ABSTRACT
Religion and politics are, and apparently have always been, two powerful and ubiquitous agents in shaping human societies. They also appear to be pulling societies in two opposite directions: one towards an ideal world yet to emerge, the other along the path of mundane realities. The two seemingly rival parties have fought for supremacy throughout history and in various societies. During the Middle Ages in Europe, religion got the upper hand and subdued its archrival. With the advent of modernity, politics’ fortune was changed and it emerged as the dominant force for social transformation. Napoleon Bonaparte symbolized this confident mood on the part of politics when he invited Pope Pius VII for his coronation ceremony: contrary to the established custom of the day, he ‘waved aside the Pope at the supreme moment and crowned himself’ (‘Napoleon I’, Classic Encyclopaedia 1911).
