This picture from northern Israel haunts me today as I learn that Pete Hegseth, nominee to head the United States Department of Defense, champions medieval “Christian” Crusades as an inspiration for the church today.

I took this photo in 2018 when I was with a tour group who climbed Horns of Hattin mountain in the Galilee. On this long-extinct volcanic mountain with its topographical “horns” we grieved sins of our forebears. Here European Christian soldiers once tried to annihilate the Muslim army of Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. 

Christians from Europe at that time were blaspheming their faith by trying to wrest Palestine from Muslim control by force of arms. They committed terrible atrocities in the land where Jesus loved his enemies, forgave his executioners, and rose from the tomb. Joining the cycle of violence, Muslims committed terrible atrocities in return.

At the upper right corner of this photo is the Sea of Galilee. At top center is Wadi Hamam (Valley of the Doves), through which Jesus passed when approaching the area from Nazareth. Capernaum is on the distant seacoast beyond the middle of Valley of the Doves. Nearly lost in the haze, to the left of the Sea of Galilee, is Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus taught us to be peacemakers.

In the foreground 40,000 Muslims and 20,000 Christians bloodied each other on July 4, 1187. Outnumbered and without water on a sweltering day, most Christian soldiers died in battle, were executed as prisoners of war, or were sold into slavery. Although that catastrophic defeat was not the last attempt by European Christians to dominate Palestine, it was a turning point in the ill-conceived Crusader movement.

In his 2020 book American Crusade, Pete Hegseth holds up the Crusades as a model for Christian relations with Muslims today. He writes, “Pope Urban II urged the faithful to fight the Muslims with his famous battle cry on their lips: ‘Deus vult!,’ or ‘God wills it!’” Hegseth has “Deus vult” tattooed on his body. “We don’t want to fight,” he wrote, “but, like our fellow Christians one thousand years ago, we must.” He has a cross and a sword tattooed on his arm along with “Yeshua [Jesus].”

I spent much of November this year in Egypt co-leading two tours to ancient sites with Ahmed, a gentle and wise 38-year-old Muslim man of deep faith. We bonded as brothers and as fellow God-seekers. We learned from each other and sometimes prayed together. 

Our tour groups visited pyramids, Pharaonic temples, ancient churches, medieval mosques. In Cairo we toured the fortress of Saladin, who commanded Muslim forces at Horns of Hattin. Ahmed and Christians in our groups celebrated our friendship and resolved to do what we can to build trust between Muslims and Christians.

Christians of America, do not be deceived! Any call for Christians to become Crusaders or to hate Muslims is as far from the gospel as we could go. Look beyond the bloody battlefield in the picture above to the distant mountain where Jesus taught us to love even our enemies. That is where our faithfulness to the kingdom of God begins.

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Join me for a pilgrimage! Once or twice a year I lead tour groups to places of biblical and ecclesial history—always picking up on themes of mission, discipleship, justice, and peacemaking. Find two of my upcoming tours at: http://TourMagination.com