Militant Christianity: An Anthropological History

Description

A powerful chronicle of the astounding persistence of Indo-European glorification of battle, morphed into today's militant Christian Right. The book is written as a lively chronicle making clear the astounding power of the ancient cultural tradition embedding our language, and the real battle we face to contain this 'Christian' jihad.

Alice B. Kehoe is a fellow of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, USA.

"A well-written, well researched nook on the religious right that does what no other book on the religious right does. As the paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin said, 'Nothing is intelligible outside of history.' It took an anthropologist like Kehoe to go to the historical, cultural, and anthropological roots of the complex Christian Right phenomenon. This book is useful for classes in political science, sociology, anthropology, religious studies, law and in other disciplines where the major influence of the religious right is now being discussed." - Daniel C. Maguire, Professor of Religious Studies, Marquette University "Militant Christianity is a remarkable guide to understanding the origins and contemporary consequences of the worldview that the militant Christian right uses to legitimize its actions and through which it reproduces itself. Alice Kehoe skillfully blends historical and cultural analyses in an exceptionally compelling and accessible narrative. Militant Christianity is a must read for anyone interested in better understanding the myriad ways that the model of the warrior culture embraced by militant Christianity penetrates American politics and jeopardizes peace and security, and in finding constructive paths forward." - Robert A. Rubinstein, Professor of Anthropology and International Relations, The Maxwell School of Syracuse University "Commentators in the West are fond of labeling non-Judeo-Christian religious traditions as 'militant', 'violent', or 'uncivilized'. Alice Kehoe in this well written work shows that Christianity has a long history of violence and militancy as well. This thought-provoking work takes the reader from the earliest days of Christianity down to the present, showing that aggression in the name of extremist ideology is alive and well among extremist Christian groups today. Professor Kehoe, an expert on American Indian culture, is especially powerful in her description of the damage done by Christian missionaries to North American indigenous peoples in the name of religion. She also shows clearly that current day militancy among extremist Christians is a legacy from the past, used by today's violent groups to justify their actions. This book should help all readers gain perspective on their own beliefs as well as the belief systems of others." - William Beeman, professor and chair, Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota