Where is the history?
Constantine's Sword is a disappointing book. I was expecting a sprawling saga of the history of anti-semitism in the Catholic Church, but instead got the author's diary. There a too many personal anecdotal stories in the text. Everytime I was getting interested in what he was saying he told a story either about his Irish Uncle in the British military or his incestuous desires for his mother. Maybe its me but what does the Pieta and lust for your mother have to do with anti-semitism in the church? Plus, he quotes dubious scholars to present his information. John Dominic Crossan? Crossan discounts the resurrection and the person of Jesus in his writings. So what does he have to do with the hatred of the Jews in church history? I wish this were a better book.
A Troublesome Work
I am surprised that there are so many reviews with either five- or one-star ratings. My reaction to this work was different. First, let me say that this book is impressive in its scope and its reach, tying together two thousand years of history as a narrative. Also impressive is the sheer volume of material that makes up the story, a daunting amount for any historian to go through. What is more, Carroll writes in an interesting way, weaving his personal history into the meta-narrative of church history (however it doesn't quite reach the perfection of the seamless robe so heavily referenced).
I do have trouble with the main thesis, though. It is indisputable that the church's history is littered with abuse and antisemitism, and Christians (Protestant and Catholic) must be aware of this. But to say that antisemitism is almost hard-wired or innate to the character of Christianity is a gross misstatement. Further, the author tends to overlook information that doesn't mesh with his misstatement.
One example is the presupposition of late authorship of all or most of the New Testament, which enables the author to briefly gloss over the fact of the early church as a predominantly Jewish sect that worshiped in synagogues, occasionally being persecuted by Jews until the Council of Jamnia/Javneh separated them.
The author does mention Paul preaching that in Christ "there is no difference between Jew and Gentile" but does not see it as challenging to his thesis. Paul's writings often feature the universalism of Christ's salvation, and there is good evidence in 1 Peter to suggest that it was written to a mixed audience of Jew and Gentile. These relationships were troublesome in the early church, yes, but now serve as evidence of these early believers attempting to reconcile their different backgrounds. Carroll does not address this, but writes of antisemitism's deep roots in the New Testament.
Finally, the author mentions extra-Catholic antisemitism, such as Greek and Roman prejudices that predated Jesus' ministry. Also included are the French Communards, strongly opposed to the Catholic Church, and yet the author suggests that they revert to the pattern set by the church in antisemitism. The existence of prejudice outside of the church does not absolve the church of anything, but Carroll seems to pin their blame to the bad influence of the church, inexplicably.
So I disagree that the church is the soil for the roots of antisemitism, but I regret to agree (as I have no choice in this matter) that the church has been an active participant in it. I don't have an answer for the cause of antisemitism, if there is one, but I find it hard to swallow that the answer could be as cut-and-dry as that presented in this book. It features some interesting history, but eschews objectivity in favor of polemic. As it (in my opinion) failed to achieve its aim, but did so in an eloquent and intriguing way, I would recommend it but with warning.
A very good analysis of European history
This tome of the book examines the relationship between Christianity and Judaism since the birth of Christ in European history. The starting point is the life of Christ, and the ending point is the controversy stirred when a cross was planted at Auschwitz. Over the course of the book, the author shows how many of the places, symbols, words, and people associated with Christianity were intertwined with the history of Judaism, and how many of them have different meanings depending on whether you are a Jew or a Christian. Take for example the cross. For Christians, it is a symbol of sacrifice and suffering. But to the Jews, it is a reminder that the Bible blames them for the death of Christ, hence a symbol of betrayal.
The book is part history, part economic treatise, and part commentary. The last part is included by scenes from the author's personal life and professional life as part of the Catholic clergy. Here, the author uses key events of his life to explore key events in the history of Christianity's relationship with Jews. As such, the author lends weight and personal relevance to his topic. The author also does a great job of citing other works, both by Christians and by Jews, that have affected how the two religions have co-existed over time. Overall a great book.
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