The failure of Christianity in the areas west from Sicily was even greater and was increased by the spread of Arab outlooks and influence to that area and especially to Spain.
I am lucky to have had an attentive curious and loving dad and heart-smart down-to-earth gifted mother. They changed the outlooks of their own lives and have never forgotten the people and organizations that helped them dream bigger than their circumstances should have allowed.
I accept the Old Testament as more of an action movie: blood car chases evacuations a lot of special effects seas dividing mass murder adultery. The children of God are running amok wayward. Maybe that's why they're so relatable.