Christianity on Trial: Arguments Against Anti-Religious Bigotry

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Summary: Easy to Read Answer to the Accepted Anti-Christian Story
Review: "Christianity on Trial: Arguments Against Anti-Religious Bigotry" by Vincent Carroll and David Shiflett

Modern skeptics enjoy repeating the old story about Christianity whenever given the opportunity. According to them, Christianity is anti-science, pro-slavery, anti-progress, and anti-intellectual. It was this stereotypical view the Washington Post repeated when it asserted Christian conservatives were "poor, uneducated, and easily led." To these people, Christians are backwards individuals relying on a psychological crutch to see them through the storms of Darwinistic evolution and Jeffersonian separation of church and state. In other words, Christians are trapped in the permanent caricature of believer William Jennings Bryan being cut to pieces by atheist Clarence Darrow on the witness stand during the Scopes Trial.

If you're looking for an easy to read volume that brings together the best answers to the standard objections to the faith, then "Christianity on Trial" fits the bill exactly. The authors strike the perfect balance between writing for a popular audience and documenting assertions with footnotes so more ambitious readers will be able to dig more deeply if they wish. In this book, you'll find more than enough ammunition for your armchair and watercooler debates about Christianity, history, philosophy, and science.

In essence, the authors are calling for a contemporary reevaluation of the contributions of the Christian faith. Their narrative paints a picture of a church that ended slavery, created hospitals for the poor, and brought about the modern conception of the individual as a creation of God worthy of dignity and equality. Hopefully, Carroll and Shiflett's work will remove the veil of ignorance both mass media and its consumers still wear.

Rating:
Summary: Turns people away from the faith!
Review: As the Western world grows increasingly secular, the attacks on religion in general and Christianity in particular become ever more shrill and pronounced. Christianity especially has long been the object of ridicule, criticism and ostracism. Of course much of that is earned. But much is not. This new book looks at some of the major critiques of Christianity, and offers some telling responses.

All the usual criticisms are examined in detail: What about the Crusades? Isn't the Bible at odds with science? Didn't Christians support the Nazis? Isn't Christianity sexist, racist, imperialist, etc.? These and other common objections are given careful attention.

Consider the case of the Spanish Inquisition. By all accounts, this was nasty business. But a sense of perspective is in order. A careful examination of the historical record reveals that at tops, around 2000 people were executed for heresy by the Inquisition. This is 2000 too many. But this works out to an average of less than 3 people a year during the 16th and 17th centuries. A far cry less than the many millions a year killed in the name of godless communism or ruthless fascism.

Similar things can be said about the Salem witch trials. There just were not that many of them. And many of the Christian leaders - Puritans included - were opposed to them. While religious leaders believed in witches, so did everyone else of the day. But it was often ministers who opposed the trials. Cotton Mather went so far as to say it was "better that ten suspected witches should escape, than that one innocent person should be condemned".

Other criticisms of Christianity are covered at length: Christianity leads to environmental degradation, or a suppression of human rights and freedoms. But the criticisms are not the sole focus of this book. In addition, the positive contributions of Christianity to the world are also canvassed. Meaty chapters examine the influence for good which the Christian church has been responsible for over the centuries.

One example is the rise of charity and benevolent societies, While charity was practiced on occasion before Christianity arrived on the scene, it became the norm instead of the exception for the new-found faith. More than one cynical critic of the early Christians was forced to admit that these believers practiced what they preached, and were serious about applying the words of their Lord on the issue of wealth and poverty.

This could especially be seen when major epidemics broke out, The standard response of the pagans was to flee. The ones who stayed and tended the sick and needy were Christians. This concern for the poor and the afflicted was largely responsible for the tremendous growth of Christianity during its early centuries. Many people converted to Christianity based on the caring and compassionate response of believers in the face of suffering, sickness and death.

The authors also examine the issue of the relationship between religion and science. Contrary to popular belief, Christianity has more to do with the spread of knowledge and science than its hindrance. Yes there were times when the church blocked progress in intellectual discovery and scientific enterprise, but they make up the exceptions to the rule. Even many secular thinkers have noted that it was the Christian world view that in so many ways made the rise of modern science possible.

The world view of the Roman Empire was syncretistic, fatalistic and superstitious. This made poor ground for scientific inquiry to grow and flourish in. However, the biblical Christian worldview was much more conducive to scientific progress.

For example, the cyclical view of history of pagan Rome was replaced by the linear conception of history in Christianity. Christians believed in a orderly, purposeful world which had a sense of direction and meaning, something which the scientific mind could tap into and explore. A perspective which viewed the world with purpose and meaning waiting to be discovered was much different than a fatalistic and cyclical view of history which offered little incentive to those who were scientifically motivated.

True, scientific advance did take root in two other cultures: the Islamic world and China. But in both the efforts stalled, and it was only in the Christianised West that science continued to develop. Bear in mind, for example, that it was Western technology and know-how that discovered and utilised the oil that sat for millennia in Middle Eastern (Muslim) deserts.

Other achievements of Christianity are covered, including the relationship between Christianity and Western democracy, and the struggle against slavery. All in all, the Christian religion has been a force of tremendous good in the world. Yes, it has contributed its share of misery and grief, but one can argue that these blemishes are not inherent in New Testament Christianity, but in its perversion.

Attacks on the Christian religion will continue. But many of the standard objections to the faith turn out, on closer inspection, to be not so damaging at all. Often, they are based on misinformation or selective use of the historical record. Despite its many shortcomings, the Christian religion has much to be proud of; the "overlooked side of the ledger" as the authors put it.

In sum, the world is a better place because of Christianity. Were it not for the Christian religion, the world during the past two millennia would arguably have been "crueler, poorer and more provincial, as well as less democratic, creative and informed - in a word, less civilised". This book makes this case dispassionately but convincingly.

Rating:
Summary: Good work, but susceptible to criticism
Review: Carroll and Shiflett have done a good job of trying to set the record straight in this book about Christianity, Christians, and the impact of both on human history. It was very refreshing to read a book that goes beyond superficial caricatures to really explore the history honestly. I think the authors mostly succeed in balancing the scales a bit and demonstrate a proud history of the faith that is based on many facts that have long since been forgotten by much of society.

The authors devote one chapter to each specific issue that is analyzed. One of the major strengths of the book is the authors insistence on devoting the first part of each chapter to present the view of the anti Christian forces, whether they be in the media, academia, or cause advocacy. The summation of the anti Christian view is especially illuminating and piques the interest of the reader to hear what the authors have to say about such strongly held views. In my view, the authors succeed pretty well in taking the criticisms on in a succinct and factually based way. Where appropriate, they acknowledge the shortcomings of the church and do not attempt to rationalize these shortcomings away. They lay them out there for the reader to digest. But the authors also introduce a tremendous amount of supplemental evidence that goes a long way toward factually deconstructing many of the more popular negative one liners that people trod out to discredit Christianity.

After reading this book, I think a number of people, if they are open minded and willing to be challenged where their preconceived notions are concerned, may find themselves modifying or even completely rethinking some of the reflex opinions they have held to in regards to Christians and Christianity. When reading this book, I found myself amazed by how completely it seems some people are looking to find a way to blame Christianity for any injustice or ill that troubles them. What I found by reading this book is that in our modern day emphasis on surface level scholarship, Christianity fares much better than the efforts of its critics to discredit it.

Having said all this, I feel the need to comment on what I perceived to be one significant weakness of the book that compels me to give the book a 4 star rating. In all frankness, the authors were very sloppy in their referencing approach, and in a book like this, this is a huge problem. In every chapter of the book, there are quotes the authors use to try and advance their points which are not referenced back to any source material. This serious oversight leaves the book very susceptible to criticism from those who don't like what they read in here. In particular, the chapter that discusses the relationship between Christianity and the Third Reich contains a number of quotes that Hitler allegedly made which were hostile to Christianity that are not referenced to any source material at all. This is a serious problem because someone reading this book could easily dismiss the authors entire line of argumentation by saying that because these quotes aren't referenced back to any source material, there's no way to verify their accuracy, and maybe the authors made them up completely. I'm not suggesting that this is what the authors did, but by not doing a better job in their referencing, they unnecessarily leave themselves open to charges like this and provide opponents of their book with an easy way to dismiss much of the content. This is particularly inexcusable in a book like this which attempts to take on and refute societal views, since the authors had to know that their book would strike at some sacred cows. As such, it is even more critical to write a book that is airtight in terms of its facts in order to really challenge people to rethink their views in light of factual evidence that they themselves can personally verify if they choose. But because the authors did not thoroughly reference their material, the book comes up short in this area to a degree that causes me to lower the rating from 5 stars to 4.

But while the book is clearly deficient in its source material referencing, it is sufficient enough in this area that both sincere believers and open minded skeptics can read this book and validate enough of the facts presented to make it an effective tool for setting the record straight. It's not perfect, but it's good.

Rating:
Summary: Turns people away from the faith!
Review: I couldn't believe that Carroll and Shiflett would put so many controversial topics into print - and then so weakly try to dismiss their validity! The mass history of atrocities blamed on attendants of our faith that translate into a virtual horror stories for a proud Christian, are NOT defended in this treatise as I'd hoped! It's too easy to dismiss each point they try to make; Many religions and cultures came together into the "melting pot" that was the precursor to civilization in the West - we can't take sole credit for that! Another point - as regards slavery and Christianity....yes, Christians made efforts to help end slave trade, and just as many "good Christians" contributed in profitting from it! The book actually treads really weak turf in taking on the debate over whether Hitler was a Christian - I've studied and researched this personally, and the evidence clearly points to the fact that he WAS a Christian! The authors should have known better. This book won't help a Christian defend heinous acts done in the past in the name of Christianity - it will only give the opposition more fuel against us.This book is full of "pats on the back" for positive contributions that are embellished through the author's eyes, or downright fabricated. Critics will be eager to poke holes in this one. I can't recommend this book.

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Summary: The truth is just beneath the surface...
Review: I have always thought that one of the easiest jobs in the world would be that of lighthouse keeper. (Too bad there aren't too many openings any more!) The second easiest job might very well be exposing the truth about the influence and impact that Christianity has had on the world.

"Why?", you may ask. Because the work of God is like diamonds. God's work in the world, like diamonds, is pure and imperishable; and yet, like diamonds, if left in the open for everyone to examine, they can easily come to mischief. They can be stolen, removed from sight, counterfeits can be substituted, etc. But if one knows where the real gems are hidden, they can be easily restored to their rightful place, unblemished, as if they had never disappeared.

This book restores to it's rightful place the truth about the enormously positive impact Christianity has had upon the world. There are eight chapters, each dealing with a subject matter wherein Christianity has been unfairly, even grossly, malaigned. Chapter two, for example, demonstrates how Christian world-view led to the global elimination of slavery, not the establishment or perpetuation of it, as is falsely charged. And the facts the authors use are unassailable. No obtuse argumentation here. The facts speak for themselves, whether the topic is Christianity and slavery, Christianity and the environment , Christianity and the Third Reich, it's all here.

Read this book as the beginning of a long and rewarding journey into the truth that will set you free.

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Summary: Buy this book; read it; give copies to everyone you know
Review: I'm not sure whether the thesis of this book could best be summed up as, "Christianity isn't all that bad" or "Christianity has made the world the wonderful place it is today." That depends on whether you're trying to summarize the intended or actual thesis.

This purports to be basically a book of Christian apology, in a sense: not defending the faith's tenants, but defending the faith's acts. It rightly points out that there is a lot of criticism directed toward Christianity that, were it directed toward any other religion, would be construed as bigotry. That's true enough, and a fair criticism. On the other hand, the book seems to imply that the majority of contributions Christianity has made to civilization are positive - that the scales tip toward the good. That's fine and good, but it doesn't provide enough proof of that. We never get any idea if the people and groups in each chapter are exceptions to the rule, or the standard. I got the feeling that the authors didn't know either, but were trying to pass them off as the latter.

This is particularly noticeable when we consider the two topics conspicuously missing from the book: Christian anti-Semitism and Christian misogyny. The environment, democracy, and science all rightly get chapters, but nary a word about misogyny, and only lip-service to anti-Semitism ("Okay, okay, Luther was anti-Semitic, but look at all the good things he did!"). The closest thing to mentioning misogyny, on the other hand, is perhaps a reference to the (to use their woefully inadequate understatement) "unfortunate" Salem witch trials.

On the whole, I remain unconvinced of Christianity's virtues through the centuries. It's a human institution, filled with the hatred, bigotry, and stupidity common to all people.

Still, it did make me realize that condemning the Apostle Paul for his views on slavery is to use an anachronistic morality to judge him. This is a common theme in the book, and somewhat rightly so. We can't condemn society X for being cruel when it was no crueler than any other contemporary society, even if it is vastly more vicious than our own. We can comment on it, but it doesn't make them immoral.

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Summary: Book does what it claims -- It defends Christianity well
Review: Some of the other reviews seem to have misunderstood the premise of this book. The conclusion of the introduction clearly states that both good and bad have been done in the name of Christianity. Their argument is that the bad is not the sum total of its legacy, and the remarkable achievements should be remembered as well.

I found this book to be fair, well researched, and easy to read. It does a great job of putting the issues in a historical context. In the process, it demonstrates that the accusations against Christianity are almost the opposite of what really occurred. For example, the leading philosphers of the 1700's (such as Locke, Voltaire, and Hume) were the clear defenders of slavery, while it was the strong Christian leaders who led the call for the abolition of slavery. To point out, as some do, that Christians owned slaves is to miss the point. In that day, anyone of means generally owned slaves. When you look at the leaders, you get the clear contrast between the different world views.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is about time that the record was set straight about the lies that are being told about Chrisitianity.

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Summary: The REST of the Story
Review: That should be the title. Carroll & Shiflett do a very good job here not only refuting misconceptions that have bred & are uncritically passed on in schools and public life but they also give well-documented historical corrections regarding these misconceptions/deceptions which are fueled by biased individuals. I whole-heartedly recommend this especially in conjunction with Alvin Schmidt's Under the Influence. Between these two volumes, one will receive not only a correction (rest of the story that is often withheld from us-how's that for censorship) but also events are placed within a much-needed historical context from which they arise.

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Summary: A wealth of solid information
Review: This book is a delight to read the first time, especially if you are tired of media venues denigrating Christians and Christianity. It is filled with information that demands a second reading to absorb more of what it contains. Thanks in part to its fine index, it will serve well as a reference book for the future. The book will be very helpful to Christians who wish to make an intelligent response to myths about the alleged guilt of Christians and Christianity for many of the world's woes.

Surprises you will find in the book include the following. Pope Pius XII, alleged to be "Hitler's Pope," actually hid 5000 Italian Jews on Vatican property to save them from the death camps and the Israeli government wanted to honor him for his efforts. Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere were not the noble guardians of the environment whose example still shames the reputed exploitative habits of Christians. Many Puritans outside Salem opposed the witch trials as a great injustice. The myth that Christians are opponents to scientific inquiry did not appear until the 1920's. You will also find many facts about the positive influence of religion in civilization's greatest advancements, especially in curtailing war and advancing scientific discovery.

The editorial review above by Ray Olson is a very fair and accurate description of the book. It is hard to add to what he wrote. After reading this book, one comes away wondering how the authors gathered and documented so much material from so many fields.

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Summary: Easily overcomes the bias against Christianity
Review: This is an excellent book about a topic that has known many swings of thought throughout the centuries. Despite a solid history and a non-violent compassionate theology, Christianity is often viewed these days by our liberal media as a flawed, fringe belief system. The shift has been so dramatic of late that common knowledge has been supplanted by slanted and biased viewpoints about historical fact that often paint religion as the "problem". This book looks at multiple ways in which religion has been unfairly depicted.

The research and points are made compellingly, and are presented with clear point/counterpoint that is hard to dispute. One complaint I do have is that the research is presented well and yet there are too few footnotes and reference materials contained in the chapters. I would have liked to look into some of the research further.

There are many of these topical areas which deserve entire books on their own. However, a couple were of particular interest to me. The presentation of "Christianity and Science" is one. The common viewpoints I come across these days from many that consider themselves "scientists" is that the two disciplines are mutually exclusive. The book does an excellent job in showing the vast scientific progress made by the Church, and balances the viewpoints of the "dark ages" to show how Christians, specifically monks and orders, made great discoveries in agriculture, machinery, and so on. True science is the search for truth, and that search is in no way incompatible with a Christian belief, it is only through the biased worldview of liberal scientists that these two areas of belief have become opposed.

Also, of note is the section on "Christianity and Charity". While many eastern philosophies also promote care for the poor, Christianity is unique in how the poor are in fact honored. The book highlights the significant cultural shift Christianity enabled and instilled. The vast majority of hospitals, orphanages, and other means to care for the sick and poor were started because of Christian beliefs. In this area Christianity truly showed the world a set of values which had been until that point unheard of.

Overall, a great book and an interesting read. If you are a skeptic of Christianity this book will help you shed some of the erroneous and biased revisionist history being passed for fact these days by liberal scholars. That most of the criticism aimed at Christianity is simply untrue is apparent with even a casual read.