We've had two popes over 75 in succession (it's 1990 since we had a pope under 70) but equally most of the cardinals are quite elderly themselves now. Just one under 50 and 15 under 60. (View Post)

Yes, I do assume that, because that is what the evidence points to. Other organisations in the Middle Ages were far less capable of husbanding and improving their resources than the churches. As for … (View Post)

The worst feature of Donald Trump and JD Vance is they make us nostalgic for Bush and Cheney. Discuss. (View Post)

Ironically, with the exception of the pyramids we wouldn't have had the actual work any of the examples you cite, because it was the church that preserved them... (View Post)

It did generate money, on a considerable scale, through its use of landed estates which were developed using their own resources of labour (yes, monks) to support economic activity including substant… (View Post)