Intellectual Debates about Europe from a Religious Point of View in France and Italy

In the intellectual debates linked with the construction of Europe as a polity, religious controversies have been of growing importance. In particular, the debate on the influence of the Christian heritage in the definition of a European identity informs us about the political use of the idea of Europe. This debate allows for the resetting of the various uses of religion as a resource. The comparison between France and another Catholic country (Italy) allows us to consider sources of variation in the intensity of this debate. This debate reveals the reintroduction of a civilization paradigm in the representation of history.