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Christian crusaders of the 11th century, too, were attempting not to secure the salvation of others, but their own. What you believe about heaven profoundly affects how you act on earth. Vishal Mangalwadi has said, "A people cannot be better than their gods." The implications for evangelism and discipleship are obvious. Giving people a solid theological foundation of God's love in Christ has practical implications for daily life. Perhaps this is one reason why evangelicals, who trust in the finished work of Christ rather than in their own works, have launched no crusades.

Still, remembering the disastrous actions of the Reformers, we had better decline all offers to take the keys of any earthly kingdom. As Lord Acton reportedly said, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Christian Jihad and The First Crusade document the fact that even Christians are not immune from this deadly corruption.

Stan Guthrie is senior associate news editor for Christianity Today and author of Missions in the Third Millennium. His website is www.stanguthrie.com.

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christian Jihad is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information is available from the publisher.

Ergun Caner and Emir Caner are also the authors of Unveiling Islam.

More about Ergun Caner is available from his website.

More about Emir Caner is available from his website.

The First Crusade: A New History is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information is available from the publisher.

More about Tom Asbridge is available from his page at Queen Mary University of London.

Our sister publication, Christian History & Biography, devoted an issue to the crusades.

Thomas F. Madden wrote a cover story on the crusades for Crisis magazine.

A review of The First Crusade is available from The Christian Science Monitor and The Flint Journal in Michigan.

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January (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49