Christianity: A History

A series of personal perspectives g

Foreword 6 BC Quirinius becomes Aaqil Ahmed, Governor of and conducts census Commissioning Editor & Multicultural, c8–4 BC Birth of : A History is the biggest project I have commissioned during my time at Channel 4. It’s almost unheard of for a mainstream broadcaster to dedicate eight of c28 AD time television to Christianity in this way. I think it’s fair to say that it’s a big risk, but a begins his ministry; risk we really wanted to take. he baptises Jesus c29 and is later arrested Jesus begins ministry, Why? Because, of the sheer scale of the project and the complexity of the story at its very and beheaded preaching: ‘Repent, for heart. As with all , the is not a simple one. It contains dark the kingdom of c32 moments, compromises and great achievements, and features life changing heroes and is near’ Execution of villains. We feel that now is the right time for Channel 4 to present these stories in a way that John the Baptist will inform our audience about how this has shaped our world, and more specifically, our c30–36 nation. Episode 1: Two examples of Christianity’s impact on our modern world are the and the Jesus c37 . Without the Reformation we may not have become a Protestant nation with many Conversion of Paul of the characteristics, language and structures we take for granted today. And the Crusades? One of our presenters, Rageh Omar, argues in his film that we’ve forgotten its importance in the c46–57 west, but that in the Muslim world, the brutality of the Crusades still resonates in the hearts The Jew Paul’s three of many Muslims and in the rhetoric of Al Qaeda. missionary journeys c55 So, Christianity: A History is not just another television series – for me it’s more important Writer Howard Jacobson talks Paul writes his letter to the Romans than that, it’s a lesson about today’s world and an attempt to shed light on the history of a of Jesus’s Jewish background, the c64 faith that continues to shape the destiny of all of us in some way or other. We it does continuing rift between Christianity that and that it makes just a few of us think about how we got to where we are today. Nero blames and , and why, despite not for the Great Fire of believing in , he thinks knowing religious 66 –73 Martyrdom of Paul history can release us from Great Jewish Revolt the burden of history. Contents 70 falls Episode 1 Jesus the Jew 1 Episode 5 Reformation 17 and the Temple is destroyed Howard Jacobson Ann Widdecombe 132–135 Final Jewish revolt, Episode 2 Rome 5 Episode 6 Dark Continents 21 and Jerusalem Michael Portillo Kwame Kwei-Armah 269 erased from maps, Episode 3 Dark Ages 9 Episode 7 God and the 25 Anthony becomes and region renamed Syria Palæstina Robert Beckford Colin Blakemore a – his life and actions lie 303 Episode 4 Crusades 13 at foundation of Episode 8 The Future of Christianity 29 Diocletian orders monastic movement Rageh Omaar Cherie Blair burning of Christian books and churches

2 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 1 he Judaism in In 1965, the which I grew up was removed the imputation of Jewish and not so much liberal dropped a prayer for to be redeemed or orthodox as through . The , it seemed, at last befuddled. We were accepted its responsibility for the libelling of proud of being Jewish Jews. To Jewish consternation around the without knowing world, Benedict XVI has recently exactly what it was. restored this prayer. So with every advance No bacon in the house, no tree, in scholarship and tolerance there is a but we didn’t keep the Sabbath and rarely theological setback. visited the Synagogue. Yet we feared the as any vampire might. Because we’d The point of the programme Jesus the Jew been made outcasts in Christ’s name, we is that knowledge is everything. Insofar as were alarmed by every aspect of Christianity, you can know what happened, don’t tell lies no matter that what the first Christians said, about it, don’t distort it, don’t trust things, they said as Jews, to Jews. read for yourself. When I discussed this with a Cardinal in the film, in particular the verses No one denies that Jesus was a Jew, but in the of St John that describe the even the most charitable Christians believe Jews as children of the devil, he said the he was on an errand to turn Judaism into Gospel of John was actually a Gospel of love something else. But the truth is he wasn’t and people should ‘relativise’ the meaning starting a new religion. He was a devout of these verses, but ultimately there was Jewish teacher committed to reawakening nothing we could do about the language Jews to their Jewishness. because was the word of God.

His Jewishness was systematically dismantled by the early Christians for whom “The only way you lighten it became essential, if they were to sell their new faith to the Roman world, that its Jewish the burden of history is origins be obscured. And the first stage in to know it.” that re-telling of the truth was to turn the Jews into Christ killers. But I believe that the are not the Every historian knows that the Romans word of God, and not even reliably the word were largely responsible for the death of of Jesus. They were written many years after Jesus because they feared he would incite Jesus’s death by people who had probably rebellion. Why would Jews have wanted him never met him. There is all the difference in dead? Why would they have put a crown of the world between what the thorns on his head and ironically titled him might have said and what later Christian ‘King of the Jews’? But in order to rescue propagandists wanted him to have said. Jesus from his Jewishness, the story had to Even believers must read critically. go that Jews had killed him. The disowning was theirs. And in the popular imagination Though of course I knew when I started that fiction persists. to make this documentary that Jesus was

2 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 3 306 Constantine proclaimed 312 Empearor wasn’t baptising him out of Jewishness into Emperor Constantine’s “The idea of people being another religion, but the very opposite. He vision before decisive Battle of Milvian Bridge was reaffirming his Jewishness. This partly 311–325 immersed in water and , then emerging in another explains the playing down of John the of Caesarea, writes Baptist as one Gospel succeeds another. 313 Ecclesiastical History faith always seemed to ‘Edict of ’ me so alien.” Conversely, I did not take the measure, establishes official before I made this film, of the good toleration of 321 Christianity by Rome feeling there is out there among Christians Constantine decrees Sunday as day of rest Jewish, what I didn’t appreciate was just towards Jews, the new Vatican ruling how Jewish he was, how many of Christianity’s notwithstanding. Historians now tell a 325 Constantine calls key concepts are Jewish in origin. How many different story to the old accepted one, and people, for example, know that when they there is an acceptance that what happened to unify Christianity sing along to Handel’s they are to the Jews in Germany could not have and grants special c326 of singing words drawn largely from the Old happened had the emotional ground not recognition to Jerusalem of St Peter Testament? Or that the promise of a been laid, had the vocabulary of hatred not built by Constantine ‘Messiah’ is Jewish, born out of Jewish been established over thousands of years, Episode 2: the Great over the 330 tomb of the longing and distress, and that it means in and , insisting Constantinople ‘the anointed one’, not ‘’? that the Jews were a murderous and therefore inaugurated as the New Rome expendable people, and that it was almost Rome 331 According to Jewish prophetic books the a Christian duty to get rid of them. Constantine Messiah would come to liberate the Jewish commissions Eusebius to deliver people from occupation and prepare them When I went to to shoot part of this Former MP Michael Portillo turns 335 50 for the for God’s kingdom on earth. When Jesus film, I found Jerusalem simultaneously his politician’s mind to the stunning Consecration of Churches of failed to fulfil that promise – for the world exhilarating and depressing because the success of Roman Emperor Constantine, Jerusalem Church of Constantinople was not redeemed, God’s kingdom had not old conflicts have not been resolved. Every the Holy Sepulchre a man he describes as a master of the been realised and the Romans remained in place is contested; every stone is the site 337 political arts who, out of a desire to occupation – he could not be the Messiah. of something sacred to somebody else. Death of Constantine stabilise his empire, resolved the 380 For him to become the Christian Messiah You look at it and think: this is a knot that Emperor Theodosius St Paul had to invent new meanings for the will never be untied; this is insoluble. fundamental debate about whether makes Christianity Messianic promise. By a theological sleight Jesus was human or divine. official religion of 390–405 of hand the Messiah became a God, not a But we hope against hope for someone ’s man, and the he promised would to solve it for us. Half the world, it seems, – translation of the Greek into not be of this world, but of another. that – maybe, just maybe – Obama 395 will be the man to do it. If you want to know Death of Much Christian vocabulary has always what Messianic expectation must have been Emperor Theodosius 396–430 frightened me by association. – the like in Jesus’s day you only have to look at Augustine, Bishop idea of people being immersed in water and what we are demanding from Obama. Kafka of Hippo, formalises then emerging in another faith – seemed to said always come too late. I think Christian me quite alien. But baptism was a Jewish they never come at all: it is the waiting that including the ideas 430 of ‘original ’ and . As witness the mikveh, the ritual baths is everything. Death of Augustine ‘just war’. His concept which religious Jewish women still visit. So of the Church as a when John the Baptist baptised Jesus, he Howard Jacobson ‘spiritual city of God’ enables Christianity 476 to flourish after Traditional date for the collapse of Fall of Rome the Roman Empire 4 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 5 showered with riches and endowed with new churches. Eventually Constantine established the Church in the West and the East – what has since become the – a huge achievement. I like to think about this as a political issue. Why did Constantine convert? Was this idealism? Was this a sincere conversion? Was it politics? I think it has elements of all these.

His mother was a Christian and a very significant figure – she travelled around and established the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which is still an extremely important site of worship and pilgrimage. Constantine said that he had a vision; he painted the on the shields of his soldiers and, though heavily outnumbered, he won a decisive battle at

“Christians went from being ferociously persecuted to being on the inside track, showered with riches and endowed with new churches.”

s a former politician 18. I’m now beyond being a lapsed , Constantine saw that this dispute had the Milvian Bridge and seized Rome. and a former I think I’m an atheist. Every Sunday, when potential to tear his empire apart. So he The Christians, who were about a tenth Christian, I wanted I recited the Nicene – ‘I believe in one not only converted to Christianity, but of the population of the Empire, resisted to find out why God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven effectively established himself as the head . They had and , Constantine, that and earth…’ – bits of it seemed very strange, of the Church and summoned the Council an organisation, an infrastructure – a master of the like the description of Jesus Christ as being at Nicaea to resolve this issue. And its key command structure – and it was probably political arts and ‘of one substance with the Father’. resolutions have lasted for 1,700 years. I useful for Constantine to get hold of that. But leader of a pagan now realise it was defining , which he was a pragmatic man, and didn’t try to realm, chose to This comes from the first Council of Nicaea, meant that it also defined , and over drive pagans out. He cohabited with pagans, give his thumbs p to Christianity. And what a special conference called by the Roman the centuries the Church has put its heretics particularly in the eastern side of the Empire, were the consequences of his conversion for Emperor Constantine in 325AD to resolve to the rack, the sword and the fire. When in Constantinople, the city which he the Roman Empire and for the Christian faith. major theological differences within the Constantine converted, he established modestly named after himself. I like his Church between those who thought Christ empire-wide toleration (the next emperor, ambiguity; it is wonderfully political that My father, being Spanish, was a Catholic; was a human being, and therefore couldn’t , would make Christianity the he didn’t really want to resolve the issue. my mother was Church of but be the same as God, and those who said, no, official religion of the Roman Empire) so religious. I was brought up a Catholic and even though he came down to earth he was Christians went from being ferociously The thing that’s uncompromising about went to Mass every week until I was about still part of God. persecuted to being on the inside track, Christianity – in common with Judaism and

6 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 7 c560–616 Life of King Aethelbert of Kent, who converts 563 to Christianity – is that there is only one God. All the because they didn’t have the same St founds on Iona other religions make it acceptable for you to technologies as we have, because not as in 570–632 believe in different people and things. Didn’t many books had been written in those Life of Prophet Constantine understand that bit, that there is days as we have now. But the theological Muhammed only one God? Well probably he did but he debate about the nature of Christ is such 597 had political and didn’t want to force a sophisticated argument, and the scholars Pope Gregory sends Augustine to Britain to the issue. of the day showed a wonderful depth of convert Anglo- 604 thinking and understanding. St Paul’s Anybody in politics, from a local councillor established in to Prime Minister, knows how you deal with There are parallels with the modern world, 607 difficult people, how you take people with such as how politicians deal with what they Pope Boniface III first Bishop of Rome 630s you and don’t offend certain groups. So regard as extremism. In a political system to be called ‘Pope’ almost every politician is like Constantine; where emperors become after their King of Northumbria on the other hand almost nobody’s like death and you consult the gods before you establishes monastery 664 Constantine because he was unbelievably take any action, it is potentially dangerous at Lindisfarne successful. The way he handled the Christians when a group comes along and says, no, of Whitby and balanced them with the pagans reflects there is only one God and this is an idea Episode 3: unites with c672 a subtle political mind. He wasn’t going to we are prepared to die for. Roman Church make extra difficulty for himself by having Birth of the Venerable , unnecessary religious friction. So from time to time the Christians are Dark Ages author of persecuted, they’re fed to lions and chopped 684 Ecclesiastical up by gladiators. But the people think there St Cuthbert elected History of the “People who believe that must be a lot to this religion if these people Challenging Christian theologian Bishop of Lindisfarne English People are willing to die for it. Robert Beckford shines a spotlight their only responsibility is c700 to a life after death are on the Dark Ages and discovers King Lindisfarne Gospels People who believe that their only Aethelbert whose conversion to Christianity first created and responsibility is to a life after death are 711–718 very difficult to control.” brought literacy, law and a connection with decorated by very difficult to control. That’s what the Islamic conquest Europe. To his surprise, he also uncovers Eadfrith Romans thought about the Christians, and of Iberia a dynamic multicultural tradition which I don’t want to paint an over-idealistic it’s what we think about extremists today. 718–1492 picture of Constantine. He was a ruthless, prompts him to rethink the meaning of , expansionist emperor who killed a lot of I think politicians love moderate religion and English identity. 793 retakes Iberia people. This was not a cuddly fellow. You are terrified by extremist religion. Constantine Viking raiders sack might compare him with a Napoleon or a probably did see that God-fearing people monastery of Lindisfarne 800 – one of these huge characters were likely to be more orderly and that Pope crowns from history who are used to the military putting himself in control of that Church Charlemagne first way of life and see it as their dynastic duty structure would give him a position of power. 878 as well as their personal ambition to expand Alfred the Great their frontiers as much as they can. What’s striking is not how much the defeats Danes at Ethandun [Edington in Wiltshire] c950 Church has changed, but how Constantine and unifes England I would say that human psychology is established such a firm footing that the Russian Princess Olga converts to probably much the same from age to age. Christian Church of today is recognisably 954 Christianity It’s a mistake to patronise the past. We think the Christian Church that he left behind. Permanent union of these people are not our intellectual equals Michael Portillo England established 1054 Great : Eastern and Western Churches split 8 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 9 ike most African- before I made this film. At school you’re Caribbean kids of taught 1066, the , my generation, I the Second World War – nobody talks about went to church. the Dark Ages as a starting-point At my Pentecostal for understanding what Englishness is. Church they told So I had the opportunity to rethink what this me I was a child history meant for me. of God and what was important was getting ready for heaven, When Augustine came to England as a whereas at my comprehensive school I was missionary to convert the pagans, King a black kid and the task was trying to get Aethelbert, in Kent, had a wife, Bertha, who through the educational system. When I was was already a Christian. He twigged that if about 14 I decided to take my education you convert to Christianity you don’t just more seriously and use the experience of transform yourself spiritually, you also get being black in Britain to interrogate the the benefits of Christianity. In the ancient faith tradition I was brought up in. world that meant literacy, a law code, trade, and an opportunity to expand the esteem My first degree focused on politics and and value of your kingdom by engaging with religion. I got into black theology, a this Europe-wide religion. discipline that had emerged out of the civil rights and black power movements “Is it political expediency in North America in the 1960s – looking at how black political cultural nationalism or is it a deep religious gets mixed with revolutionary Christianity experience that leads to produce a political faith. monarchs to convert?” For the last 10 years I’ve been writing about African and African-Caribbean religious There’s always a tension: is it political traditions in Britain. I am critical of the expediency or is it a deep religious tendency of Churches to interpret everything experience that leads monarchs to through a spiritual lens and I’ve argued that convert? There were Kings who converted to you need to understand things economically, Christianity and then went to battle with politically and culturally as well. no weapons, but just with a cross, thinking Jesus was going to somehow help them So for example, if there’s a school where win against their fully armed-up opponents. the African-Caribbean kids are failing Then there are examples like Aethelbert. educationally, the Church will set up a Our scholars would say his conversion was supplementary school instead of saying to political expediency – not really a spiritual the mainstream school: we are paying taxes conversion but a sense that there were for you to educate our kids, not miseducate political and economic benefits to be gained. them. That inability to translate the Gospel message into a political and social theory One unique thing about English religious has limited black Church life. I didn’t know a experience is that there is a synthesis great deal about the Dark Ages in England between the state and the Church, so by

10 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 11 “At the very formation 1095 Pope Urban II of England as a political proclaims First the time we get to King Alfred, the two have Crusade become one. The film shows how this created unity, there is a sense that 1096 a way of understanding England as fluid, Crusaders reach Englishness is not fixed; Constantinople not politically fixed. You could come into 1097 this entity known as Enga-land and be a it’s dynamic, on a journey.” Crusaders besiege Dane, an Angle, a Saxon or a Celt, and you and slaughter a positive, constructive way. At Sutton Hoo, could do your own thing as long as you were 1099 thousands of willing to be subject to the King and adhere for example, archaeologists discovered Crusaders take Turkish Muslims to the traditions of Christianity. This suggests ornate jewellery, fantastic ships – these pagans Jerusalem and that, at the very formation of England as were really quite sophisticated and not the massacre inhabitants 1122 a political unity, there is a sense that bloodthirsty, knife-wielding, long-haired Concordat of Englishness is not fixed; it’s dynamic, on brutal people they’re often presented as. Worms ends divine right of kings a journey. That contrasts radically with 1145–1149 how England is often presented today, as if During the filming we went to one location what it means to be English is set in stone. in the north of the England where the Fall of the Crusader Christian Church and the altar are directly state of 1187 recaptures On one level the film is a critique of in front of a mound where the pagans used Episode 4: Jerusalem from . One of the high points for to bury their dead. Archaeologists skimmed Christian rule me was going to Lindisfarne and seeing the the top part of the mound and found the 1189–1192 Lindisfarne Gospels. These monks in the 8th bodies of single men – the monks were buried Crusades headed by Philip II century pulled together images and symbols on top of the pagans, which demonstrates of France and Richard 1215 from the known world to embellish their how Christianity built on top of . the Lionheart of Fourth Lateran Council rewriting of the Gospels. So what they were Some of those traditions are still here: Rageh Omaar, the war correspondent England among other things doing wasn’t just translation, it was also saying Christmas day and are pagan festivals specifies procedures who became famous for his reports from Iraq, c1225–1274 against heresy to everyone: ‘You are included in this story, in that Christianity built on; even the days of reveals how Pope Urban’s interpretation of , this message of Jesus; you are part of it.’ the week represent pagan deities. Christianity led people to kill for Christ and theologian and philosopher 1308–1321 traces how jihad as we understand it today It’s the first example where we have a I would argue that all religious traditions ’s , an allegory of multicultural Christianity in England, an are synchronistic; they all are mixed with dates from the Muslim world’s response to the Christian attempt to pull together different cultural primary religious beliefs, whether it’s the Crusades. 1337–1417 ideas and say that they are part of the paganism in England or animism in other Hundred Years War Gospel and have a place within the Christian parts of the world. I’m not against it, I think c1350 message. For me that’s a counter to attempts that’s what Christianity is all about. It brings Start of to link religion to a singular identity, which elements of Judaism into the 1st century in Italy can lead to ethnocentrism and a kind of ethnic world of Jesus, then Paul mixes them all particularity – us against them. It also together and produces Christianity. 1378–1423 Great challenges fundamentalism which attempts splits Church to fix identity and fix religion by claiming that Making this film was an incredible journey. 1380 –1382 things must be read literally, in just one way. Re-imagining what Englishness meant, not as something narrow and fixed, but as something translates Old and New Testaments What was crucial was that the Pope which is broad and flexible, and developing 1431 into English encouraged his missionaries to build on an understanding of England that I feel Joan of Arc martyred pagan religion, not demolish it. In the comfortable with, has transformed me. programme we represent paganism in Robert Beckford 1450s Gutenberg begins printing

12 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 13 he First Crusades before the First Crusades – fighting the devil army; they brought their wives, their happened over 900 in prayer. But the Crusades made fighting “In the Middle East kids, and they won battles that they years ago, but they and killing an act of worship. everyone is aware of the really should have lost. It was purely threw up issues that their religious devotion, their fanaticism we’re still living with When Pope Urban declared that Christian history of the Crusades if you like, that kept them going. today – Christianity’s lands in the Middle East had to be freed from and it means foreign relationship with the ‘pollution’ of Islam, and Christians went Western armies coming We wonder today how on earth a religious Islam, Islam’s view to fight a Holy War, Muslims who had been person could commit murder, kill innocent of the western world, divided amongst different kingdoms realised to the Middle East.” people and say they’re doing it for God. But war and violence that they had to fall back on something akin it’s happened throughout history. During the blended into Christian religious to what the Christians were doing in order to coming to the Middle East. The Crusades are Crusades it wasn’t Muslims but people of and how Muslim people reacted to it. fend off these foreigners. The legacy that left also an amazing human story. Medieval another faith, and they were doing it because for Muslims is the idea that jihad should Europe was a closed, insular world. There they believed this was what Jesus wanted I was brought up as a Muslim and I’ve actually mean Holy War, struggling for weren’t nation states, just battling feudal good and faithful Christians to do. I reported on different jihadist movements your religion against invaders. warlords. The genius of Pope Urban was remember clearly when George W Bush in the Middle East over the last eight years to convince people that doing what they used the word ‘crusade’ in relation to but, speaking to different experts for this A few days after the war started in Gaza, did every day – fighting, conquering and killing launching the ‘War on Terror’ immediately programme, it was clear that much of what Osama bin Laden released a recording on – could be turned against an outside enemy after 11th September. I was watching the we understand today as jihad came out of behalf of al-Qaeda, calling for a jihad against and that this would bring them closer to their speech with a crowd of Muslims in the the Muslim world’s reaction to the First what he called the crusading Zionists. The Maker. It was a neat trick to get otherwise Middle East, and the instant the word came Crusades. The Qur’an talks about jihad but jihadist movement today sees itself not as decent people to walk 3,000 miles through out of his mouth it had an impact. Why on that means ‘struggle’, an inward struggle, a fighting Christians but as fighting Crusaders, Europe and the Balkans, across what are earth did he use that word? In the Middle bit like what Holy War meant for Christianity by which they mean westerners who are today and Syria. This was a rag-tag East stories are passed down from generation

14 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 15 1453 Constantinople falls to the 1478 to generation. Everyone is aware of the Middle East. When Muslims talk about the Spanish 1492 history of the Crusades and it means foreign Crusades, it’s nothing to do with Christianity founded by Ferdinand and Isabella Christopher Columbus Western armies coming to the Middle East. because they’ve lived side by side with discovers West Indies. Eastern Christians, Orthodox Christians, His first voyage begins 1494 What struck me in making this film is that who thought the idea of Holy War was an Spanish colonisation Treaty of Tordesillas of New World the reverse is true in the West. Most people . They associate the Crusades with divides New World Jews expelled are not aware of what the Crusades were, the West and Western power. And one has to between Portugal from and the word has come to mean something remember that Saladin ended the Crusader and Spain good, noble – a crusade against drugs, a kingdoms in the Holy Land and there was 1509–1564 crusade against drink driving. But, given the Muslim rule for seven or eight hundred years. , French 1512 Protestant theologian world we live in, it was the worst word George It was only in the 19th century that suddenly Copernicus W Bush could have used because it’s a gift the Crusades were rediscovered, and that circulates to to organisations like al-Qaeda, who want coincided with Western imperial rule and the friends his theory to say, ‘Don’t believe them when they say partition of Middle Eastern countries. that the earth 1517 they’re coming to fight for democracy. They’re orbits the sun coming as the Crusaders came 900 years One thing that is often overlooked about the publishes 95 Theses 1518 against corruption in ago, to subjugate you, to occupy your land.’ is the pogroms against Jews in Son of king of the the Europe as the Crusaders went towards the Congo, Dom Henrique, Holy Land. Today the notion of the Crusades consecrated as “In the minds of quite a lot still impacts on the Palestinian-Israeli Episode 5: first bishop from 1520 Luther conflict. In the minds of Palestinians the sub-Saharan Africa of people, rightly or wrongly, excommunicated creation of Israel and the Zionist movement 1522 the occupation of the is tied in with Crusaders, because Jewish Reformation Luther West Bank and Gaza are emigration to Palestine in the early 20th produces German effectively the same as century was from Eastern and Western translation of 1520s Europe. It may have been Jewish and it may Outspoken MP, Ann Widdecombe Henry VIII sets himself the Crusader settlement.” have been Zionist, but this was seen as just describes how her feeling that the Church up as head of the 1525–1534 another Western colonisation. And in the of England had lost its focus led to her Church in England minds of quite a lot of people, rightly or William Tyndale personal reformation and conversion to translates New To have any impact on this people need to wrongly, the occupation of the West Bank Catholicism, and why she believes that Testament 1534 start being aware of other people’s histories. and Gaza are effectively the same as the Act of Parliament Martin Luther had no idea of the violence into English A Palestinian historian in the programme Crusader settlement. makes England’s break his campaign would unleash. said that he just wanted a Western audience 1543 from Rome official to be aware of his history, his narrative of Today it has become very difficult to Copernicus publishes how he sees the Crusades. Not to accept it, separate religion from politics, but I think it On the Revolutions 1547 just to be aware of it. And he would also ask is possible. The vast majority of people do of the Celestial Spheres Protestant Edward VI in the year of his death, his fellow Arabs to be aware of the Christian not want to live their lives that way. I think succeeds Henry VIII narrative of the Crusades. I think there’s this programme and the whole series shows 1549 too much history and too much of a one- that when politicians, whether in the 10th, Book of Common 1553 Prayer published dimensional view of the Crusades in the Arab the 11th or the 21st century, mix their idea Mary I becomes Queen. world, and almost nothing on the other side. of religion, faith and duty with their political A devout Catholic, she responsibilities, it ends up leading to a has 288 Protestants 1558 People also forget that there is a long- disaster for all of us. burned for heresy , a Protestant, established community of Christians in the Rageh Omaar comes to the throne 1560 founds Scottish Presbyterian Church 16 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 17 was brought up in a through a period of agnosticism. I came back I jumped at the chance to make this has got to be right – now we take it for very strong Anglican as an Anglican which, possibly, was programme because I’m particularly granted that we can all read the Bible. It was tradition. My uncle was a mistake. The debate surrounding the interested in the Reformation, which tore the a great moment when I went to a vicar, my brother is a was the last straw. Church apart. I believe the medieval Church Castle and saw the . He was also vicar, my nephew’s just It wasn’t about whether it was theologically was in need of urgent and sweeping reform. right to wage a massive campaign against become a vicar. Church possible (I But Martin Luther was proposing more some of the more corrupt practices in the and Sunday school didn’t think it than just an attack on corruption; Catholic Church. But the tragedy of the were absolutely taken was); it was all he was mounting a challenge to Reformation was that, instead of being a for granted as part of about how, if we the very nature and structure of movement for reform from within, it became my life. My secondary don’t do this, we’re not going the Church. He could never have the tool of politicians and zealots. It set school was a Roman to be in tune with the modern world. realised it but he was unleashing one of the Christian against Christian; communities Catholic convent but I felt no inclination To me, the Church should lead, not follow. greatest political and religious revolutions in were divided for generations. whatever to join the Catholic Church. Europe’s history. Five centuries ago I could So 15 years ago I went through my have been beheaded as a traitor or burned There is still a strong core of in When I was 18 I was confirmed into the own personal reformation. The Church alive as a heretic. this country whose adherents actively dislike Anglican Church but, over the years that of England had abandoned its roots and Roman Catholicism. When the Queen visited followed, I felt that the traditions, and seemed immersed instead Luther believed that the Bible Westminster Cathedral, there was a large was departing from its purpose. It was in the liberalism and political correctness should be accessible to demonstration outside. She wasn’t going to a always compromising; it didn’t seem to of the modern world. I didn’t feel I all Christians, so he Mass; she was doing no more than going into know what it believed and always wanted to belonged there any more, so I left translated it into the the cathedral for a service that embraced the follow current fashions. Later still I went and became a Roman Catholic. vernacular. That Christian faith, not just Catholics.

18 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 19 1562 John Hawkins 1572 leads first British St Bartholomew’s slaving expedition I found the night the most that the history of Christianity is all about Day Massacre: difficult bit of the film. When they were violence. It is true that, at various points of up to 4,000 1588 burning the Pope in , to hear them Christian history, politicians have tried to Protestants are The Pope blesses shouting, ‘No Popery! Burn him! Burn him!’ harness it for their own ends. That’s what slaughtered in Paris Spanish Armada even if they didn’t really mean it, was very Henry VIII did. He was in a struggle with as a Crusade disturbing. I wished I hadn’t gone there. I the Pope and, lo and behold, the Reformation 1600 against England was also shocked that Ian Paisley, in this was ever so convenient for him. Italian philosopher day and age, was still prepared to say that Giordano Bruno burnt at the stake for heresy the Pope was the anti-Christ. I gave him a There is virtually nothing that a politician 1603 for expounding the James I of England/ chance to soften that – I said, ‘Hang on, do won’t harness for his own ends, whether ideas of Copernicus you really mean that?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ good or . A good politician, though, will James VI of Scotland harness a mood. Today, when there are all 1605 rules Great Britain The reason that shocked me so much was manner of worries in our society about to assassinate because I’ve known Paisley for many years; rampant materialism, selfishness, teenage James I we’ve got together on lots of moral issues in pregnancies, the obsession with sex, I think 1609 the Commons and I’ve always regarded him people look round and say, ‘Hang on, some Baptist Church as a friend. But even now, after all that has of this has gone a bit too far.’ But they’ve no Episode 6: 1610 founded by Using the telescope John Smyth happened in Northern Ireland, he thinks it is idea what to do about it; they’re all islands he has created, appropriate to call the Pope the anti-Christ. if you like. Galileo proves Dark Copernicus’ theory 1611 If the Reformation had been handled I think the Church has got to regain its that the earth and King James differently we could have had all the benefits role in dispensing moral wisdom, in calling planets revolve around the sun (Authorised) of what Luther did and none of the downside. people to account for themselves, in Continents Version of the I think the sort of gentle reforms we’ve seen reminding people that there is a judgement Bible in English in the Second Vatican Council, which have to come, that what we do does matter. The 1620 Pilgrim Fathers nothing to do with doctrine but everything Anglican Church has backed off there and Writer and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah sail for America to do with the rules of the Church, are to be I don’t think the Catholic Church has, but on the Mayflower 1625 profoundly welcomed. If only the Reformation the Catholic Church tends to talk to itself. reflects on how the history of slavery is entwined r Charles I comes with Christianity, and is intrigued by the way, all to the throne had been carried out like that. But Luther 1653–1658 couldn’t control what he unleashed. People are terribly afraid of being over the world, people create images of Jesus Oliver Cromwell judgemental, of saying, ‘That is wrong,’ and Mary that look like themselves. ruler of England if you’re doing something wrong. It 1660 “The tragedy of the doesn’t mean you can’t be forgiven or Royal Africa Company given a monopoly over are beyond , but you are Reformation was that, 1673 English slave trade instead of being a doing something wrong. Test Act excludes Catholics from movement for reform from That is the message which should come public office 1690 within, it became the tool from the pulpit, but it should also come William III defeats through the media. The hierarchy of the James II at the of politicians and zealots.” Battle of the Church should be standing up and saying 1701 Boyne in Ireland to Britain, ‘Don’t just look at the government, Society for the Propagation of the The basic tenet of Christianity is: ‘Love thy look at individuals, look at yourselves, what Gospel in Foreign Parts neighbour.’ It has inspired tremendous works you are doing is wrong.’ established 1738 down the years and I don’t accept the view Ann Widdecombe John and Charles Act of Settlement restricts Wesley start British royal succession Methodist movement to Protestants in Britain 20 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 21 have traced my family expressive worship so it didn’t really frighten story back to the West me, but it frightened some of the crew Indies, to a sugar members. Even though the congregation plantation, where my was middle class and quite intellectual, ancestors worked as many of them were not aware of Christianity slaves for a British having first arrived in Africa via Ethiopia and master. I discovered that not via the missionary experience. they had originally come from Ghana in Africa. At I define myself as an Afrocentric Christian school I was taught that – one who views Christianity through the Livingstone was a great hero – one of lens of Ethiopia and not Rome. Arriving in many missionaries who went to Africa as Lalibela in the Ethiopian Highlands was colonialists to open up the world’s ‘dark amazing. They call it the Jerusalem of Africa. continents’ to European civilisation and It is thought that Christianity was brought convert their heathen inhabitants to here by Greek and Egyptian monks in the Christianity. But this colonial enterprise 4th century, but some Ethiopians claim their also enslaved millions of people. faith goes right back to times.

The slaves who survived the horrific journey to the Caribbean didn’t just lose their “I define myself as an freedom, they lost their African identity as Afrocentric Christian – well. That’s how my family first encountered one who views Christianity Christianity. My original family name was Roberts, which was the name of my through the lens of ancestors’ last slave master. When I Ethiopia and not Rome.” discovered my family’s history I decided to reclaim my African identity and take a Ghanaian name. I’d seen pictures of the churches in the rock but it’s a bit like looking at a football I go to Ghana often, but making this film stadium through a keyhole. When you get meant looking at it through the lens of a there, the scale, the magnitude of it – it’s Church, through the evangelical movement, like seeing one of the wonders of the world. the pre-evangelical movement, and the Looking at their 500-year-old Bible was African spirit world. I learned so much wonderful. It has five more books than about religious structures and why different the Bible we use. All of a sudden you cultures latch on to different manifestations understand that what we have been of Christianity. We went to a mega-Church told is absolute truth, is actually not. with thousands of people in the congregation, and arrived in the middle of what they call The Mexican experience – climbing the the Jericho – an hour of very intense pyramid at Chichen Itza, and seeing these prayer. I defy anyone to enter into that arena structures, these magnificent manifestations and not feel something. Some people might of their Creator – was also amazing. The feel fear, others might feel revulsion. As an early Mayans merged their religion with African-Caribbean I’m used to that form of Christianity – stuffed their idols inside

22 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 23 1789 Outbreak of Christian idols and found ways of making I’m certainly not evangelical about it. them the same person. And La Virgen Morena, My mother was devoutly Christian, my Former slave Olaudah 1807 the Brown Virgin, was an example of people brothers and sisters all are, so I’m the rebel Equiano publishes Slave Trade Act his autobiography creating an in their own image. in the bunch. As I say in the film, I access in Britain abolishes Ishua or Jesus in the same way that I access slave trade but not In Ethiopia images of the Virgin Mary look and Garvey, who gave slavery itself 1829 Ethiopian. I think any person of faith who is their lives to the dispossessed, who British Parliament troubled by images of Jesus that don’t challenged the status quo, elevating those grants Catholic emancipation portray him as white Caucasian has to who might not be able to help themselves, 1833 understand why Europeans needed their articulating truths that allow people to live Slavery Abolition Jesus and their God to look like them. We to their higher selves. Act abolishes slavery in most of should not accept that these are actual the 1834 representations of the Creator; they’re simply “In 1900 there were just there for our simple brains to be able to grasp officially abolished 10 million Christians in the concept, whatever culture we’re from. 1838 Africa; today there are over Slavery We are more anti-religion in Europe than Episode 7: abolished people in the developing world and America. 390 million...” in the 1843 I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing for British Empire Church of Scotland people not to believe. I have issues with In 1900 there were just 10 million God and the splits over separation religion, myself. I don’t describe myself as a Christians in Africa; today there are over of Church and state religious man but as someone who has faith. 390 million, and they are beginning 1859 Charles Darwin to challenge the Western Christian Scientists publishes If I had seen the Creator in someone who establishment, particularly over issues On the Origin was a Buddhist or a Muslim, I would have like women priests and homosexuality, of Species 1868–1870 been a Buddhist or a Muslim. I saw what I not issues that I agree with. But the real Eminent and uncompromising defines doctrine of perceived to be the Creator in someone who challenge is not just about social values happened to be a Christian, therefore I was but about the faith itself. These new atheist Colin Blakemore is suspicious 1905 able to access the Creator through that lens. Christians have harnessed a powerful of Christianity’s ability to adapt its previously French law spiritual force which many churches unshakeable tenets in response to the passed on Also, in Europe the Church has been in the West have abandoned. separation of challenge of scientific, evidence-based Church and state 1914–1918 associated with the state and with the explanations of how the world works. oppression, or indoctrination, of the masses. They believe that Europe now needs And so it’s quite healthy that we view converting to the true faith. I think their 1915–1917 religion and religious structures as dodgy. proposition is that the West has got too comfortable; it thinks it is its own God. And Faith for me is very personal; it allows me there is some truth in that. But one can also 1917 to believe in something greater than myself. have an intellectual relationship with faith. When I have done everything that I humanly We have to be careful sometimes not just can, I perceive that I have somewhere else to see religion as something to make you to go. Without getting too pompous, prayer feel good – I think we can and must apply 1925 for me is like communion, a conversation stringent intellectual mechanisms to faith. John Scopes with my deeper self and what that is convicted of breaking Tennessee connected to throughout the universe. Kwame Kwei-Armah law by teaching evolution

24 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 25 I was confirmed in the a little bit odd! Four hundred years ago it was Church of England at stoutly defended as the absolute truth. So if about the age of 14 but you’re not going to defend what scripture was already beginning says when it comes to historical facts or to harbour doubts. I saw theories about how the world was made, that science could offer why should you defend , the virgin explanations for things birth or life after death? for which religion had previously been the only There is a resurgence of alternative belief source of evidence. By the systems, which I think reflects people’s time I went to I’d pretty much deep desire to understand the world, abandoned all religious belief. combined with increasing ignorance of how science works. Religions offer explanations I like the Church tradition and the long that are fundamentally wrong but are cultural history yet, with every decade nevertheless appealing. It’s curious that, that’s gone by, religion has had less and after four or five hundred years of scientific less significance for me. You can’t just explanation giving human beings the dismiss religious belief if you’re a humanist capacity to do amazing things, there is an or an atheist, but I genuinely think that a undeniable trend for people to revert back to scientifically based, pragmatic approach, alternative belief systems, including in the based on real knowledge, can offer the kinds West, and particularly in the United States. of fundamental securities that used to come from religious belief. “It’s a bit worrying to find One key feature of Christianity is its capacity that a belief system which to accommodate, to transform itself, to has influenced hundreds of evolve. That makes me a bit suspicious about its integrity. What kind of belief millions of people around system can yield to scientific evidence which the world can shift and contradicts all the scriptural doctrines about how the universe was created and how life move as the demands arise.” was formed? As a scientist one tries to look for fundamental secure facts that don’t It’s odd that the first country whose compromise and accommodate, which one constitution separated Church and state hopes are robust and good forever. It’s a bit should be a bastion of Christianity. I think worrying to find that a belief system which it’s partly explained by the geographical has influenced hundreds of millions of separation of the United States from the people around the world can shift and gradual evolution of philosophy and science move as the demands arise. and the retreat of Christianity in Europe. The USA was established by believers who left A line that’s increasingly taken is that the their home countries because they were Bible is metaphorical and allegorical; it persecuted, often for their religious beliefs. reflects the culture in which it was written Those beliefs were fundamental and simple, but shouldn’t be taken literally. Well that’s and that thread still runs through America.

26 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 27 1939 Hitler invades As the film shows, the word fundamentalism’ Of course it is difficult to rule out the Poland, starting 1942–1945 originated in the USA in the early 20th possibility of a benign, intelligent deity World War II Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’, the century. People with a more sophisticated which generated the world we live in and culmination of view of religion argue that human beings tinkers occasionally in its workings but in which six million Jews are want answers to important questions which basically set it up to run according to the murdered; victims of Nazis also 1944 science can never address. They are usually rules of science. But why even postulate included Gypsies, homosexuals, First woman questions that begin with ‘why’, like ‘Why such a bizarre notion for all kinds of things Slavs, people with disabilities, ordained as dissidents and others are we here?’ I think these are non-questions that we now understand in terms of the in Anglican because there are no real answers to them. laws of physics? Communion in Hong Kong Science does a brilliant job at answering the 1947 questions that begin with ‘how’ – ‘How do Despite a desire for supernatural Discovery of first things work?’ ‘How was the world created?’ explanations that’s embedded in all of us, 1948 – but it cannot address the question of why we have invented political systems which State of Israel we are here. But is that really a question are basically pacifistic; we are learning to founded in Palestine World Council of which is worth asking? understand people who aren’t related to us, 1951 Churches founded we have concerns for the environment, all of World Evangelical The interesting question is why people which run against the natural inclinations of Alliance founded everywhere ask those sorts of questions, human beings. So we do have the capacity Episode 8: 1961 and why supernatural beliefs are found in to stand back, but we never completely New English Bible all human cultures. It’s a bit like language: overcome the pressures of our own genes. 1962–1965 (New Testament) published all people use language even though the For instance, most people accept the earth The Future of Second exact form of it is different from place to goes around the sun and yet we all describe Vatican Council place. The anthropologist, the biologist, the the sun as rising, because that’s the way it introduces many progressive geneticist, would take the universality of looks. We can live simultaneously with both Christianity changes including 1963 language as evidence that it’s built into our levels of understanding. dropping Good Martin Luther King genes. So by the same argument you might Friday prayer for leads civil rights say that religion is in our genes. My own view is that as over the last 500 the conversion march in Washington DC years, more and more of the territory that Lawyer and committed Catholic, Cherie Blair of the Jews grapples with the legal and moral dilemmas and makes How that has happened is a scientific was the domain of religion has been ceded ‘I Have a Dream’ 1968 question which interests a lot of people. to scientific explanation. We’ll just see that thrown up by the genocides and speech Martin Luther King abuses of the last century. She explains her own It reflects a way we have come to think of process go on. It may take a long time and assassinated each other which is equally flawed but which occur at different rates in different countries, enduring beliefs and assesses how the Church Start of Liberation 1970 works. We think that other people operate their cultures and religions, but there will be an handled the liberalisation of the 1960s. Theology New English Bible , making their decisions because they inevitable trend for science to substitute (Old Testament) have intentions and desires, but psychologists for the things that religion used to explain. published and brain researchers increasingly have 1979 explanations for behaviour that don’t refer In the end I think religion will just provide Moral Majority founded by to ‘intention’. But because the idea of us with metaphors and stories which can Jerry Falwell 1989 ‘intention’ works so well in communicating be illuminating, telling us a bit about human First woman with other people, we project that belief nature, providing a historical background to ordained system on to the world around us. When how our culture emerged but no more realistic 2007 as a Bishop in Pope Benedict we see a phenomenon we don’t understand and convincing than the Genesis creation Protestant Episcopal reinstates older Church in USA we tend to ask intentional questions such story is to most Western Christians now. version of Latin Mass as ‘Who’s done this? ‘What was it done for?’ including Good Friday and that’s what generates the idea of God. Colin Blakemore prayer for the Jews g 28 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 29 Looking back over been to many black churches here in the UK the last century, and have seen how they stress this community the two World Wars aspect. In the programme we go to America had a huge effect and see how churches there are thriving on people’s views, because they’re very community based. but as many people found comfort in When one looks across the country, the their belief in parishes that are thriving are the ones that God as blamed God for what had happened. are actively involved in the community. Although the Holocaust, other genocides, Back in 1998 when we had the G8 summit the liberation of the 1960s, presented a in Birmingham, the local church that Tony challenge for the churches, many people’s and I attended in Great Missenden, near religious faith is still there. In Africa, Asia, Chequers, was very involved with the Drop South America, in the USA itself, religion is the Debt Campaign. In America we visit very important. In church churches that are working with the homeless, attendance has fallen but religion, and with drug addicts, with disaffected youth. Christianity in particular, is still a very We can see lots of examples of practical important force across the world. Christianity, but that’s also informed by prayer. Part of being a Christian is coming Survey after survey shows that lots of together in a group and sharing not just people say they believe in God. But we also activism but also worship. know that people like me, who go to church every week, are in a minority in Britain. The structures of the Church are not reaching out “Part of being a Christian to all these people who believe in God, who is coming together in a are searching for meaning in their life. group and sharing not just In developing countries people get practical activism but also worship.” help as well as a comfort from the Church. For example, in his campaign against malaria, my husband has found that one I believe that God is everywhere and that of the best ways to distribute mosquito God works through the good actions that nets is through the mosques and churches, we see people doing in society; but God is because they are the centres of their also present when bad things happen. One communities. In Western Europe people question which interests me as a lawyer is also have troubles. To some extent the about genocide. That’s a moral issue but it Enlightenment and education have led is also a legal issue. The term ‘genocide’ was people to be more questioning, but coined in the 1940s, after the Holocaust – at individuals can’t have all the answers. the same time as we tried bringing together We need to come together, listen to other all the religions and people of no religion to people and share other people’s ideas. define international human rights. Ever since then we’ve been exploring how the law can We grow as individuals in a community and cope when a society breaks down to such an that’s one thing that churches offer. I have extent that acts of genocide are committed.

30 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 31 Where you have such gross , which go carried out small acts of or tried to NB: Timeline of Christianity from the political leadership down to the foot remain distant from the bad things that were This timeline is not inclusive but marks the soldiers who carry out the violent acts, how going on. Many others, though, were led into main milestones in the history of Christianity. do you punish those people? How do you participating. Our knowledge, particularly of the early period distinguish between them? And what do is uncertain, so many of these dates are still you practically do to bring people to ? For a Christian, the heart of the message being debated and are therefore approximate. is the dignity of every single human being. We need to keep hold of that idea instead “The message of of demonising people who are different from Christianity is that we ourselves. The message of Christianity is that we are all equal, we’re all God’s children are all equal, we’re all and we all have to be respected. God’s children and we all have to be respected.” One key to during the 20th century has been education and allowing people to think for themselves. I was a teenager during This challenge started with the Nuremburg the 1960s when suddenly this change in the Trials after the Second World War, but it has culture came about. The Second Vatican continued through the tribunals that were Council responded to that – I saw it in my set up for Rwanda and Yugoslavia and now own school. Before that our wore full the International Criminal Court. I have been gear down to the ground, with their heads to Rwanda and seen the gacaca (pronounced covered, and suddenly we saw the nuns’ gachacha) court approach [a form of justice legs and more of their faces and they designed to promote healing and moving on changed their names. The rituals of the from the crisis]. I’ve also seen the Truth and Church opened up to the 20th century. Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. How do you rebuild a society that has been At the same time there was contraception, through the horrendous impact of genocide women’s rights and feminism; many women and what role does the law play in that? started to take control of their lives. The This booklet was produced to We’re still groping our way towards answers. Church was rather hesitant and not sure accompany Christianity: A History how to deal with that. In the film we explore an eight-part series first shown on In the film I talk to the niece of whether the Church’s attitude towards Channel 4 from January – March 2009, who was executed in contraception alienated some of those produced by Pioneer Productions a concentration camp after being involved women who would otherwise have been in association with CTVC for Channel 4. with a plot to kill Hitler. We would all like taking their children to Church. to think that we would be brave enough to Writer: Julia Bard stand up and speak out against injustice, but But I firmly believe that religion has a Editor: Marie James unless you’re actually in that situation how real place in the future. Spirituality is an Designer: Kate Barr can you tell? It’s easy for us to condemn important side of and I don’t people who stay quiet but you might find it think we will ever lose that; we all feel the Published by hard to be brave if you were in that situation need to pursue the search for meaning, and Channel 4 Television and were putting your family at risk. A lot of religion provides you with an answer to the 124 Horseferry Road people did engage in passive resistance; question, ‘What is life about?’ London SW1P 2TX they may not have publicly dissented but Cherie Blair channel4.com

32 Christianity: A History Christianity: A History 33 channel4.com/programmes/christianity-a-history