I think everything you say here is accurate and important, but if you look at the slightly later Christian church, you'll find intolerance of various viewpoints WITHIN the faith, not to mention outside. Aquinas, Erasmus, et al. argue with reason, respect, tolerance, and patience, but I'm afraid (as Thomas More found out) they're in the minority. In America in the recent decade, we seem to be headed back to the equivalent of the auto-da-fe.