Skip Navigation

Ross Douthat More

Ross Douthat is a New York Times columnist.

Politically Incorrect Debate of the Day

By Ross Douthat
Aug 28 2007, 10:13 AM ET Comment

That would be the Derb (no stranger to un-PC topics) versus Robert Spencer, author of Religion of Peace? Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn't, and other books in that vein. Here's the Derbyshire review of Religion of Peace; here's Spencer's response.

I have all sorts of thoughts on this topic, but for the moment I'll confine myself to taking issue with Derb's remark that "Christianity got its start as a religion of slaves. Perhaps it is fated to end the same way." The debate over the demographics of early Christianity is sufficiently tangled to make it possible that he's right; however, there's more reason to think that Christianity got its start as a religion of middle-class urban women than that it spread primarily on the lowest rungs of the Roman social ladder. Not that a "religion of women" would be any more appealing to Derb, I'm sure - particularly where the struggle with radical Islam is concerned - but for the sake of accuracy I thought I'd throw the point out there.

Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Can Full-Metal jousting Become the Next Ultimate Fighting Championship? Can Full-Metal Jousting Become the Next UFC?
Politics Q&A: Senator Rand Paul Rand Paul: 'You Don't Go Into Politics Unless You Want to Win'
9 fACES of the New Egypt 9 Faces of the New Egypt
Adulthood, Delayed: What Has the Recession Done to Millennials? Adulthood, Delayed: What's the Recession Done to Millennials?
10 of the Greatest Kisses in Literature The Greatest Kisses in Literature

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register.
blog comments powered by Disqus
Special Report
The Civil War National Portrait Gallery The Civil War
President Obama reflects on what Lincoln means to him and to America, in an introduction to our special issue. Read more ›
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

Valentine's Day 2012

Feb 14, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)