Bearing False Witness

“Rodney Stark gives the last acceptable prejudice a sound thrashing and clears up a lot of confused history along the way. Give this fine book to anyone you know who’s been subjected to ‘social studies.’” —George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center

“Growing up Catholic in the United States is to hear a constant stream of stuff that, one’s experience shows, is just not true. Still, I have always trusted that some unbiased non-Catholic scholar would one day look at the evidence (even its simple logic) again. Little did I imagine that this expected dispassionate historian would be so deeply informed, lucid, thorough, and blunt. Rodney Stark has done justice to neglected historical truth, and I am deeply grateful for his steady toughmindedness. He aimed to honor the truth, so now it remains for historians to look again, face his challenges, and come refreshed to their own verdicts.” —Michael Novak, winner of the Templeton Prize (1994), author of The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism

“A majestically argued, gorgeously written, and essential book by one of the truly indispensable minds of our time. Bearing False Witness is one more gift to history from Rodney Stark. It should in turn be given to and read by students and professors everywhere, whatever their beliefs.” —Mary Eberstadt, author of How the West Really Lost God, Primal Screams, and It’s Dangerous to Believe

“An elegantly written and lucid overview of the myths and fables produced by what has been described as ‘America’s oldest prejudice.’ Directors of adult educa­tion groups should run out and buy this book.” —Mark Massa SJ, dean, School of Theology and Ministry, Boston College

“If ever there was a book that would stir up controversy among historians, scholars of religion, sociologists, and politicians, then Bearing False Witness is it. In it, Rodney Stark rebuts the widespread ‘black legends’ about Catholic violence, bigotry, intolerance, and rejec­tion of modern science with his usual mastery of sources and mature judgment. Regardless of whether one agrees with all of his arguments, this book will be a most useful resource for educators and scholars alike, and due to its engaging and lucid style it is a must have for every history lover.” —Ulrich L. Lehner, author of The Catholic Enlightenment

“Stark has written a wise and rollicking work of intellectual history that Catholics, non-Catholics should read, and, really, anyone who wants to comment on the Catholic Church’s proper place in some 2,000 years of history. . . . It all makes for a snappy and instructive read because the professor writes in English, not academic jargon. He never minces words. He’ll tell you what’s historical hogwash and why, and who promoted anti-Catholic history — and who is promoting it today. . . . Bearing False Witness deserves a wide audience. It’s full of spunk and verve, wisdom and scholarship.” —Ann Corkery, National Review, July 25, 2016

“Those trapped by convention will bristle at Stark’s book, but those who attempt to deconstruct their own stance will find here much that resonates. Written in a lively style, Stark’s book will appeal to those interested in the history of Western civilization, Christianity, and culture.” —C. H. Lippy, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, CHOICE, Vol, 54, No. 2

“Roman Catholics have gotten a bad reputation: they’re responsible for the Dark Ages, the Crusades, and the Inquisition. They’re anti-science, anti-Semites, and anti-freedom. Each of these accusations is an oversimplification that perverts history. . . . According to a new, groundbreaking book by sociologist and historian Rodney Stark, the truth is far more friendly to the Catholic Church, and those who say otherwise are overlooking important developments in the study of history. In Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History, Stark rebuts 10 historical myths that reflect badly on the Catholic church.” —Tyler O’Neil, PJ Media, May 22, 2016

“Bearing False Witness by Rodney Stark is a generous book—though more importantly, a judicious one. Stark is a Protestant who grew up believing many anti-Catholic myths, including that old canard from Washington Irving that Columbus’s voyage had been discouraged by the Church because of her belief that the world was flat. Stark dismantles this quaint piece of ahistorical folklore in his Introduction, then sets his sights on the whole panoply of ‘Black Legends’ maliciously promulgated throughout history to justify bigotry towards Catholics, first by rival denominations (English and Dutch Protestants invented the lurid, baseless cartoon we picture when we hear ‘Spanish Inquisition’) and then by secular forces (I learned here that it was Soviet propagandists who started the lie that Pius XII was ‘Hitler’s Pope’) . . . the book is an across-the-aisle attempt to right some wrongs of Christian historiography” —Alexi Sargeant, First Things, May 27, 2016

“Stark writes as a historian, not an apologist; but the truth is not only good history but also the best defense of the Church.” —Gerald J. Russello, National Catholic Register, May 24, 2016

In this engaging book, Rodney Stark, distinguished professor of history and the social sciences at Baylor University, argues that some of the most firmly held ideas about history that paint the Catholic Church in the most negative light are, in fact, mostly fiction. Stark takes on a well-established anti-Catholic myth in each chapter and gives a fascinating history of how each myth developed and became conventional wisdom. He presents a startling picture of the real truth. Stark is not only an outstanding social historian – but significantly – is not a Catholic. —Msgr. M. Francis Mannion, Intermountain Catholic, January 13, 2016

“Accessible. . . . Remarkable. . . . Nobody tells it with his panache.” —LifeSite News, December 22, 2016

“Whether you are Catholic or Protestant (or neither), this book is a fascinating and enlightening (and disturbing) read.” —Sam Storms, Crossmap Blog, December 19, 2016

“In each chapter, Stark takes on a well-established anti-Catholic myth, gives a fascinating history of how each myth became the conventional wisdom, and presents a startling picture of the real truth.” —Supremacy and Survival Blog, October 24, 2016

“Stark has done the Catholic Church a great service in presenting a thorough dismantling of many anti-Catholic narratives, as well as offering analysis as to how and why this happened. . . . Even those outside the parameters of the Catholic Church should welcome this study, as it enables us to move beyond the usual sniping characteristic of so many church history debates, and pursue a more thorough, historically faithful ecumenical dialogue.” —Casey Chalk, Called to Communion, October 31, 2016

“In Bearing False Witness, Stark crushes anti-Catholic myths one by one with clarity and well-researched scholarship.” —Klaus Vella Bardon, Times of Malta (timesofmalta.com), October 23, 2016

“Stark provides a valuable resource for general audiences that is also a useful addition to the bookshelf of anyone working in history, Christian theology, religious studies, and related fields. Undergraduates in these fields should make sure to read it. . . . It is an excellent tool for forming a better popular view of the Church’s varied role in Western history.” —Michael Pezzulo, Patheos: “Steel Magnificat”, June 14, 2016

“This book is a timely and necessary corrective to the pervasive anti-Catholic mindset amongst many academics and popular writers. It is unashamedly politically incorrect, and Rodney Stark’s robust style is a pleasure to read. But, more important, he sets the record straight about the evil effects of centuries of anti-Catholic historical writing.” —Donal Anthony Foley, Wanderer Online Daily, June 18, 2016

“To refute 2,000 years of bad history is by no means a small objective. It is surprising, then, that a book with this aim clocks in a meager 272 pages. . . . The construction of actual counter-arguments is mostly omitted. Stark is not, after all, an apologist. This fact might explain why one senses a hint of detachment between the author and his target audience of non-academic Catholics. It is not that Stark is incapable of riveting prose or the brass tacks of academic research—quite the contrary. Stark shines particularly well in his first chapter, where he is at his most autobiographical and least expository. There is an almost Chestertonian quality in the irony and perceptiveness with which he confronts the failings of his fellow historians. . . . What Stark offers is a ready manual; a reference book to consult when one encounters a dubious thesis or headline. As such, this book will be of particular interest to students, as a secret weapon of sorts to those who wish to refute an instructor’s off-hand, biased remarks. It will also appeal to anyone with genuine regard for historical truth, who wishes to know the facts behind anti-Catholic myths.” —Catherine Hillcrest, New Boston Post, June 2, 2016

“[I]n Bearing False Witness, Rodney Stark takes aim at one ‘myth’ after another about Catholicism . . . Stark’s style is brusque and clear. He is like a man carefully setting up skittles before firing down bowling balls of fact and argument to send them scattering (though in a couple of cases he is, in reality, rebalancing rather than overturning the debate). . . . Bearing False Witness is stirring, compelling, often convincing stuff.” —The Catholic Herald, June 2, 2016

“Even if you are not Catholic, to understand today’s culture wars, you must understand Catholic history. [T]his book has my highest endorsement for everyone from Catholics to atheists who appreciate brave truth-telling on important topics.” —Danusha Goska, author of Save Send Delete,FrontPage Magazine, May 24, 2016

​“The present reviewer especially enjoyed Stark’s research on the personal piety of 52 leading scientists in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, taking into account their nationality, religious affiliation, and class origin. Here, Stark once again proves that he is at his best when employing sociological methods in his analysis. Furthermore, it is of immense help that the book provides biographical statements on some of the leading authorities in the research on topics such as the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, or Late Antiquity as well as a reliable bibliography.” —Pavol Bargár, Charles University, Prague, The Czech Republic, Mission Studies 34, 2 (2017)

“On the whole, Bearing False Witness is a valuable read if you, or someone you know, has been lumbered with an anti-Catholic perspective of history. Each myth is successfully and convincingly debunked.” —Jane Critten, Faith Magazine, Volume 51, No. 3 (May/June 2017)

“Stark, an American sociologist, and popular historian, guides the reader through some of the most controversial accusations the Catholic Church has faced: its treatment of Jews, its hostility to learning during the so-called Dark Ages, its part in the Crusades, and the Spanish Inquisition. With each chapter comes a useful list of historians who have explored the issue in more detail and are Stark’s key sources. . . . This is a story of a Church more sinned against than sinning. But Stark’s most significant conclusion is that papal authority has never been as strong as its detractors and most devoted adherents believe.” —Catherine Pepinster, former editor of the Tablet and UK Development Officer of the Anglican Centre in Rome, Church Times, 6/16/2017

“Many Catholic apologists respond to the unjust maligning of their church, but Stark’s book is unique insofar as it was written by a non-Catholic who wanted to respond to prevalent fake history.” —John Clark, National Catholic Register, July 14, 2017