Illustrated History of Europe by Frederic Delouche

European Values

The democrateic ideal, which is based on the conviction that collective well-being depends on each citizen taking an active part in civic life, is an inheriatnce from the ancient Greeks. It also derives from the assemblies of 'free men' held by the Germanic pepoples to counterbalance the powers of the leader in time fo peace.

The ideal of law and written statutes was established by Rome. By codifying relations between the various public authorities. The idea of the res publica, together with the political traditions of Northern Europe, gave birth to constitutional thought; and in the 17th and 18th centuries John Locke from England and the Baron de Montesquieu from France added the modern concept of the sepration of powers - legislative, executive and judiciary.

The ideal of individual liberty. Christianity by linking humanity to God and proclaiming 'Jesus as God made Man', had already added a personal dimension to everyone's destiny. Salvation, seen as supreme happiness was not a collective affair, but individual. The Christian spirit, which refused to link human success with birth, wealth, rank or glory, taught that happiess was to be found in a tranquil conscience.

At the Renaissance int he 15th century, with the rediscovery of the ancient world, humanist intellectuals archieved a synthesis of the Greco-Roman heritage and Christian thought. So four ideals cam together: democracy, equity under the rule of law, human equality and personal happiness based on individual freedom.

The diversity of cultures in Europe

Before the break-up of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the language and culture of Greece were part of the Latin heritage and were taught throughout the Empire. After Roma, three great cultural zones co-exist and reguularly influenced each other in Europe. In the sourtheast there is the Balkan zone, heir to the Byzantine Empire, under which it flourished before coming under Moslem influence from the 15th to the 19th century. In the east is the Slav zone, largely open to Asian, Byzantine, Moslem and Western influence. In the west is the occidentla zone, with its intimate blend of Nordic or Anglo-Saxon cultures with the legacy of Greece and Rome.

创世记

昨天看查经班的进度表，发现已大大落后。等恬恬十点睡后就开始接着读创世记。

该隐和亚伯的故事是人类兄弟相残的开始。神原本是警告过该隐的，“你若行得不好，罪就伏在门前，它必恋慕你，你却要制服它。” 人在自己偏行己路的时候，就落入了罪的网络中。该隐在嫉妒和愤怒中杀死了自己的兄弟，他成了自己罪（嫉妒和愤怒）的奴隶，罪的功价就是死，亚伯死了，他也从此与生命之源无份。他的惩罚是从此与神永远隔绝，流离飘荡在地上。

大洪水是神第一次清洗人间的罪。大洪水的传说似乎是各个民族的集体记忆，中国的山海经中有洪水的记载，云南各民族中，比如纳西的东巴经中也有这样的记载。创世记是犹太民族的口传历史。圣经上说，洪水之后挪亚的后裔分散在全地。所谓的宗族，国家其实就是挪亚后裔的地土和邦国。不奇怪做基因分布研究的人发现从基因上看人类可能是同一个人的后裔。

创世记头三章

昨晚读创世记头三章。
亚当的名字就是“这人”的意思。 神所造的最初的人就是“这人”。
天是分开水体的空间。那天之上的水体是大气层吗？
婴儿认识世界是从名字开始，亚当和他以外的世界发生联系也是从命名开始。
人最初的追求是饱足，快乐与智慧。人最初的感情是羞耻与害怕。人第一次背离神的后果就是一个羔羊被宰杀。死进入了生命的世界。