# Qs on crusading for this day and age

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-on-crusading-for-this-day-and-age/292236>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 28, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-on-crusading-for-this-day-and-age/292236 "2005-02-28T01:53:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-on-crusading-for-this-day-and-age/292236/1 "2005-02-28T01:53:41Z")

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Under what conditions may the Catholic Church declare a crusade? Who may declare a crusade? What are the chances of a crusade being declared in this day and age? Against whom/what would it be declared?

What about the above questions for any other Christian denominations?

WRS

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**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-on-crusading-for-this-day-and-age/292236/2 "2005-02-28T02:50:09Z")

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The Church does not weild any significant political power in this day an age. I suppose that in theory the Pope could declare a Crusade, but who would be around to follow it. The original Crusades were driven by a belief that the Crusaders would have all their past sins forgiven if they joined, but since the Church’s stance on the afterlife has changed a bit in the intervening nine-hundred years, it’s difficult to say what motivation could be offered now.