The Myth of Martyrdom

The Myth of Martyrdom

Author: Adam Lankford

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 0230342132

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Adam Lankford looks at the motivation of suicide bombers and other rampage killers.


Book Synopsis The Myth of Martyrdom by : Adam Lankford

Download or read book The Myth of Martyrdom written by Adam Lankford and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2013 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adam Lankford looks at the motivation of suicide bombers and other rampage killers.


The Myth of Persecution

The Myth of Persecution

Author: Candida Moss

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2013-03-05

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 0062104543

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In The Myth of Persecution, Candida Moss, a leading expert on early Christianity, reveals how the early church exaggerated, invented, and forged stories of Christian martyrs and how the dangerous legacy of a martyrdom complex is employed today to silence dissent and galvanize a new generation of culture warriors. According to cherished church tradition and popular belief, before the Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal in the fourth century, early Christians were systematically persecuted by a brutal Roman Empire intent on their destruction. As the story goes, vast numbers of believers were thrown to the lions, tortured, or burned alive because they refused to renounce Christ. These saints, Christianity's inspirational heroes, are still venerated today. Moss, however, exposes that the "Age of Martyrs" is a fiction—there was no sustained 300-year-long effort by the Romans to persecute Christians. Instead, these stories were pious exaggerations; highly stylized rewritings of Jewish, Greek, and Roman noble death traditions; and even forgeries designed to marginalize heretics, inspire the faithful, and fund churches. The traditional story of persecution is still taught in Sunday school classes, celebrated in sermons, and employed by church leaders, politicians, and media pundits who insist that Christians were—and always will be—persecuted by a hostile, secular world. While violence against Christians does occur in select parts of the world today, the rhetoric of persecution is both misleading and rooted in an inaccurate history of the early church. Moss urges modern Christians to abandon the conspiratorial assumption that the world is out to get Christians and, rather, embrace the consolation, moral instruction, and spiritual guidance that these martyrdom stories provide.


Book Synopsis The Myth of Persecution by : Candida Moss

Download or read book The Myth of Persecution written by Candida Moss and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Myth of Persecution, Candida Moss, a leading expert on early Christianity, reveals how the early church exaggerated, invented, and forged stories of Christian martyrs and how the dangerous legacy of a martyrdom complex is employed today to silence dissent and galvanize a new generation of culture warriors. According to cherished church tradition and popular belief, before the Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal in the fourth century, early Christians were systematically persecuted by a brutal Roman Empire intent on their destruction. As the story goes, vast numbers of believers were thrown to the lions, tortured, or burned alive because they refused to renounce Christ. These saints, Christianity's inspirational heroes, are still venerated today. Moss, however, exposes that the "Age of Martyrs" is a fiction—there was no sustained 300-year-long effort by the Romans to persecute Christians. Instead, these stories were pious exaggerations; highly stylized rewritings of Jewish, Greek, and Roman noble death traditions; and even forgeries designed to marginalize heretics, inspire the faithful, and fund churches. The traditional story of persecution is still taught in Sunday school classes, celebrated in sermons, and employed by church leaders, politicians, and media pundits who insist that Christians were—and always will be—persecuted by a hostile, secular world. While violence against Christians does occur in select parts of the world today, the rhetoric of persecution is both misleading and rooted in an inaccurate history of the early church. Moss urges modern Christians to abandon the conspiratorial assumption that the world is out to get Christians and, rather, embrace the consolation, moral instruction, and spiritual guidance that these martyrdom stories provide.


Martyrdom and Memory

Martyrdom and Memory

Author: Elizabeth Anne Castelli

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 9780231129862

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Utilising a wide range of early sources, this title identifies the roots of the concept of Christian martyrdom, as lloking at how it has been expressed in events such as the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999.


Book Synopsis Martyrdom and Memory by : Elizabeth Anne Castelli

Download or read book Martyrdom and Memory written by Elizabeth Anne Castelli and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Utilising a wide range of early sources, this title identifies the roots of the concept of Christian martyrdom, as lloking at how it has been expressed in events such as the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999.


Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction

Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Jolyon Mitchell

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2012-11-29

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0199585237

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Martyrdom is a controversial topic, with a long history of provoking fierce debate. In this Very Short Introduction Jolyon Mitchell provides a historical analysis to understand the contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom. Using examples from a variety of contexts around the world, he explores how it has evolved, and what it means today.


Book Synopsis Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction by : Jolyon Mitchell

Download or read book Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction written by Jolyon Mitchell and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-11-29 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martyrdom is a controversial topic, with a long history of provoking fierce debate. In this Very Short Introduction Jolyon Mitchell provides a historical analysis to understand the contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom. Using examples from a variety of contexts around the world, he explores how it has evolved, and what it means today.


Myths, Martyrs, and Modernity

Myths, Martyrs, and Modernity

Author: Jitse Dijkstra

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2010-01-11

Total Pages: 762

ISBN-13: 9004193650

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This volume in honour of Jan N. Bremmer consists of a variety of contributions offering a broad spectrum of original ideas and innovative approaches in the history of religions both past and present, thus reflecting the nature of the scholarship of Bremmer himself.


Book Synopsis Myths, Martyrs, and Modernity by : Jitse Dijkstra

Download or read book Myths, Martyrs, and Modernity written by Jitse Dijkstra and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2010-01-11 with total page 762 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume in honour of Jan N. Bremmer consists of a variety of contributions offering a broad spectrum of original ideas and innovative approaches in the history of religions both past and present, thus reflecting the nature of the scholarship of Bremmer himself.


Beyond Terror and Martyrdom

Beyond Terror and Martyrdom

Author: Gilles Kepel

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2009-07-01

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0674039556

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Since 2001, two dominant worldviews have clashed in the global arena: a neoconservative nightmare of an insidious Islamic terrorist threat to civilized life, and a jihadist myth of martyrdom through the slaughter of infidels. Across the airwaves and on the ground, an ill-defined and uncontrollable war has raged between these two opposing scenarios. Deadly images and threats—from the televised beheading of Western hostages to graphic pictures of torture at Abu Ghraib, from the destruction wrought by suicide bombers in London and Madrid to civilian deaths at the hands of American occupation forces in Iraq—have polarized populations on both sides of this divide. Yet, as the noted Middle East scholar and commentator Gilles Kepel demonstrates, President Bush’s War on Terror masks a complex political agenda in the Middle East—enforcing democracy, accessing Iraqi oil, securing Israel, and seeking regime change in Iran. Osama bin Laden’s call for martyrs to rise up against the apostate and hasten the dawn of a universal Islamic state papers over a fractured, fragmented Islamic world that is waging war against itself. Beyond Terror and Martyrdom sounds the alarm to the West and to Islam that both of these exhausted narratives are bankrupt—neither productive of democratic change in the Middle East nor of unity in Islam. Kepel urges us to escape the ideological quagmire of terrorism and martyrdom and explore the terms of a new and constructive dialogue between Islam and the West, one for which Europe, with its expanding and restless Muslim populations, may be the proving ground.


Book Synopsis Beyond Terror and Martyrdom by : Gilles Kepel

Download or read book Beyond Terror and Martyrdom written by Gilles Kepel and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-01 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since 2001, two dominant worldviews have clashed in the global arena: a neoconservative nightmare of an insidious Islamic terrorist threat to civilized life, and a jihadist myth of martyrdom through the slaughter of infidels. Across the airwaves and on the ground, an ill-defined and uncontrollable war has raged between these two opposing scenarios. Deadly images and threats—from the televised beheading of Western hostages to graphic pictures of torture at Abu Ghraib, from the destruction wrought by suicide bombers in London and Madrid to civilian deaths at the hands of American occupation forces in Iraq—have polarized populations on both sides of this divide. Yet, as the noted Middle East scholar and commentator Gilles Kepel demonstrates, President Bush’s War on Terror masks a complex political agenda in the Middle East—enforcing democracy, accessing Iraqi oil, securing Israel, and seeking regime change in Iran. Osama bin Laden’s call for martyrs to rise up against the apostate and hasten the dawn of a universal Islamic state papers over a fractured, fragmented Islamic world that is waging war against itself. Beyond Terror and Martyrdom sounds the alarm to the West and to Islam that both of these exhausted narratives are bankrupt—neither productive of democratic change in the Middle East nor of unity in Islam. Kepel urges us to escape the ideological quagmire of terrorism and martyrdom and explore the terms of a new and constructive dialogue between Islam and the West, one for which Europe, with its expanding and restless Muslim populations, may be the proving ground.


Perfect Martyr

Perfect Martyr

Author: Shelly Matthews

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2012-07-12

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 0199924651

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Focuses on Stephen, the first Christian martyr, offering a picture of violence, solidarity, and resistance among Jews and early Christians.


Book Synopsis Perfect Martyr by : Shelly Matthews

Download or read book Perfect Martyr written by Shelly Matthews and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-07-12 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focuses on Stephen, the first Christian martyr, offering a picture of violence, solidarity, and resistance among Jews and early Christians.


Ancient Christian Martyrdom

Ancient Christian Martyrdom

Author: Candida R. Moss

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2012-06-26

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0300154658

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Using perspectives on death from ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish traditions, a theology professor discusses the history of Christian martyrdom and challenges the traditional understanding of the spread of Christianity.


Book Synopsis Ancient Christian Martyrdom by : Candida R. Moss

Download or read book Ancient Christian Martyrdom written by Candida R. Moss and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2012-06-26 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using perspectives on death from ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish traditions, a theology professor discusses the history of Christian martyrdom and challenges the traditional understanding of the spread of Christianity.


The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom

Author: Paul Middleton

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-04-06

Total Pages: 564

ISBN-13: 111909982X

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A unique, wide-ranging volume exploring the historical, religious, cultural, political, and social aspects of Christian martyrdom Although a well-studied and researched topic in early Christianity, martyrdom had become a relatively neglected subject of scholarship by the latter half of the 20th century. However, in the years following the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the study of martyrdom has experienced a remarkable resurgence. Heightened cultural, religious, and political debates about Islamic martyrdom have, in a large part, prompted increased interest in the role of martyrdom in the Christian tradition. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon from its beginnings to its role in the present day. This timely volume presents essays written by 30 prominent scholars that explore the fundamental concepts, key questions, and contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom in Christianity. Broad in scope, this volume explores topics ranging from the origins, influences, and theology of martyrdom in the early church, with particular emphasis placed on the Martyr Acts, to contemporary issues of gender, identity construction, and the place of martyrdom in the modern church. Essays address the role of martyrdom after the establishment of Christendom, especially its crucial contribution during and after the Reformation period in the development of Christian and European national-building, as well as its role in forming Christian identities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This important contribution to Christian scholarship: Offers the first comprehensive reference work to examine the topic of martyrdom throughout Christian history Includes an exploration of martyrdom and its links to traditions in Judaism and Islam Covers extensive geographical zones, time periods, and perspectives Provides topical commentary on Islamic martyrdom and its parallels to the Christian church Discusses hotly debated topics such as the extent of the Roman persecution of early Christians The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of religious studies, theology, and Christian history, as well as readers with interest in the topic of Christian martyrdom.


Book Synopsis The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom by : Paul Middleton

Download or read book The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom written by Paul Middleton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-04-06 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique, wide-ranging volume exploring the historical, religious, cultural, political, and social aspects of Christian martyrdom Although a well-studied and researched topic in early Christianity, martyrdom had become a relatively neglected subject of scholarship by the latter half of the 20th century. However, in the years following the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the study of martyrdom has experienced a remarkable resurgence. Heightened cultural, religious, and political debates about Islamic martyrdom have, in a large part, prompted increased interest in the role of martyrdom in the Christian tradition. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon from its beginnings to its role in the present day. This timely volume presents essays written by 30 prominent scholars that explore the fundamental concepts, key questions, and contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom in Christianity. Broad in scope, this volume explores topics ranging from the origins, influences, and theology of martyrdom in the early church, with particular emphasis placed on the Martyr Acts, to contemporary issues of gender, identity construction, and the place of martyrdom in the modern church. Essays address the role of martyrdom after the establishment of Christendom, especially its crucial contribution during and after the Reformation period in the development of Christian and European national-building, as well as its role in forming Christian identities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This important contribution to Christian scholarship: Offers the first comprehensive reference work to examine the topic of martyrdom throughout Christian history Includes an exploration of martyrdom and its links to traditions in Judaism and Islam Covers extensive geographical zones, time periods, and perspectives Provides topical commentary on Islamic martyrdom and its parallels to the Christian church Discusses hotly debated topics such as the extent of the Roman persecution of early Christians The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of religious studies, theology, and Christian history, as well as readers with interest in the topic of Christian martyrdom.


Bloody Mary's Martyrs

Bloody Mary's Martyrs

Author: Jasper Ridley

Publisher: Constable

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9781841195353

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Mary was crowned queen in 1553. In the space of just five years, her brutal methods earned her the macabre nickname she has carried ever since. Men such as Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, were burned at the stake, as were some 300 others who refused to renounce their Protestantism and accept Papal supremacy. This lucid and expert account sheds light on a dreadful episode in English history.


Book Synopsis Bloody Mary's Martyrs by : Jasper Ridley

Download or read book Bloody Mary's Martyrs written by Jasper Ridley and published by Constable. This book was released on 2002 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary was crowned queen in 1553. In the space of just five years, her brutal methods earned her the macabre nickname she has carried ever since. Men such as Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, were burned at the stake, as were some 300 others who refused to renounce their Protestantism and accept Papal supremacy. This lucid and expert account sheds light on a dreadful episode in English history.