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Columbus & Cortez
The controversy, the conquest, the mission, the vision. Columbus - conquistador or Christ-bearer? Did Christopher Columbus exploit the people of America, or did he evangelize them? What were his true goals, his motives, his reasons for undertaking the dangerous voyage? Cortez - militarist or missionary? Did Hernando Cortez subjugate the people of Mexico - or did he liberate them? And why all the controversy over these explorers? Is it really to correct the historical record? Or is it an assault on the values of Western Civilization and Christianity which is the source of those values?
308 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
John Eidsmoe
26 books13 followersJohn Eidsmoe is a frequent lecturer and debater at colleges, universities, churches, and civics groups. As a constitutional attorney, he has successfully litigated court cases involving First Amendment religious freedom and has defended home education and Christian schools, championed the right of students and teachers to study the Bible in public schools, debated ACLU attorneys on radio and television, and served on the Ten Commandments Legal Defense Team. He is an ordained pastor in the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, and with his family (he and his wife have been married over 30 years, have three children: David, Kirsten and Justin) he lives in rural Pike Road, Alabama.
He holds five degrees in law, theology, and political science. These include two doctorates, one in law from the University of Iowa, and one in ministry from the Oral Roberts University. He earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Lutheran Brethern Seminary and his Master of Arts degree in biblical studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. His Bachelor of Arts degree in political science is from St. Olaf College. He is also a graduate of the Air Command & Staff College and the Air War College.
He has taught legal history and church history at law schools and seminaries. He currently serves as a professer of constitutional law and related subjects at the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner University, Montgomery, Alabama, where his students have twice given him the Outstanding Professor Award. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Birmingham Theological Seminary. A constitutional attorney and retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Colonel Eidsmoe has also taught church history and other subjects in various seminaries.
He has authored 12 books, including Christianity & the Constitution, Columbus & Cortez, and the video series titled The Institute on the Constitution. A Second Degree Black Belt with the American Taekwondo Foundation, Colonel Eidsmoe also serves as Regional Representative for the Gospel Martial Arts Union, is an avid horseman and skier, and tries to get 8 hours of sleep every week.
John Eidsmoe brings to this study the combined disciplines of the soldier, jurist, theologian, and historian. A retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and a Colonel in the Alabama State Defense Force, Eidsmoe is an Adjunct Professor for the Oak Brook College of Law & Government Policy, for the Handong International Law School in South Korea, and for the Institute of Lutheran Theology.
He holds five degrees in law, theology, and political science. These include two doctorates, one in law from the University of Iowa, and one in ministry from the Oral Roberts University. He earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Lutheran Brethern Seminary and his Master of Arts degree in biblical studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. His Bachelor of Arts degree in political science is from St. Olaf College. He is also a graduate of the Air Command & Staff College and the Air War College.
He has taught legal history and church history at law schools and seminaries. He currently serves as a professer of constitutional law and related subjects at the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner University, Montgomery, Alabama, where his students have twice given him the Outstanding Professor Award. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Birmingham Theological Seminary. A constitutional attorney and retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Colonel Eidsmoe has also taught church history and other subjects in various seminaries.
He has authored 12 books, including Christianity & the Constitution, Columbus & Cortez, and the video series titled The Institute on the Constitution. A Second Degree Black Belt with the American Taekwondo Foundation, Colonel Eidsmoe also serves as Regional Representative for the Gospel Martial Arts Union, is an avid horseman and skier, and tries to get 8 hours of sleep every week.
John Eidsmoe brings to this study the combined disciplines of the soldier, jurist, theologian, and historian. A retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and a Colonel in the Alabama State Defense Force, Eidsmoe is an Adjunct Professor for the Oak Brook College of Law & Government Policy, for the Handong International Law School in South Korea, and for the Institute of Lutheran Theology.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 4, 2019
This book surprised me. I read it along with my son so that I could intelligently discuss it with him. I was concerned that this book would be nothing more than an apology for the West. Instead, I found a book that was intelligently written, meticulously researched, and fair in its judgments. Having never read any primary sources regarding Cortez or Columbus, I learned much concerning these faithful (if not perfect) Christians. I highly recommend it to anyone whose only knowledge of these men is pop culture or junior high textbooks.
April 21, 2014
Polemic from a superstitious Christian. Maybe 60% accurate factually. Eidsmoe claims the American Indians are better off with most of their people dead, their lands stolen, and their "deeply held religious beliefs" (which Eidsmoe actually claims to respect) trampled and destroyed. Better off because they were brought christian superstitions.
Like many similar superstition exploitation books, Eidsmoe starts off setting up problems, then asks "What if (some of) the Christian superstitions are true?" and then cherry picks events which he claims prove his superstitions true and the answer to any problems.
While the title and book subject is ostensibly about Columbus and Cortez, approximately 40% of the book relates to modern times. Like all superstitious folk, Eidsmoe has superstition takes credit for anything good and blames anything bad on those who are not superstitious or disagree with his personal morality. Inconvenient facts are ignored. The 1950's census had the US population at 150 million; the 2010 census at 313 million; Eidsmoe, however, attributes the problems of 1992 to the long standing trend of refusing to criminalize his superstitions, a failure Eidsmoe sees as a failure of morality.
Like every other superstitious Christian leader, Eidsmoe does not explain why adding "under God" to the pledge of allegiance failed to solve all the US problems.
As the title suggest, Eidsmoe claims rejects the pragmatic view of works such as Diamond, Guns, Germs and Warfare. Diamond proposes that the side with the guns usually wins. Eidsmoe reaches a different conclusion, attributing the actions of Columbus and Cortez as motivated and directed by the supernatural God rather than looking for trade routes or wealth. Diamond is consistent with Judges 1:19: "Now the LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots."
In discussing US history, Eidsmoe claims the Founding Father's deism was mostly a "myth;" and omits discussion of things I thought well settled: the Salem Witch Trials; the Maryland Toleration Act and events surrounding it; Adam's MA Constitution compared to the US Constitution; Hume; the Scottish Enlightenment; Locke; Spinosa; and the US Constitution handled religious rights until the superstitious Christians began appointing their own to the Supreme Court.
Like many similar superstition exploitation books, Eidsmoe starts off setting up problems, then asks "What if (some of) the Christian superstitions are true?" and then cherry picks events which he claims prove his superstitions true and the answer to any problems.
While the title and book subject is ostensibly about Columbus and Cortez, approximately 40% of the book relates to modern times. Like all superstitious folk, Eidsmoe has superstition takes credit for anything good and blames anything bad on those who are not superstitious or disagree with his personal morality. Inconvenient facts are ignored. The 1950's census had the US population at 150 million; the 2010 census at 313 million; Eidsmoe, however, attributes the problems of 1992 to the long standing trend of refusing to criminalize his superstitions, a failure Eidsmoe sees as a failure of morality.
Like every other superstitious Christian leader, Eidsmoe does not explain why adding "under God" to the pledge of allegiance failed to solve all the US problems.
As the title suggest, Eidsmoe claims rejects the pragmatic view of works such as Diamond, Guns, Germs and Warfare. Diamond proposes that the side with the guns usually wins. Eidsmoe reaches a different conclusion, attributing the actions of Columbus and Cortez as motivated and directed by the supernatural God rather than looking for trade routes or wealth. Diamond is consistent with Judges 1:19: "Now the LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots."
In discussing US history, Eidsmoe claims the Founding Father's deism was mostly a "myth;" and omits discussion of things I thought well settled: the Salem Witch Trials; the Maryland Toleration Act and events surrounding it; Adam's MA Constitution compared to the US Constitution; Hume; the Scottish Enlightenment; Locke; Spinosa; and the US Constitution handled religious rights until the superstitious Christians began appointing their own to the Supreme Court.
January 16, 2021
That was a slog, but I made it through! I appreciated so much all the primary sources, and that the author quoted them extensively. I like being able to come to my own conclusions rather than simply being told the author’s interpretation of the source and what it meant. I felt like he tried too hard to make excuses for some of Columbus’s actions, even those that were very wrong in his own time, not just now. The author did a better job presenting the facts with less opinion in the section on Cortez. Montezuma was so fascinating, as was his relationship with Cortez. It’s a much more complicated, much less black-and-white situation then it’s presented as today in history classes.
December 2, 2014
Interesting book, and a bit surprising. Half of the book is dedicated to Columbus and the other half to Cortez.
The Columbus history was excellent, full of details, with most of the information reported by first or second person accounts. I feel that the book put the proper emphasis on why Columbus was so driven and placed him within the proper historical context.
The Cortez book was good, but difficult at times as the author described in quite a bit of detail the human sacrifice practices the Aztec used. It was quite a trudge to motivate myself to continue to read. I'm unsure why the author felt it necessary to use such vivid details.
The Columbus history was excellent, full of details, with most of the information reported by first or second person accounts. I feel that the book put the proper emphasis on why Columbus was so driven and placed him within the proper historical context.
The Cortez book was good, but difficult at times as the author described in quite a bit of detail the human sacrifice practices the Aztec used. It was quite a trudge to motivate myself to continue to read. I'm unsure why the author felt it necessary to use such vivid details.
February 22, 2019
Overall, this book was an interesting glimpse into the travels and exploits of the Vikings, Columbus, and Cortez in the New World. I found the first and last chapters tedious and too full of the author’s commentary. The bulk of the book, though, was full of primary sources and fascinating (and at times quite disturbing) history.
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February 4, 2020A fascinating read about the history of Christopher Columbus and Hernando Cortez. It it thought-provoking as well, providing some unique perspectives regarding how the events transpired during the early exploration America. The true motivations of these flawed men and the events of their conquests go far deeper than we typically like to think. Well worth the read.
July 19, 2023
Unbelievably based.
October 31, 2015
The thing that surprised me the most is how much of the book discussed Islam. But my favorite part was the account of Cortez, and the emotional description of his friendship with Montezuma, and the respect they had for each other, though the situation had its tense moments.
May 19, 2008
What i learned from this book:
How fast the Aztecs could rip the hearts out of their victims, and then toss the bodies down the steps...15 seconds. Lovely book. ;)
How fast the Aztecs could rip the hearts out of their victims, and then toss the bodies down the steps...15 seconds. Lovely book. ;)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews