[Serious] The Humanities

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Like it or not, in European history it was largely through the framework of religion that people considered questions of value, sympathy, and the good life. Any standard other than monetary was usually given a Christian setting, and any push-back against the selfishness of the rich was usually framed in Christian terms. This doesn't mean it was consistent at all -- Christianity has been used to justify the rich as well as the poor. But Christianity supplied the vocabulary and the tools to consider these issues. 

I think that, if religion (full stop) is given kudos for supplying 'the vocabulary and tools to consider these issues', there's a fair case to be made.

But singling out Christianity only works once Christianity became the (or at least 'a') dominant force in a society.  To use Europe (per your example), prior to the advent of Christianity people were still able to consider questions of value, sympathy and the good life.  But they approached it through the framework of other religions (Roman, Greek, Celtic, Norse, etc).  Historically, religion has been an extremely powerful cultural force, so it makes sense that the dominant religion would have a large say in cultural development.

But to single out Christianity seems particularly unfair as, for the majority of European history, Christianity was NOT a dominant cultural force.

Boru