Historian's Existential Crisis in ISIS Town

Historian Tom Holland's visit to Sinjar, Iraq, in July 2016, in the wake of ISIS atrocities, profoundly impacted his worldview. Witnessing the devastation and the remnants of a church, he experienced a crisis of faith, questioning his agnostic beliefs. This pivotal moment occurred while he was researching a book on Christianity from a historian's perspective.

Holland's 2019 book, "Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World," posits that fundamental Western values such as compassion, equality, and human rights are products of Christian influence, not innate human traits. He asserts that society remains saturated with Christian concepts, affecting everyone regardless of their personal beliefs.

Further reflection on his values and a personal battle with bowel cancer in December 2021 led Holland to pray fervently. Subsequent positive test results, initially uncertain, prompted him to embrace Christianity, viewing the outcome with a "shimmering possibility of the supernatural."

Holland now identifies as a Christian, drawn to a faith that combines "doubt" and "religious triumph." He believes that Christianity's enduring influence, particularly through the revolutionary concept of the cross, offers an alternative to the 'might makes right' mentality he observed in both ancient Rome and modern extremist groups.