After 1945, Europe rebuilt not only its cities but also its conscience. What began in Germany as a reckoning with absolute evil became a continental project — the attempt to redeem civilisation through democracy, human rights, and reason. This essay traces that moral arc from guilt to responsibility, from rebellion to fatigue, and from faith in redemption to the disillusionment of the present.
The outcry over Canterbury Cathedral’s graffiti-style installation reveals more than a clash of taste. It points to a deeper anxiety about how ancient sacred spaces can speak to the modern world. The real issue is not art but meaning — whether the Church still trusts the Gospel itself to renew hearts without resorting to novelty.