Bullies and Saints

An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History

By: John Dickson

Narrated by: John Dickson

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Is the world better off without Christianity?

Combining narrative with keen critique of contemporary debates, author and historian John Dickson gives an honest account of 2,000 years of Christian history that helps us understand what Christianity is and what it's meant to be.

To say that the Christian Church has an "image problem" doesn't quite capture it. From the Crusades and the Inquisition to the racism and abuse present in today's Church--both in Catholic and Protestant traditions--the institution that Christ established on earth has a lot to answer for. But the Church has also had moments throughout history when it has been in tune with Jesus' teachings - from the rise of charity to the invention of hospitals.

For defenders of the faith, it's important to be able to recognize the good and bad in the church's history and be inspired to live aligned with Christ. For skeptics, this book is a thought-provoking introduction to the idea that Christianity is, despite all, an essential foundation of our civilization.

Bullies and Saints will take you on a big-picture journey from the Sermon on the Mount to the modern church:

• Giving contextual accounts of infamous chapters of Christian history, such as the Crusades, and acknowledging their darkness.
• Outlining the great movements of the faith and defending its heroes and saints, some of whom are not commonly recognized.
• Examining the Church beside the teachings and life of Jesus and how it has succeeded in its mission to imitate Christ.

©2021 John Dickson (P)2021 Zondervan

Refreshingly honest

This is an awesome book. As a Christian and Church goer I really appreciated the honest discussion of the good and the bad of Christianity throughout history. Thank you John Dickson.

Honest. Humbling. Inspiring.

Grateful for this fantastic book. The blend of historical work and thoughtful application was right on time. Enjoy.

Christian’s should read this book!

I always love when an author narrates his own book and this did not disappoint. The church of Jesus suffers the more myopic it becomes. And the USA church is very myopic. I have been challenged recently to broaden my understanding of the church relative to geography and time. Dickson does a great job of letting us understand the good and bad of our history.

A masters of reflective criticism

Keen insight saturates this scholarly reflection of the Christian heritage. Ironically only a true Christian could so meticulously mourn his faith’s flaws even as he hums the original tune of the Nazerene

Balanced, pragmatic and full of hard truths

I loved reading this book. Dicksons' tone is so balanced- pleasant even. Yet it was chock full of hard truths about the church.
It's not a book that is directly trying to convince sinners to come to salvation. Rather tries to correct the imbalance in some secular circles about the role religion plays in the evil mankind has perpetrated

The author repeatedly affirms that he's not trying to play down the terrible evil done in the name of religion- he's just trying to maintain a balanced view when comparing to other gross evils of mankind.
Christians have played a major part in the ignoble pattern of man's inhumanity to man. But it's heartwarming to note that Western civilisation owes so much to Christianity. There's so much we take for granted today that came directly from the church. Hospitals, charities and even the very concept that all people are born equal.
There's the interesting bit about "moderate" atheists (not the really militant ones). They acknowledge that their moral imperative is actually based on the Christian ethos- certainly not the classical Greek or Roman worldview.
And what an ending! Yes, many one-liners are just empty soundbites - but I really liked this one!

High quality!

I discovered John through Cross Examined and Frank Turek. I loved this book. 100% recommend

Very interesting and fair

I learned a great deal from this book about the highs and lows of church history. The author was consistently fair-minded, honest, and respectful. This was no small feat since there has generally been more heat than light on the subject. He is unafraid to admit failings of the followers of Christ, while unflinchingly defending the “beautiful melody line” of Christ Himself. If you have ever felt awkward when people say things like “religion is the cause of most war and conflict in the world”, or other anti-religious rhetoric, this book will give you a fuller understanding of the truth and a greater appreciation for the Christian faith itself.

Grounded but hopeful.

I’m not great at writing reviews but here goes. My eldest daughter asked me recently, “if Christianity is the true religion, why has it gone so bad so many times in our history?” My response at the time quieted her but I still would have liked to say more. If she was a reader, I would have directed her to this book. There is a symphony and those who are supposed to play it often get their parts wrong, sometimes horribly, but it doesn’t change the beauty of the tune.

Great book

It’s a great book that gives you a good look over the history of Christianity. Not a boring academic lecture but has good examples that supports the good and bad of Christianity.

History with the warts

Learned a lot about church history thru the ages and liked the analogy of christians as bad musicians, for an otherwise beautiful melody.