violence, much of it committed by men such as Joshua, who
are depicted as heroes. However, the Jewish and Christian
traditions long ago developed historical understandings of
God’s Word; this allowed them to see the principles
embodied in the Old Testament’s violent passages as
applicable for one time and place but not universally. The
only theological mechanism that approximates this for
Muslims is, as we have seen, the abrogation theory, but this
approach is actually used to support the Koran’s violent
passages.
Most importantly, there is not a single verse in the
entire Bible that contains an openended, universal command
to kill unbelievers. No Crusader could point to any words of
Jesus as the justification for his taking up arms beyond
oblique statements such as: ‘‘I have not come to bring
peace, but a sword’’ (Mt 10:34). Most often in Christian
tradition such statements have been understood in a
spiritualized manner, that is, a believer’s faith in Jesus will
bring him or her into spiritual conflict with the world, the
flesh, and the Devil. When read in its proper context, it is
clear that Jesus is certainly not calling for violent struggle
against non Christians. But in the Koran, as we have seen,
there are many verses that command believers to fight
unbelievers. Those who contend that they are to be
understood only spiritually or as not applicable today face
an uphill battle, for they are fighting against not only the
plain words of the text but a large portion of Islamic
tradition.
- Weren’t the Christian Crusades similar to the