Radical with Amol Rajan Radical History: Greek Gods, Roman Emperors and Religion (with Tom Holland from The Rest Is History)
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Jan 1, 2026 
Tom Holland, a renowned historian and co-host of The Rest Is History, delves into the radical ideas that shaped civilization. He discusses how Christianity marked a significant departure from previous beliefs, influencing secular thought globally. Tom explores the legacy of figures like Gregory VII and how the Reformation reshaped religion into a secular concept. He also connects modern politics in India to these historical shifts, pondering whether today's cultural changes reflect a new Reformation, while examining technology's role in accelerating these ideas.
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How Christianity Rode Roman Infrastructure
- Christianity spread by using Roman imperial infrastructure like roads and shipping lanes to transmit ideas and letters across the empire.
- Tom Holland argues this made Christianity a universal religion capable of outlasting Rome's political order.
Christianity Invented 'The Secular'
- The idea of the secular and the category 'religion' are products of Latin Christendom, intensified by the 11th-century Gregorian reforms.
- Tom Holland claims Gregory VII triggered a revolutionary reordering that shaped Western political and religious thought.
Medieval Church As Revolutionary Force
- The medieval church pursued an explicitly revolutionary project of remaking individuals and society through reform (reformatio).
- Holland argues this makes the medieval church the first major avowedly revolutionary institution in Western history.
