A Catechism Defending The Crusades, and other Aspects of Medieval Western Culture Part One

This catechism has been written primarily for misunderstandings of The Middle Ages and The Crusades in particular, by Evangelical Christians, though it can certainly be used for all. It is written in a typical objection response format, so that I respond to those objections raised by the criticisms made of Medieval Times. I felt that form of writing was needed, to best explain this subject to readers. 
 Before I proceed to the catechism, it should be noted that entire volumes of books could be written on this subject. History is very complicated, and more complicated than hecklers on street corners or politicians often present it. The most glorious events of history are usually imperfect, due to man's sin. But mistakes or abuse don't illigintimize a Holy Cause, what matters was if something was a Holy Cause from the start or not, more than how it was abused or later exaggerated.  For this very reason also, unfair generalizations of cultures, religions, or people groups should always be avoided. I have said it many times, those that criticize The Medieval Crusades will regret the day that the Islamic armies invade the West for the kill, capture, and slaughter of all Christians and Jews. Apologizing to Muslims for the Crusades, in an attempt to convert them to Christianity is an act of conformity to the Jihad the Muslims brought on against the Christians from the start this. Let me add further, we don't apologize for truth to ''convert'' people. Also, no matter how well the intent of these same Christians are, they are actually be foolish by apologizing for wars that were clearly acts of self defense against an aggressive Islamic invasion on the West.
 This paper has included works from various historians and theologians.



 Objection I: Pope Urban II said every Crusader was guaranteed a place in Heaven, and he got involved in a Conflict, in which church leaders have no right to be involved. 
 Response: To the first part, I will respond first. Actually no, Pope Urban II did not say this. What he said is actually more clear in the several accounts written of his speech by his contemporaries including Fulcher of Charteres. First of all,  The pope promised a Plenary Indulgence to those that repented, which is quite different than him promising salvation also to the unrepentant. Second the pope didn't even promise salvation to the repentant, though he did promise them if they were repentant free of debt, both monetarily , and spiritually. What this meant, was that any Crusader did not have to pay debts of money he now owed, and second, no knight had to pay restitution for certain sins he had previously committed, so long as he repented. Whether or not one agrees with Indulgences is another discussion. For now, however, let me affirmed that the pope did not promise a free ticket to Heaven to anyone who went on Crusade, and if the pope had, he would have contracted both the Roman Catholic and Protestant understandings of justification, but Urban is not guilty of this on either account. Those that have accused the pope of this, should not only correct their error, but inform others of the actual truth.
 To the second part of the above objection, much of this can go back to historical context, the pope was not only a spiritual leader, but a political one. Some criticize the Crusades because the pope called for it, and say that wars should be fought by kings rather than by popes. They that make these assumptions and hold to these views forget or ignore several important facts, Medieval Culture was much different than our own, the concept of Separation of church and state did not really come about until the Enlightenment. Also, in many cases, it was the church that granted kings the authority to preside over local kingdoms. But last and most important, Emperor Alexius asked the pope to help them against the Islamic Invasion on the East. That too, is quite different than Pope Urban II just suddenly asking for a Crusade with no employment made toward him of the wars already existing between Muslims and Christians.  The pope had a responsibility to do, and that was not simply to preach the Gospel, but to protect Christendom from heresy, which would have arisen from the abominable sect of Mohammed in the West if the pope had not made this move. In reality then, The Crusades were protecting the flock from heresy, and church leaders always have the responsibility to protect their flock, just as Urban did here. 


Further Sources: The First Crusade by Edward Peters.