history
Historical analysis of religious developments, events, and theological movements relevant to apologetics.
Church and Stateand the Sword Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Confusion too often prevails over discussions on the relation between the Church and the State. Things get even more complicated when the swordmilitary and law enforcementis brought into the debate. Should the Church be a State of sorts, as it has in some parts of its history?
An Open Letter to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Paid Members Public
September 6, 2006 Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Joel Richardson. Actually this is not my real name, but rather a pen name that I use when engaging in interfaith dialogue with Muslimsa labor of love which
Islam: More than a Religion Paid Members Public
Over the past twenty years, my wife and I have lived overseas in a majority-Muslim nation. We have hundreds of dear friends who are Muslims. In the country where we work, "peace" in relationships is esteemed more than truth itself. A local proverb says, "Personally, I’d
Jihad: The truth about the rules of Islamic warfare Paid Members Public
Ill legal jihad in the Quran and early Islam The truth about the rules of Islamic warfare James M. Arlandson Muslim spokespersons who have access to the news media are misleading the public about jihad. The Council on American Muslim Relations (CAIR) says the following about jihad at the time
Muhammad and the Jews Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Everyone knows that many millions of the Muslims in the Arab world and beyond have a deep hostility towards Jews or "the Jew." It seems to have reached a metaphysical level or debased into an irrational state of mind. The question is: where does the
Islams belated militant and mystical claim on Jerusalem Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Three faiths have claimed ownership over Jerusalem. Yet plain and ancient history favors Jewish ownership over the holy city. So should Christians claim control of it? If the longest history favors the Jews, then why do Muslims claim Jerusalem as theirs? Why did they build, for example,
Dont Lose Your Head: Four Reasons for the Early Spread of Islam Paid Members Public
Dont Lose Your Head! Four Reasons for the Early Spread of Islam By David Wood Muslims often cite the early spread of Islam as evidence of its divine origin. While history shows that Islam spread rapidly, many Muslims (and many non-Muslims) have a distorted picture of why it spread rapidly.
What was and what might have been - THE "GOLDEN AGE" OF HARUN AL-RASHID, by Dr. Paul Stenhouse Paid Members Public
What was and what might have been THE "GOLDEN AGE" OF HARUN AL-RASHID By Dr. Paul Stenhouse 2008 Chevalier Press. Used by permission. As the 'Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Harun al-Rashid lay on his death-bed in 809 AD in Tus, Khurasan, in what is today Iran, he