Pippa Smith reviews ‘The Evil That Men Do’ by Marcus Paul (Sacristy Press, 2016).

This is a timely and scholarly book which reminds us of the significance and importance of our Christian heritage. In his comments, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, said, “It is always vital to check our assumptions about historical judgements – not least in the twenty-first-century west. Marcus Paul invites us to correct our memory and to look afresh at assumptions about religion in general and Christianity in particular. Read it and be challenged.”

As the author says, “every healthy society has needed its prophetic figures who will stand out against the prevailing corruption of the time and be prepared to pay the consequences.”

We seem to be living in such times; Christians are facing great injustices, not only around the world but here and now in our own country. This is compounded by modern life, as he so rightly says: “our opinions are formed en masse by an astonishingly small number of TV, press and internet journalists and editors.”

What Christianity Has Done for Us

It is more important than ever that we should not forget what Christianity has given us, through the education and culture bequeathed to us by monasticism, missionary work, the preaching of John Wesley (which prevented us following bloody revolution) and the more recent social campaigns of Wilberforce and others.

It is more important than ever that we should not forget what Christianity has given us.

Paul takes his narrative not only from serious historians but from poets, philosophers, novelists and others – those who were contemporary with the events which today are placed so often under a negative spotlight. He draws out where and why the Church really did fail in following the teaching of Christ and his apostles, and reminds us that there are many areas today in which there is still considerable room for improvement. These sincere calls for reflection mark the author’s commitment to an improved debate which is both honest and self-critical.

Defending the Church

How often have we heard the mantra, ‘I might consider Christianity if the Church had not done so many bad things.’ In this eloquent, historically informative and most readable of books lies the answer for Christians, to such a concern. I hope and pray it will be read widely by those of faith and none, because it lights the path to understanding. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

‘The Evil That Men Do: Faith, Injustice and the Church’ (266 pages, paperback) is available from the publisher for £10.99 + P&P.