Christianity Today names Baylor prof’s book one of 2015’s best

In his book The Great and Holy War: How World War I Became a Religious Crusade, Baylor professor and author Philip Jenkins paints a picture of the religious zeal that shaped the first world war — a collection of dozens of nations, each one sure that their cause was favored by God, while their enemies surely must have aligned themselves in opposition to God. This mindset, Jenkins says, can help us make sense of global conflict to this day.

[READ Christianity Today‘s review of The Great and Holy War]

The importance of Jenkins’ work was recognized by Christianity Today, which presented the author with a 2015 Award of Merit for the book in December. The award places the book in an elite group deemed “most likely to shape evangelical life, thought and culture.”

In The Great and Holy War, Jenkins argues that World War I can be seen as a religious revolution, and analyzes how leading religious voices on all sides viewed the war as a religious crusade, supporting a conflict with lasting repercussions to all faiths involved.

A prolific author and educator, Jenkins serves as a Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor, and is co-director for the Program on Historical Studies of Religion in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion. The Great and Holy War is Jenkins’ 25th book, many of which focus on religion and conflict around the world.

Sic ’em, Philip Jenkins!