Modernity is often presented as a negation or suppression of the past. It is considered a novel way of looking at all aspects of society. However, that vision is not based on reality. Modernity did not erase the past but actually built upon it.
One of the best definitions of modern history comes from Lord John Acton (1834-1902).
”Modern history,” says Lord Acton, “tells how the last four hundred years have modified the medieval conditions of life and thought.”
Free Book:This might seem a generalization but the fact is that many of the modern systems of representation, class structures, law and scientific inquiry can only be seen as coming from the Middle Ages. So many of those Western institutions associated with family, community and faith find their origins in medieval roots. So much of the debate over principles and structures centered on points that were substantially medieval.
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