Reddit reviews God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades
We found 19 Reddit comments about God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Anyone looking for some good (i.e. un-cucked) reading on the subject of the Crusades by an actual historian, check out:
https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-Crusades-Rodney-Stark/dp/0061582603
> Muslim "apostates"
Guess we're gonna have to start with basic vocabulary here. An apostate is someone who followed a religion and then left it. Medieval Christians wouldn't consider Muslims apostates.
Here, take a look at a different view of the Crusades.
First of all, check out Rodney Stark's God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades for a friendly historical take on the crusades.
I think when studying the crusades relationship with Christianity we need to remember a few key things: "the crusaders" were a very diverse group with diverse motivations, values, and understandings; religion was a language of politics during their time; and many religious expressions were largely cultural. Keeping those things in mind, and the historical context of the crusades, should help provide a balance when analyzing the crusaders actions and claims.
>So if these crusaders and templars weren’t Christians, then who was?
Well, if we were to even assume that all of the crusaders were not Christian we'd still have many other people and groups to examine.
Also, Bernard of Clairvaux was a major figure in pushing the crusades and even the Templars but Calvin and Luther both looked to him favourably, even when it came to faith and justification.
P.S.
You seem to be talking about the crusades to the Levant. If you want to see something even more messed up, check out the the Northern crusades. Staight up brutal empire building done in the name of Mary - even still I think there's reasonable hope that some invovled were Christians in error.
Yes yes, the Church and religion weren't to blame, it was the Secularists all along.
This from the author that credits Christianity with:
Justifications for the Crusades http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-The-Case-Crusades/dp/0061582603/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Freedom, Capitalism and Western Success http://www.amazon.com/Victory-Reason-Christianity-Freedom-Capitalism/dp/0812972333/ref=la_B000APQGM6_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1348006347&sr=1-5
Science and the end of slavery http://www.amazon.com/Glory-God-Monotheism-Reformations-Witch-Hunts/dp/0691119503/ref=la_B000APQGM6_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1348006629&sr=1-8
And authored a book titled Wayward Shepherds: Prejudice and the Protestant Clergy I am sure a balanced view of schism in the Christian churches.
The Crusades - God's Battalions by Rodney Stark
Stark, writing as a non-Christian (I believe he began to describe himself as an "independent Christian" or deist later on), gives a detailed description of the Crusades, examining the religious fervor, political causes, personalities, and campaigns. He decisively refutes several misconceptions concerning the Crusades, especially those concerning moslems as victims of Christian persecution (quite the opposite) and the Church as an agent of a land and money grab by the wealthy elite (also, quite the opposite).
does anyone have a recommendation for a book about the Inquisition?
Recommended Reading:
God's Battalions by Rodney Stark is an easy work. He's not a historian, but he compiles the work of others, though sometimes this leads him to broader conclusions than are appropriate (like the difference in armament between Crusaders and those they fought) but I found it an interesting book.
God's Battalions
You could try God's Battalions by Rodney Stark: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-Crusades-Rodney-Stark/dp/0061582603
God's Battalions
„God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades“ https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-Crusades-Rodney-Stark/dp/0061582603 Itin įtraukianti istorinė (bet ne per ilga :D ) knyga apie Pirmąjį kryžiaus žygį. Nereali istorija apie tai, kaip kryžiuočiai sugebėjo susigrąžinti Jeruzalę iš ją nusiaubusių musulmonų rankų, nepaisant daug mažesnių karinių pajėgų, Bizantijos išdavysčių ir milijono kitų nepalankių sąlygų. Griauna visus mitus apie tariamai gobšius, žiaurius ir savanaudiškus kryžiuočius. Parašyta prieinamu stiliumi, tikrai nereikės skaityti su žodynu ant kelių.
http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-The-Case-Crusades/dp/0061582603
This one is not awful.
Been a while since I read it. I think it talks about this.
God's Battalions
I think like the parable of the weeds and wheat it is nearly impossible in many cases to distinguish real faith apart from false faith. That said, sometimes it is beyond obvious when someone does not actually possess faith.
Regarding the crusades, I do believe that true Christians were involved, at least early on during the first few. I recommend this book on the topic. I for one am glad that Europe did not fall to the Muslims back then and it was the bravery of Christian men who stopped the advance. Was it always so clear? No. War is a mess and the motives are many. Atrocities were committed on both sides. That said, I wish the common Christian man had that much courage these days rather than roll over and let the SJWs walk all over them.
> But no Catholics?
Catholics work a little differently than Protestants. The opinions of individual Catholics don't determine doctrine. Yes, some Catholics thought so too, but it didn't matter. The how and in between determined by science don't really affect the faith and morals the Church rules on.
> You got a good book or other resources on this subject/notion?
Most history on the subject from the last 20 years or so would work. I know God's Battalions is one of the best researched books on the Crusades ever written.
Thomas Woods also researched a book on it and recorded a show talking about it.
You...don't know much about the Crusades, do you?
Recommended reading:
Or, if you lack the time, energy, or ability to read, I would recommend watching Crash Course: Crusades by John Green to get started.
You're oversimplifying a complex issue and nearly 700 years of history.
Yep, it was a response to the constant islamic invasion of everywhere it touches. A good book on them here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Battalions-Crusades-Rodney-Stark/dp/0061582603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495513090&sr=8-1&keywords=the+case+for+the+crusades
I go to Georgetown College, a small, liberal-arts college in Kentucky once associated with the Kentucky Baptist convention (but no longer).
Here's our religion department's cheesy web-page.
http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/departments/religion/faculty.htm
I was taught by this dude, Dr. Jeffery Asher, here's his little bio:
>Dr. Jeffrey R. Asher holds the B. A. from the University of Kentucky and the M. A. and Ph. D. (in Early Christian Literature) from the University of Chicago. He came to Georgetown in 2000 and is a social historian who specializes in ancient Mediterranean studies, including Christian origins, 2nd Temple Judaism, Greco-Roman religions, Greek, and ancient philosophy. He also teaches courses in religion and violence.
The class was good. He was definitely opinionated professor but don't think I just ate his opinions up at face value. Most of the books he assigned were not from his view. Here's some of the other books we read in this survey course of religious violence:
Sacred Fury by Selengut A survey of religious violence which pretty much sees religion as violent and can be pretty patronizing. It suggests "moderate" religious people reason with those prone to violence and to educate those, more "conservative", religious people who are prone to violence. It does that at the end when it speaks of its solutions for religious violence. A little patronizing.
Who Would Jesus Kill? Presents a thoroughly pacifistic understanding of Christianity. At one point it gives Franklin Graham as an example of a promoter of "Holy War". Which I disagree with. He seems more like a "just war" person to me. Not someone who wants to lop off the heads of unbelievers.
Understanding Jihad by Cooke This book, in my opinion, is REALLY good, scholarly and unbiased look at historical Jihad in Islam.
God's Battalions, Stark Stark is a little biased in his defense of the Crusaders but considering he's in the minority position it's hard to blame him. Overall, a very enjoyable book and one that puts some serious holes in the idea that the Crusades was a one-sided, senseless, war by the Christians on peaceful Muslims. Stark is a sociologist of religion.
I'll stop listing books now since they are overwhelming. Glad I could help!
I am not quite sure what an Augustinian university is, to be honest! A Catholic university built around the educational principles Augustine held? I suppose there are different types of Catholic universities (such as Jesuit, apparently Augustine, etc)?