[Claud]

The Church's best strategy would be to begin a 10 year plan to wean itself off government support while fighting for its rights every step of the way. And if the Spanish government is going to stop supporting the Church, it should cut taxes so the people of Spain have sufficient disposable income to make charitable donations.

Sounds like an excellent idea to me.

I was just pondering the monarchy's support of the Church during the Middle Ages. For some reason that doesn't bother me. Of course, I did read somewhere that citizens of modern democracies are taxed at a MUCH higher rate than the serfs of old...so that may be playing into it.

[wideawake]

the monarchy's support of the Church during the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages (which I am defining as the period from the death of Charlemagne to the Lutheran Revolt) the Church and the various monarchies were generally quite antagonistic to one another, either openly or quietly.

The monarchies certainly did not economically support the churches until after Henry VIII entered into schism, and not formally until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.