Christian Jihad: Two Former Muslims Look at the Crusades and Killing in the Name of Christ [Paperback]

Ergun Mehmet Caner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2004

Two former Muslims examine the impact of Christian atrocities on modern personal and cultural interaction, question popular views of just war, and challenge us to face our past and redeem our future. (20060601)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An important evangelical work, Christian Jihad by Caner and Caner is a book bound to be of help in the process of clarifying one's views on religious violence. It is highly recommended." (Tony Richie Pneuma Review )

"I was pleasantly surprised by the honest, truthful exploration of some of the past horrors committed by Christians in the name of God. It is a good thing for us to be aware of our past religious history. So many non-Christians are quick to point out the terrible things Christians have done in the past when faced with the horrors being committed in their own cultures today. Prepare yourself now, understand what we have in our past in Christian history and be ready to respond." (Trisha Bleau T4J Library )

"The Caner brothers, propelled into the forefront by their enlightening 2002 book, Unveiling Islam, have now written another helpful book. This one focuses on the Crusades and centers on a time period in history in which Christians killed both Muslims and Jews in God's name. The authors maintain that a gradual shift from the pacifism of the first Christians took place as the church became more and more obsessed and entangled with power, politics, and state. The Caners warn that vigilance is needed also today to see that the church's freedom is not impeded by the state." (Christine Farenhorst Christian Renewal )

From the Back Cover

Jihad—
For the Western world the word evokes images of mass slaughter, forced religious conversions, and crimes against humanity.

But what most Christians forget is that jihad (holy war) also plays a major role in Christianity’s own dark history.

In this explosive and controversial book, the Caner brothers—two former Muslims, now staunch evangelical professors—shine the light of truth on Christians killing in the name of their God.

These award-winning authors examine the impact of Christian atrocities on modern personal, cultural, and even international relations, question popular views of just war, and challenge each of us to face our past and redeem our future.

“The Caner brothers are on the cutting edge of the cultural dialogue.”

—Ann Coulter
author, Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right

“This important book marks one of the first forays by Evangelicals into these thorny issues. . . . Highly recommended.”

—Philip L. Barclift, PhD
Seattle University

 Ergun Mehmet Caner (Th.D., University of South Africa) is currently professor of Theology and Church History at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va. Emir Fethi Caner (Ph.D., University of Texas at Arlington) is currently associate professor of Church History and Anabaptist Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N. C. They are co-authors of More Than a Prophet as well as the award-winning and best-selling Unveiling Islam. During their years as pastors and now as professors, Ergun and Emir have lectured on apologetics, world religions, and theology across the world and have been interviewed on NPR, CNN, The 700 Club, and the BBC, among many others.

(20050209)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (September 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825424038
• ISBN-13: 978-0825424038
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 2.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,243,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a Serious Read, January 15, 2005

By 

Keith Brown (Tracy, CA & Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Jihad: Two Former Muslims Look at the Crusades and Killing in the Name of Christ (Paperback)

Yes, people who don't want to hear the other side of the coin, from radical Islamicists to people pretending they know so much about the Crusades, but really don't, will not like this book. But I found it an intelligently written book that covers how the Crusades are looked at by former Muslims. If you want a fair & good treatment of the subject, this is the book for you. If you want to hear how all Christians are guilty for the Crusades and should grovel in shame, skip it. It truly is an interesting book, thus the reviews that hate it so much. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Caner does a very good job. Well written, factual & a good read.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable, July 25, 2005

By 

Frederick L. Merritt Jr. (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Jihad: Two Former Muslims Look at the Crusades and Killing in the Name of Christ (Paperback)

I really enjoyed the work although I did disagree with some of the propositions. I thought the authors did a very good job of making their point that Christianity has much forgiveness to seek. I think as far as that goes, tis true.

But, I think many of the assertions are a bit of a stretch, for example the assertion that Pope Urban's call was a call for unprovoked aggression. Even the quotes the authors' use indicates that the Pope was trying to take the Holy Land BACK. Also, while I think the argument can be made that there were definite political advantages in Europe that The Crusades provided. However, I think it is a far harder argument to make that The Crusades were launched solely or even primarily for domestic political reasons. I think the authors fall a little short in both cases.

Also, I think the author's condemnation of Richard the Lion hearted is weak. While there is reason for modern Christiandom to not be proud of his treatment of the conquered, it must also be dealt within the time and the culture. According to the authors'; own account RTLH accepted the surrender of the city based upon conditions that the inhabitants knew they could not fulfill. RTLH by the standards of the day, merely lived up to his promise. From his point of view it may very well be that even though the locals dealt with him dishonestly and still kept the true Cross of Christ hidden he, in his generosity did not harm the women and children. In our time by our standards that would be absurd but in the day killing the men of a town or village that did not meet your demands is not all that uncommon.

Even with the faults that this work has it is an excellent read. I think for the most part the authors' try and succeed in showing the warts of Chistiandom in a respectful manner. The work has the feel of being an internal and kind criticism. Which comes as no surprise since that was the expressed intent of the authors.

58 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No such thing as a Christian "Jihad", May 23, 2005

By 

Justthe Factsmaam "retired" (out west) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Jihad: Two Former Muslims Look at the Crusades and Killing in the Name of Christ (Paperback)

In the introduction the authors state, "In fact, this book is a call for authenticity. True authenticity demands that we denounce acts in history in which innocent nonbelievers were slaughtered for the sole crime of being a nonbeliever. True authenticity demands that we confront and learn from dark chapters in the past."

I, for one, am not buying it. The Crusades were not a "Jihad". They were an attempt to restore Christian control of the Holy Land in order to stop the murder of Christians and the destruction of Christian churches there. Jihad is the Islamic fight to subjugate the entire world under the rule of Islam.

There is no such thing as a Christian "Jihad"

Around the time of the crusades, the spread of Islam by violent conquest stretched from Spain, across Africa, through the Middle East to Asia and India. Southern Italy, Greece, and parts of Eastern Europe had fallen and large parts of Europe were being threatened, especially Rome. Any fair assessment of the Crusades would allow that it was a plain and simple act of self defense. And an effective one at that.

The authors contend that, in order to be 'authentic', today's Christians must acknowledge the actions of a Pope nearly a thousand years ago which led to war and death in the Holy Land. This is absurd.

A similar error was made in comparing the Spanish Inquisition to a Jihad. The authors quickly connected this event to Pope Gregory IX who had been dead for a couple hundred years by this point in time. The fact is that the Spanish Inquisition was begun by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel of Spain against the Pope's wishes. But for these authors the simple employment of a Dominican friar implies Church and Papal complicity.

This idea of a Christian 'Jihad' is badly conceived and poorly supported. Their previous book, "Unveiling Islam" was much better.