What is "Christian Heritage"?

An Apologist uses the term "Christian Heritage" - but can't explain what it is. Contradictions, straw men, but no explanation...

#	Post	Commentary
1	Jim C
2	How do you define “Christian heritage”? What’s the scope of your “Christian Heritage”, or mine?
3	Christian Apologist
4	For some, it's the cultural heritage resulting from the specific values and outlook of once-Christian societies, which influence in shaping values of "good", "bad", "right", "wrong" (which must necessarily be defined by one common moral frame of reference or another) still influences their values today (even if they fail to realize or acknowledge that source). For others such values are rooted in being followers of Jesus, whether from a "western" culture or not. In any case, they are values which can only be sustainable in the long run by those who subscribe to a specific common higher moral frame of reference which provides the inspiration and imperative to abide by such.	Is it me, or is this gibberish?  Some examples would help…
5	JimC
6	I didn’t understand your response although it hinted that humanist principles are what's important.
7	Examples would clarify, so consider Henry VIII who was a ruthless killer and Supreme Head of the Church of England, who rejected The Catholic Church, who destroyed or seized over 800 monasteries abbeys and convents, engaged in wars against France and Scotland, and built a navy which provided a platform for centuries of British domination across the world.
8	Is some or all of that part of my Christian Heritage? Or is that example excluded from your definition?
9	Christian Apologist
10	Of course not--Henry VIII was a politician not primarily motivated by Christian principles, as were and are many who claim allegiance to such in spite of all evidence to the contrary.	Henry VIII was key to the Reformation and engineered the split from the Catholic Church. There was a political element and he had personal reasons, but there was a theological reason for the split which had been discussed for decades. Henry facilitated a theological split that was bound to happen. He certainly did have Christian principles, but they were different then to humanist principles we see today.
11	All "churches"-whatever their claimed basis--are human constructs.	True
12	Sometimes they are faithful to their claimed basis--sometimes they are not.	Sort of true. The "basis" is open to interpretation but I would agree there is hypocrisy within any religious organisation.
13	Jesus Himself exposed the claimed privileges of the "official" religious authorities of His time and focused much of His ministry in exposing the gap between those who held official religious office and their actual observance of the principles whose basis they claimed.	True according to Bible stories. Unfortunately, none of this has helped me to understand the concept of “Christian Heritage”. Let’s try again…
14	JimC
15	So you've clarified that Henry VIII was not part of my Christian Heritage. Can you give an example of something in Tudor England that is part of my Christian Heritage? Or is that entire period of history out of scope of “Christian Heritage”? Maybe you could give a real life example from a different period to clarify your concept of “Christian Heritage”?
16	Christian Apologist
17	Your "Christian heritage" and its values and moral authority comes from Scripture, Jim, not from those who claimed to act on its principles whether they did so or not!	Not helpful. No examples, just an assertion that my Christian Heritage comes from the Bible. But I’m trying to understand what it is, not where it came from.  Also an assertion that my Christian Heritage does not come from people who claim to have acted on Christian principles whether they did so or not.
18	JimC
19	You didn't answer the question. Let's try widening the question. Can you give an example of an event in any period of the history of the U.K. that illustrates what you refer to as my Christian Heritage? Or is "Christian Heritage" just a euphemism for "Bible"?
20	Christian Apologist
21	I'm not sure of what you mean by an "event" that illustrates your Christian heritage.	Well, you know, like the Reformation or Anglicanism, or prayers in school, or something.
22	Your Christian heritage is based on values derived from Scripture.	That’s repetition. Doesn’t explain what Christian Heritage actually is.
23	"Events" have taken place all the time and continue to take place when and where citizens of your country put Christian values into practice in their daily lives. Look to the work of Christian charities in and from your nation for examples if you wish, or look to the old lady down the street who practices a specifically Christian-motivated act of kindness, decency, and integrity	Hang on – this directly contradicts the statement on line 17. One minute my Christian Heritage does not come from people who claim to have acted on Christian principles but now it comes from people who claim to have acted on Christian principles.
24		And the other problem is the constant reference to Christian Principles. That’s really what he’s referring to – not “Christian Heritage” (whatever that means).  This raises another problem – “Christian Principles” are not unique to Christianity – they fall under the umbrella of Humanist principles.
25	JimC
26	It seems “Christian Heritage” is a misnomer. What you mean is “Christian Values” and as explained previously that’s another misnomer, because the values you refer to as “Christian” existed before Christianity. They are what I refer to generically as “humanist values”.
28	Christian Apologist
29	Christian values form a part of your religious heritage.	I thought they were the basis. If they now form a part, what forms the other parts?
30	What pre-Christian era would you have us believe represented "humanist" values?	Well they can be traced back to Hinduism at least.
31	Would you have us reference the time when humans were sacrificed to Samhain?	No, but who says such sacrifices actually happened? The accounts of Christian monks are not necessarily true, designed to demonise Pagan society.
32	How about those who died [sic] their bodies or tattoos blue and attacked and killed those nor part of their tribe on sight?	How about the Christian crusaders? Or the Christians who killed Pagans, or enslaved Africans? #CherryPicking
33	How about those wonderful humanists, the pagan Viking raiders? Or the brutal pagan Romans who once conquered your island?	And again!
34	Wonderful "humanists" based on universally-subscribed to "humanist" values that you would have us believe we all subscribe to--correct?	No. LOL
35	And before you criticize supposedly "Christian" regimes, at least those regimes were subject to an ideology which challenged their abuses whereas the peoples mentioned had no such beliefs or modifiers on their behaviour whatsoever.	Unfortunately, Christian regimes were subject to their own ideology, justified by an interpretation of the Bible. They were in power and did what they liked. The only generic standard to judge them against is humanism.
36	"Humanist" values indeed!	Interesting how common the Straw Man argument is with Apologists. Provide a list of examples that don’t answer the question, and then refute them.
37		So… once again, completely ignores my question. “Christian Heritage” seems to be supported by no evidence at all.