Pope Urban II Gave This Sermon In 1095 AD. After The ISIS Church Attack, It’s As Relevant As Ever

Pope Urban II Gave This Sermon In 1095 AD. After The ISIS Church Attack, It’s As Relevant As EverYour brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the Muslims have attacked them [Christians] and have conquered their territory… as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean… They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them…

They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches… If you permit them to continue with impurity, Christians will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people… to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile organization from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it.”

Interestingly, that sermon was not preached this year. It was not preached in the last decade. It was preached in 1095! These were the words of Pope Urban II (with some slight adaptations in order to make the language more contemporary). You can read the full text of his message here. Imagine how much stronger his words would have been if Muslims had terrorized French Christians by interrupting a worship service in order to cut the throat of the priest in front of the congregation?