In Christian Jihad, Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner trace the Church’s stance on the subject of violence; from the martyrs of the early church, to the bloodthirsty legions of Crusaders, to the persecutions of the Inquisition, to the murder of doctors in abortion clinics in the early 1990’s. Throughout the history of Christianity the Church has struggled with the question of involvement in government and military affairs. At first the question was whether or not the Christian had a duty to his country to serve in its military for its protection. From there it progressed to an issue of the rightness of using the military and, necessarily, force and violence, for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ. The Caner’s, former Muslims converted to Christianity, show this progression from nonviolence to agression and parallel its sad results with the Muslim concept of Jihad.
The Caners first describe the general consensus of Christianity on the subject of violence and warfare in the early days of the Church. In these days believers were wholly occupied with preparation for Christ’s return and, “as Christ had come to literally transform society and man’s relation to man, this kingdom work left no room for participation in warfare for his followers.” (26) These early Christians believed that killing for any reason was totally contrary to their Lord’s command to love unconditionally. This adherence to unconditional love applied to their relations with all people in all positions and circumstances. One church father, Arnobius, even condemned the giving of testimony against a person if that testimony would lead to the defendant’s death. For this attitude of love and lack of antagonism for all those around them, these Christians were repaid by their unbelieving fellow men by hatred, persecution and gruesome slaughter. All of which the Christians received without resistance or bitterness. This first stage of Christian interaction with the State—the hunted, pacifist Church—spanned from A.D. 30 until about A.D. 175.
The Caners then proceed to depict the gradual, yet huge, shift of the Church from their early pacifism to their later active involvement in and even leadership of State violence and warfare. This shift began around A.D. 173-175 with a shy courtship. As Christianity aged, both the Church and the State softened in their opinions of the other, gradually breaking down walls and barriers through the deterioration of Christian principles and secular prejudices. Church authorities began to allow for Christian involvement in the military in loyal service to the State, so long as loyalty to Christ came first. By the days of Constantine Christian service in the military was commonplace, and Constantine even instated military protection and preference for Christian soldiers in his army. From this period of courtship which resulted in Christian service in the army for the furtherance of God’s work developed a state of unholy matrimony between the Church and the State. During this period, which began in 324 A.D., the Church stood on equal ground with the State. The Emperor Charlemagne was actually instated as head of the Holy Roman Empire by anointment by Pope Leo III. Christianity, through kings and emperors, commanded the armies, and Christian soldiers were led to believe that they accomplished God’s work through warfare.
The stage which gave birth to Christian Jihad is termed in the book as “the Church as Mistress.” Any distinction between the Church and the secular State was practically lost, beginning around 1000 A.D., following the joining of Charlemagne and Leo in order to birth the Holy Roman Empire and secure for each their desired ends of power and control. The Church, propped up to stand over the State, was intoxicated with its limitless authority, yet even then it was simply being used as a tool by the secular leaders of the State. Through this unholy union came the epiphany to unify and strengthen the Empire by creating, utilizing half-truths, propaganda and promises of temporal and eternal rewards, a common enemy. This enemy was the Muslims currently inhabiting the city of Jerusalem, considered sacred to Christianity. On Tuesday, November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II issued the “holy” call to retake the land which was home to Christ. From this first summons to the Crusades followed centuries of war and slaughter against Muslims and Jews in the “Holy Land.” This, one of the lowest moments in Christian history, was followed by other such sacrilege: in the Inquisition, in the persecution from both sides during the Reformation, and in countless other periods throughout history.
Christian Jihad points out the painful truth: that this period of Christian history was no less than a Christian Jihad, as thousands upon thousands of “Christian” armies murdered and pillaged in the name of Jesus Christ, “for the sake of eternity, the belief that God would bless such ignominious deeds.” (201) Christianity had come a long way from the days when “all the Christians wanted to do was to worship their Savior and to share his love,” and “spoke passionately against any Christian partaking in the shedding of blood, innocent or otherwise.” (38) The Crusades demonstrated that Christianity could be sadly manipulated for secular ends, especially when the average “Christian” had never read the Bible for himself, nor did he know anything of the meaning of his “faith” beyond what the leaders of the Church told him. The Church had too much power, power almost entirely unrelated to the Biblical functions of the Church. Ergun and Emir Caner highlight the primary motivating factor for Jihad, which is shared by Christian and Muslim crusaders: a selfish desire for forgiveness. For both, “risking their lives… was the guarantee of God’s forgiveness if they shed the blood of the infidel.” (212) What neither understood (nor, still, understands) is that the only blood necessary for forgiveness has already been shed. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world—once, for all.
What a cake eater post!