baton to China.
What? The United States of America HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OFFICIALLY SECULAR COUNTRY. Now, please don’t tell me some nonsense about how religious our people are. Many are - not necessarily to any effect either - but many are.
The government is secular. The people are religious. And overwhelming Protestant (outside of New England). If we were overwhelmingly Catholic, we'd have a country like New England. Spiritually dying and stagnant.
You wrote:
“But Catholics and Protestants do at least usually agree about how to apply Christian principles to society.”
No, we don’t agree.
“That is why 16th and 17th century England thrived.”
And 17th century France didn’t? How about 16th century Spain? Strongest nation in the world if I remember correctly. Is atheist, communist China strong? How many Christian principles do you think they follow? None right? But they’re still strong and thriving right?
“That is why America thrives. Both Protestant countries. That is why New England, which is predominately Catholic, is spiritually dead but the south and west (excepting the west coast) are on fire for the Lord.”
And yet the fastest growing region of Catholic converts is the south!!!!!!!!!!!! And which area of the US was an economic, cultural and intellectual BASKET CASE for decades and decades - oh, yeah, it was that very Protestant SOUTH. Why did zealously Protestant Wales ALWAYS suck economically? Could it be because it lacked things and not necessarily because of its strident Calvinism? Sheesh!
“I fully agree that Aquinas and other Catholic scholars did important work. But the baton passed, which is why you never hear about 16th century scholastics doing important intellectual work. The Catholics remained stuck in a rut.”
Oh, my gosh. You never hear about 16th century Catholics doing important intellectual work BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A PROTESTANT SOCIETY WHICH DENIES THEIR UTILITY AND GOODNESS. Don’t believe me? Look up the word “dunce”. Granted, Duns Scotus was not from the 16th century, but you’ll get the drift. Besides, if you knew what you were talking about you would know about Suarez, Vittoria, Cajetan, Cardinal Ximenes, and so many more you’ve never heard of because you grew up in an Anglish speaking country and probably when to a public school.
Ever hear about Domingo de Soto? He did early work on supply-demand-and pricing. He also knew that men have a natural right to own property, and should have complete rights over his own property. He died in 1560.
Joseph Schumpeter, in his History of Economic Analysis, concluded that the theology school of Salamanca came “nearer than does any other group to having been the ‘founders’ of scientific economics.” Not bad for the late 16th century!
Are you really going to claim that the same century that saw the rise of the Jesuits - some of the greatest teachers and intellectuals of all time - somehow saw the Church eclipsed intellectually?
“England had far more liberty than any Catholic country in its own time.”
Christmas celebrations were made illegal in England in the 17th century. Liberty? If you were poor, you were forcibly sent to a poor house which was little better than slavery. Liberty? I guess you slept through the lecture on enclosure battles in the 17th century, right? None of these things give the right impression of England - but they’re all true. Just as no one should assume that England was the best or most free place to live in all ways in the 17th century.
“Unquestionably true - after the pilgrims left, England suffered for their lack. Again, the spiritual baton went from Rome, to England, to America.”
No. England NEVER possessed a spiritual baton. America doesn’t possess one now. People here are religious, some of them, not all of them, and the country is NOT a religious country. We don’t even mention God in our constitution. Do not confuse market power with spiritual purity. Ancient empires, despotic all, had great wealth and yet were spiritual nightmares. Assyria dominated the Middle East. Was it spiritually pure? Did it possess the spiritual baton? How about Babylon? Egypt? Communist China today?
“If Christianity keep spreading like wildfire in China, then in 50 years we may pass that baton to China.”
Which baton? You are not directly equating financial success with Christian devotion. The health and wealth gospel rears its ugly head!
“The government is secular. The people are religious. And overwhelming Protestant (outside of New England). If we were overwhelmingly Catholic, we’d have a country like New England. Spiritually dying and stagnant.”
Nonsense. England is PROTESTANT. It is spiritually dying, but is not financially stagnant. Scandinavia has been remarkably successful financially for decades and yet has been almost entirely agnostic in practice.
You are making a terrible blunder. Putting aside your lack of knowledge about history for a moment, you are assuming making money is a sign of devotion to God. Christ never promised to make us RICH in this lifetime. The gold of the gospel is about faith and grace - not about being in the black.