They Mingled Blood with the Sacrifices

Book excerpt: Have you ever read about a historical event from multiple perspectives? History is a complex subject, with altering perspectives depending on who the author is. A lot of the time, the “standard” version of something can be something that has been doctored to suit other agendas. Often, when we ask witnesses or natives, they seem to have a different story to tell. Guy Mitchell’s They Mingled Blood With the Sacrifices is a work of historical genius, where he traces the history of Christianity while asking profound questions that make you ponder how much human interference it took to turn Christianity into the faith it is today. As the most widespread religion of today, it is natural to wonder how exactly this religion came to be. Mitchell explores the rise of Christianity amidst the backdrop of both the political as well as military conflict between Romans and Jews and the lasting impact it had on Christianity as it rose to become the prominent religion in Rome due to civil conflict as well as a general moral decline amongst dominant political families. The book asks the pertinent question of what Christianity would look like without Roman interference. Mitchell aptly demonstrates how Romans sought to erase the Judaic roots of Christianity. As the book delves into the political climate in Judea at the time of the birth of Jesus, you are left wondering how different Christianity would be had there been no Roman influence.