Activity

The Catholic Church probably accelerated progress in the Middle Ages by preserving and transmitting certain scientific and technological knowledge inherited from antiquity (it can be argued that Islam did it more, in particular for mathematics, medicine, or architecture).

After that, the Catholic Church and its conservative dogmas arguably hampered progress (for example, by preventing medical research).

Protestantism allowed the acceleration of economic progress (and the enrichment of England, Holland, and Prussia).

The philosophical revolution of the 18th century allowed the acceleration of scientific and technological progress.

With the enrichment of Western societies, social progress (i.e., social protection) has also accelerated.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Catholic institutions (for example, residential schools in Canada or Ireland) were hotbeds of abuse and injustice (for example, mistreatment and sexual abuse of women and children).

The Catholic Church has tried unsuccessfully to slow progress (for example by opposing evolutionary theses, research, or birth control) and progress of ideas. a pope has published an encyclique denouncing the idea of human rights.