I think the last Blasphemer was executed in 1697, Thomas Aikinhead, certainly a disgrace.

“Christianity” was always based around Reason, the kind of logic developed and written down by Greek philosophers such Socrates in 900BC. Islam completely rejected philosophy and reason Around 1100AD after Al-Ghazalis islamic treatise “the incoherence of the philosophers” entirely in favour of revelation. The Koranic jibberish is pretty much inconsistant with logic or sanity anyway.
This fundemental difference, reason based on Christs example and teachings versus revelation is Why islam can not progress. You can read about it in Neil’s “closing of the muslim mind”. Worth it just for Roger Scruttons forward.

The preceding Pope, Benedict, in his Regensburg address warned we are in danger of dehellenisation. This current left wing nitwit Pope will hurry that on I fear.

Christs teachings were radical and fused well with Hellenic reason. Hence Christianity has always accepted progress, that reason can improve our understanding of God as well as the universe. Even I as an atheist accept that.

Many of the things held up as “bad” about western civilisation or christianity such as the crusades and inquisition were preceded by islamic Jihaads and inquisitions and were merely a neccesary response. I respect the right of Spain to kick out every last invading muslim even after 700 years of occupation given the misery, forced conversions and “civil war” they brought and for the ones who lied about conversion in order to stay to be given a warning,,as they were, and then dealt with.

It was exposure to Jihaad that hardened Christendom and turned it away from its pacifistic roots.