The church was our central governing force, and for over a thousand years. They forbid us from using telescopes, decommissioned our printing presses and denied us medical advancements by banning autopsies — forcing us to use faith magic for healing in its place. We were kept ignorant to keep us complacent, and as such Fodlan began to rot from its core.

[And that doesn't even touch the caste system and the harm created from that.]