Rodney Stark is the Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University. His thirty books on the history and sociology of religion include The Rise of Christianity, Cities of God, For the Glory of God, Discovering God, and The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success. Stark received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
"Through his many books, Rodney Stark has made us rethink so much
of what we had assumed about the history of Christianity and its
relations with other faiths, and now GOD'S BATTALIONS launches a
frontal assault on the comfortable myths that scholars have
popularized about the crusades. The results are startling. His
greatest achievement is to make us see the crusaders on their own
terms." - Philip Jenkins, author of THE LOST HISTORY OF
CHRISTIANITY
"At last, a convincing, balanced book on the Crusades, far from the
recent unsophisticated and ideological diatribes against them as "A
Bad Thing." Stark demonstrates that the Crusades were neither
unprovoked nor colonialist. Their primary motivation, though
sometimes abused, was both defensive and spiritual. Here is yet
another rich and readable book from this thoughtful and
distinguished author." - Jeffrey Burton Russell, author of A
History of Heaven and Paradise Mislaid
"GOD'S BATTALIONS launches a frontal assault on the comfortable
myths that scholars have popularized about the crusades. The
results are startling. His greatest achievement is to make us see
the crusaders on their own terms." - Philip Jenkins, author of The
Lost History of Christianity
"At last, a convincing, balanced book on the Crusades, far from the
recent unsophisticated and ideological diatribes against them as "A
Bad Thing." Rodney Stark demonstrates that the Crusades were
neither unprovoked nor colonialist. Here is yet another rich and
readable book from this thoughtful and distinguished author." -
Jeffrey Burton Russell, author of A History of Heaven and Paradise
Mislaid
"Prolific sociologist-cum-historian Rodney Stark turns his
attention to the Crusades-and he really, really likes what he sees.
The seven campaigns against Muslim civilization weren't an early
exercise in brutal colonization, he writes, but rather part of a
heroic just war. [Stark] wants to challenge the prevailing
television pundit-level misunderstanding of the Crusades, and in
this, his accessible, enjoyably argued book succeeds." -
Christianity Today
"Award-winning author and sociologist Rodney Stark humbly goes to
war against the many politically correct myths surrounding the
history of the Crusades in this well-researched and easy-to-read
academic masterpiece. Stark proves himself once again as a
historical myth-buster." - CBN.com, A+ rating
"There is much to be learned here. Filled with fascinating
historical glimpses of monks and Templars, priests and pilgrims,
kings and contemplatives, Stark pulls it all together and
challenges us to reconsider our view of the Crusades." - Publishers
Weekly
"In God's Battalions Princeton sociologist of religion Rodney Stark
seeks to dispel myths about the medieval Crusades and replace them
with a more factual account...The historiographic arguments made by
Stark regarding the antecedents and consequences of the Crusades
are very convincing." - Jack Kilcrease, Historical Society of the
Episcopal Church
"[Stark] wants to challenge the prevailing television pundit-level
misunderstanding of the Crusades, and in this, his accessible,
enjoyably argued book succeeds." - Christianity Today
"[God's Battalions] avoid[s] the black-and-white nonsense of
current secular thinkers, who condemn the Crusades as part of their
condemnation of the Catholic Church and of much later Western
imperialism. ...Stark demonstrate[s] a more sophisticated view of
history, religion and culture." - Catholic San Francisco
"Stark's clear, factual narrative offers larger-than-life
characters.... [his] works are an encouraging corrective to the
anti-Western history routinely taught in our schools." - New Oxford
Review
"In God's Battalions, Stark provides an account of the Crusades
perfectly fitted for the Fox News audience. If the book's
subtitle-A Defense of the Crusades-does not tell the reader that
something is afoot, the chapter titles will: "Pilgrimage and
Persecution," "Muslim Invaders," "Christendom Strikes Back. Clearly
this is not the politically correct version of the Crusades, and
that is fine: there is little that was politically correct about
the Crusades in the first place." - Christian Century
"In God's Battalions, Stark provides an account of the Crusades
perfectly fitted for the Fox News audience. Clearly this is not the
politically correct version of the Crusades, and that is fine:
there is little that was politically correct about the Crusades in
the first place." - Christian Century
"An excitingly readable distillation of the new, revisionist
Crusades historiography." - Booklist (starred review)
"[Stark] makes the case [for the crusades] with admirable frankness
and flair." - The Catholic Thing
"Rodney Stark turns what we 'know' about history on its head." -
Relevant Magazine
"[Stark's] new book, God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades,
gives historic and sociological evidence for a fresh assessment of
the Crusades." - United Methodist Reporter
"Stark's style is clear and direct. He sets the pace of narrative
masterfully...The result is a good read...Christian readers should
welcome Stark's affirmation of the best in scholarship, both old
and new, and his willingness to argue a controversial position." -
Christian Scholar's Review
"Stark's wonderfully readable prose and politically incorrect
conclusions... point us to the question--Will 21st-century
infiltration lead to surrender or revival?--on which Europe's
future hinges." - The World Magazine
"[God's Battalions] rewards a careful reading, and not only because
the story itself is so gripping, with tales of courage and
desperation, outsized characters, and fate of cultures hanging in
the balance. ...Masterful... sets the record straight." - National
Catholic Register
"GOD'S BATTALIONS launches a frontal assault on the comfortable myths that scholars have popularized about the crusades. The results are startling. His greatest achievement is to make us see the crusaders on their own terms." -- Philip Jenkins, author of The Lost History of Christianity"At last, a convincing, balanced book on the Crusades, far from the recent unsophisticated and ideological diatribes against them as "A Bad Thing." Rodney Stark demonstrates that the Crusades were neither unprovoked nor colonialist. Here is yet another rich and readable book from this thoughtful and distinguished author." -- Jeffrey Burton Russell, author of A History of Heaven and Paradise Mislaid"An excitingly readable distillation of the new, revisionist Crusades historiography." -- Booklist (starred review)"There is much to be learned here. Filled with fascinating historical glimpses of monks and Templars, priests and pilgrims, kings and contemplatives, Stark pulls it all together and challenges us to reconsider our view of the Crusades." -- Publishers Weekly"[Stark's] new book, God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades, gives historic and sociological evidence for a fresh assessment of the Crusades." -- United Methodist Reporter"[Stark] wants to challenge the prevailing television pundit-level misunderstanding of the Crusades, and in this, his accessible, enjoyably argued book succeeds." -- Christianity Today"Award-winning author and sociologist Rodney Stark humbly goes to war against the many politically correct myths surrounding the history of the Crusades in this well-researched and easy-to-read academic masterpiece. Stark proves himself once again as a historical myth-buster." -- CBN.com, A+ rating"[Stark] makes the case [for the crusades] with admirable frankness and flair." -- The Catholic Thing"Rodney Stark turns what we 'know' about history on its head." -- Relevant Magazine"Stark's style is clear and direct. He sets the pace of narrative masterfully...The result is a good read...Christian readers should welcome Stark's affirmation of the best in scholarship, both old and new, and his willingness to argue a controversial position." -- Christian Scholar's Review"Stark's wonderfully readable prose and politically incorrect conclusions... point us to the question--Will 21st-century infiltration lead to surrender or revival?--on which Europe's future hinges." -- The World Magazine"[God's Battalions] rewards a careful reading, and not only because the story itself is so gripping, with tales of courage and desperation, outsized characters, and fate of cultures hanging in the balance. ...Masterful... sets the record straight." -- National Catholic Register"[God's Battalions] avoid[s] the black-and-white nonsense of current secular thinkers, who condemn the Crusades as part of their condemnation of the Catholic Church and of much later Western imperialism. ...Stark demonstrate[s] a more sophisticated view of history, religion and culture." -- Catholic San Francisco"Stark's clear, factual narrative offers larger-than-life characters.... [his] works are an encouraging corrective to the anti-Western history routinely taught in our schools." -- New Oxford Review"In God's Battalions, Stark provides an account of the Crusades perfectly fitted for the Fox News audience. Clearly this is not the politically correct version of the Crusades, and that is fine: there is little that was politically correct about the Crusades in the first place." -- Christian Century"In God's Battalions Princeton sociologist of religion Rodney Stark seeks to dispel myths about the medieval Crusades and replace them with a more factual account...The historiographic arguments made by Stark regarding the antecedents and consequences of the Crusades are very convincing." -- Jack Kilcrease, Historical Society of the Episcopal Church
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