The Crusades are one of the most notorious episodes of Christian history.
Jesus commanded his followers: “Love your enemies”, “turn the other cheek”. Yet from the Old Testament through to the Crusades and inquisitions and beyond, Christian scripture and history are full of violence.
Has Christianity been a major contributor to war?
How did the followers of a crucified leader manage to get things so wrong?
And what difference has it made when they have followed his example of peace-making and non-violence?
The Crusades are one of the most notorious episodes of Christian history.
How can we take Christianity seriously, if Christians have so often departed from the tune of Jesus?
Not all Crusades were against Muslims, or in the Middle East.
Jesus preached a radical ethic of non-violence – one the early church took very seriously.
As Christians gained influence, they came up with ideas like “Just War” and the “Peace of God”.
The Old Testament is full of violence. Does that mean God himself is violent?
The Spanish Inquisition offers a vivid picture of a church interested in control and coercion.
The Troubles in Northern Ireland are often cited as evidence that Christianity leads to conflict.
Would the world be a more peaceful place without Christianity?
Martin Luther King Jr opposed a racist, unjust system – but sought to love those within it.
The Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965 showed how effective peaceful resistance can be.
