Rating: 
Summary: Why the Shoah?
Review: The author, in painstakingly brilliantly researched detail, presented a clear time line of the evolution of hate advertently and inadvertently spawned by the church towards Jews, whose culmination was the Shoah. Changes have taken place and more can be done to reflect what Jesus, whose message was compassion and love, should represent.
Rating: 
Summary: Rage Theology
Review: I was very disappointed by this book. I thought it would be serious, scholarly study of the teaching of the Catholic Church on Judaism. Instead, it is a ranting, raving, endless criticsm of just about everything the Catholic Church stands for. Invective is not an argument. The cloying autobiographical passages in which the author offers up his strange blend of new Age theology and old-fashioned anti-Catholicism are incredibly sophomoric---and incredibly long-winded.This is a tantrum, not a scholarly history.
Rating:
Summary: "NOW A CARROLL MASTERPIECE"
Review: "WHAT YOU SEE (READ),IS WHAT YOU GET" WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING PENNED BY JAMES CARROLL. THIS WONDERFUL, FRIGHTENING, THOUGHTFUL,AT TIMES (AS A CATHOLIC) MADDENING, AND VERY "PERSONALLY INVOLVED" WORK, NOT ONLY OPENS OUR EYES, BUT INDEED OUR MINDS. HAVING BEEN A CLASSMATE AND FRIEND OF THE AURTHOR,AND HAVING READ ALL OF HIS BOOKS, I CAN TELL YOU FOR CERTAIN, THAT "CONSTANTINE'S SWORD" IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF PURE CARROLL: VERY THROUGH RESEARCH, TOTAL CONVICTION, A DESIRE TO CREATE REAL,MENAINGFUL DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING.ANYONE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO READ THIS WORK,MAY OR MAY NOT TOTALLY AGREE, BUT WILL CETAINLY HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GIVE REAL THOUGHT TO. THIS IS PERHAPS HIS VERY BEST TO DATE! PETER C. ROHAN
Rating:
Summary: Illogical
Review: The book is not convincing. No one disputes that some Catholics have engaged in anti-Semitic activities, just as no one disputes that there are Catholics who have lied, stolen, cheated, procured abortions, and committeed armed robbery. How could it be otherwise in such a huge religion? The question is: did these people commit such crimes because of their church's doctrine or in spite of it? Carroll seems incapable of dealing with the issue. To insinuate that somehow this violence was the product of church teaching, he has to do incredible violence to the evidence. He simply ignores many clear papal condemnations of anti-Semitism: the encyclicals of Pius XI, the radio addresses and well-publicized diplomatic protests of Pius XII against anti-Semitic laws, the many statements by medieval and Renaissance categorically condemning the anti-Semitic violence committed by bogus Christians of the period. This is country-club anti-Catholicism disguised as history.
Rating:
Summary: Irrelevant
Review: I have rarely read such a self-indulgent book. The author uses no scholarly rigor at all in his use of sources. He clearly chooses only those Church statments that will prove his pre-established case against Catholicism. He shoves aside the many Church documents (well know to serious students of Jewish-Christian relations) which show just the opposite. Worse than the bogus scholarship is the constant effort to turn this book into an autobiography. Who cares about the author's drinking habits, family feuds, or sex life? It is infuriating to see the suffering of the Jews turned into fodder for the author's endless self-glorification. Dreadful.
Rating:
Summary: No stars would be more appropriate. . .
Review: I couldn't help but notice in scanning previous reviews of this book that more than half gave this book (like myself) only a single star. It is also interesting to note the number of dismal reviews this book has received from respectable journals, editors and book supplements -- both liberal and conservative. It is further interesting to note that in the last 50 years or so, the actual, factual study of history has given way to sound-bite sensationalism and political correctness to such an extent that the next generation stands in very real danger of not knowing the truth. This book is a classic example of sensationalistic, pseudo-history that will, all too probably, find its way into many a classroom. I am not a Roman Catholic. I am, however, a REAL historian, with two earned degrees in history -- something Mr. Carroll seems to lack. REAL historians use primary sources. REAL historians have at least a nodding acquaintence with the languages of the time period under consideration. REAL historians don't automatically dismiss scholarly sources with whom they disagree. REAL historians don't begin with an attitude of "My mind's made up -- don't confuse me with the facts." John Carroll is not a real historian. He is an angry ex-priest who does not believe the most very basic tenants of the faith. He has invented a thesis and then re-interpreted 2000 years of history through the lenses of his invented thesis. He has dismissed any and all primary sources who would disagree with his thesis. He has ignored the available historical resources. In so doing, he has, in the opinion of this reviewer, actually done HARM to the crusade against anti-semitism. Anti-semitism is a serious problem in society -- and has been for thousands of years (in fact, for thousands of years PRIOR to the emergence of Christianity). In order to understand and combat anti-semitism, the true facts of the matter must be presented and understood. Carroll's oversimplistic, anti-Catholic, anti-Christian hand-wringing does little to further the cause of authentically presenting and understanding and combatting the very real evil of anti-semitism in society.
Rating:
Summary: Account Motivated by Emotion, not Scholarship
Review: While James Carroll's book serves an important function, the reexamination of Catholic-Jewish relations, the author tends to allow personal emotions and passions overrule hard research. It is very true that throughout the history of Christianity and the Roman Church many people held erroneous views concerning the Jewish people. Thankfully, these unfounded opinions have lessened in recent years, but books such as these serve not to heal, but to hurt. Carroll's repeated excursions into his own life and history further cloud the argument with passion. Rather than pursuing his argument through legitimate, first hand research, he turns to unstable and unproven sentiment. In a book dealing with such a sensitive topic, toying with this element weakens, rather than strengthens the argument. Issues such as these should not be seen through eyes misted with tears, but at arm's length with cool reason. Dissapointing also is the loss of objectivity. In a book concerned with unbiased, legitimate research, it is necessary to take a neutral stance. However, Carroll's anti-Catholic stance shines through, with no semblance of fairness. His use of sources which are in themselves dubious in terms of reliability is made worse by the fact that they are secondary sources. In such an important topic, shouldn't a scholar consult first hand records and accounts? I do not object to Carroll's topic; it is very timely and warrants investigation. However, his methods and practices doom his book to historical fiction with only a half-hope of legitimacy. His research is in vain, because such a book cannot be accepted as a legitimate examination of the topic.
Rating: 
Summary: A Troubling but Powerful Book
Review: The moment I read negative reviews in some (liberal) Catholic publications I receive, I knew I had to read this book. Read it I did, and, after much reflection, offer this for your consideration. The book illuminates some terrible and embarrassing moments for the Roman Catholic Church. It also has some rather harsh statements about German Protestantism. It deals with topics that many of those in power in both the Church and in society would likely prefer not be discussed. But there is no excuse, no conceivable acceptable apology of cultural or historical relativism, that can change the fact that those who persecuted the Jews were wrong. That much of this evil was done in the service of attempting to bring Jews to the truth of Jesus as messiah and savior is an explanation that must not allow us to forget these sins. Forgive, always -- but also remember always, so that these sins are not repeated in an endless cycle. My understanding of Christian theology may be limited, but I know experientially that Jesus of Nazareth was murdered by the sins of all. Those sinners, some Jewish, some Roman, were merely necessary stand-ins for any and all of us who continue to crucify Him to this day. The cross that James Carroll denigrates still remains for me a powerful symbol of those sins, of the suffering on this side of the cross, and of the hope for rising on its far side after death. Would another symbol do this? Possibly, but I do not think this would solve the basic problem of humanity's enduring willingness to turn its collective back on God - a working definition of our sin. James Carroll's problem with the cross forces the Christian believer back to his or her roots - and for this alone is worth the time and money. My faith in what the cross represents has, if anything, been made stronger by reading the book. But the book also provided the invaluable service of not simply amplifying that which I already knew or believed. As an author, James Carroll shows considerable restraint considering his personal past within the Church. While given the label "Catholic basher" and worse, his claims to still love the Church ring true to me. I do not agree with some of his principal conclusions with regards Christology, but I honor his journey and commend the book for your serious reading.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry excuse
Review: I'm afraid the book is as bad as serious reviewers have argued for a few months. Although the book claims to be a history, it's not history at all. It is full of misquotations, made-up quotes, and the obvious supression of evidence that the author doesn't like. It is bitterly anti-Catholic and attacks just about everything the Catholic Church teaches. But it is also anti-Jewish in the most primitive way. He demands that Jews give up their belief in being the chosen people, but this would destroy the heart of Judaism. Sorry, I'm not surrendering. The book is also incredibly self-indulgent. He uses the massacre of Jews during the Crusades to tell us about his drinking habits. I'm sorry that he despises his father so much, but what in the world does this have to with anti-Semitism? Save your money and make a contribution to B'nai Brith and Catholic Charities.
Rating:
Summary: Real eye-opener
Review: I could only feel sadness as I read this book. The title and the blurbs claim that this is a book of history about the interface between Catholics and Jews. After several pages, however, it's clear that this is yet another autobiography of Mr. Carroll. Much of the book is his own disagreement with Church policy on just about everything: sexuality, abortion, authority, sacraments. In the closing chapters, he even wants to rewrite the New Testament to conform to his trendy Back Bay theology. His raw self-hatred can only sadden his reader. His use of the sufferings of Israel to fuel his anti-Catholicism can only offend.
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