Changes

'''''The Two Babylons''''', subtitled ''The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'', is a famous [[treatise]] written by [[Presbyterian|Scottish Presbyterian]] minister [[Alexander Hislop]], first printed in 1853 as a pamphlet and greatly expanded in 1858, then published as a book in 1916. The author claims that the [[Catholic Church]], with its [[Pope]]s and [[Sacrament]]s was founded by the Roman Emperor [[Constantine]] in A.D. 325 as a blend of [[paganism]] and [[Christianity]]. The book became widely circulated as being a reliable refutation of the Catholic religion. Hislop presented Catholicism as the [[Whore of Babylon]], and this argument has been taken up by mostly conservative [[Evangelical Christians|Evangelical Protestants]] such as the [[Reformed Churches]], [[Baptist]]s, the [[Church of Christ]], [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] and his [[Worldwide Church of God]], and the [[King James Only|King James Only movement]]. In the 20th century it has been promoted mainly by [[Fundamentalism|Christian Fundamentalists]], and has been a standard source for children's and adult [[Sunday School]] education, and its arguments have been widely promulgated in publications, religious dictionaries and encyclopedias, and [[comic book]]s, and most recently on a multitude of popular [[internet]] sites. It has influenced countless multitudes of Christians and non-Christians, and has been a source (but not the only source) of [[Polemic|polemical]] invective against Catholics, particularly against those involved in [[government]] and [[politics]]. For more than a century (1853-1955) it was among the top best-sellers in England and America, and is still being published.

'''''The Two Babylons''''', subtitled ''The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'', is a famous [[treatise]] written by [[Presbyterian|Scottish Presbyterian]] minister [[Alexander Hislop]], first printed in 1853 as a pamphlet and greatly expanded in 1858, then published as a book in 1916. The author claims that the [[Catholic Church]], with its [[Pope]]s and [[Sacrament]]s was founded by the Roman Emperor [[Constantine]] in A.D. 325 as a blend of [[paganism]] and [[Christianity]]. The book became widely circulated as being a reliable refutation of the Catholic religion. Hislop presented Catholicism as the [[Whore of Babylon]], and this argument has been taken up by mostly conservative [[Evangelical Christians|Evangelical Protestants]] such as the [[Reformed Churches]], [[Baptist]]s, the [[Church of Christ]], [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] and his [[Worldwide Church of God]], and the [[King James Only|King James Only movement]]. In the 20th century it has been promoted mainly by [[Fundamentalism|Christian Fundamentalists]], and has been a standard source for children's and adult [[Sunday School]] education, and its arguments have been widely promulgated in publications, religious dictionaries and encyclopedias, and [[comic book]]s, and most recently on a multitude of popular [[internet]] sites. It has influenced countless multitudes of Christians and non-Christians, and has been a source (but not the only source) of [[polemic]]al invective against Catholics, particularly against those involved in [[government]] and [[politics]]. For more than a century (1853-1955) it was among the top best-sellers in England and America, and is still being published.

Historians who have carefully researched the historical claims made in this book, and the source materials that author Hislop relied on, have determined that he is unreliable as an historian. Almost all of his "facts" are shown to be false, and his reasoning from superficial similarities of appearances and ritual actions is demonstrated to be completely unsound and without merit as "proofs" of pagan origins. This has demolished his credibility. 16th–19th century anthropologists who were contemporaries of the authors of his source materials have also shown that even among historians in the 16th–19th centuries most of his sources had no reliable historical credibility as researchers.

Historians who have carefully researched the historical claims made in this book, and the source materials that author Hislop relied on, have determined that he is unreliable as an historian. Almost all of his "facts" are shown to be false, and his reasoning from superficial similarities of appearances and ritual actions is demonstrated to be completely unsound and without merit as "proofs" of pagan origins. This has demolished his credibility. 16th–19th century anthropologists who were contemporaries of the authors of his source materials have also shown that even among historians in the 16th–19th centuries most of his sources had no reliable historical credibility as researchers.

== External links ==

== External links ==

[http://www.equip.org/PDF/DC187.pdf Christian Research Institute Book Review. ''The Two Babylons'': A Case Study in Poor Methodology. —review by Ralph Woodrow (equip.org)] pdf

* [http://www.equip.org/PDF/DC187.pdf Christian Research Institute Book Review. ''The Two Babylons'': A Case Study in Poor Methodology. —review by Ralph Woodrow (equip.org)] pdf

 

* [http://www.equip.org/article/the-two-babylons/ Christian Research Institute. ''The Two Babylons'', by Ralph Woodrow (equip.org)] ''a critique and rebuttal of anti-Catholic arguments used by Alexander Hislop, the 19th century author of "The Two Babylons", written by a former supporter''

[http://www.equip.org/article/the-two-babylons/ Christian Research Institute. ''The Two Babylons'', by Ralph Woodrow (equip.org)] ''a critique and rebuttal of anti-Catholic arguments used by Alexander Hislop, the 19th century author of "The Two Babylons", written by a former supporter''

* [http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mischedj/ct_babylon.html Catholicism and Paganism – Is the Catholic Church the New Babylon? Introductory Critique of Hislop's ''The Two Babylons'' (homepages.paradise.net.nz)]

 

* [https://www.godfire.net/Elwin/two_babylons.htm The Two Babylons (godfire.net)] ''analysis and critique''

[http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mischedj/ct_babylon.html Catholicism and Paganism – Is the Catholic Church the New Babylon? Introductory Critique of Hislop's ''The Two Babylons'' (homepages.paradise.net.nz)]

* [https://sites.google.com/site/christadelphianinfo/articles/apologetics/dbhislop Christadelphian Info. The Two Babylons - Hislop's hypothesis debunked, by D. Burke (google.com/site/christadelphianinfo)]

 

* [http://fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com/2015/01/alexander-hislops-two-babylons-is-not.html Fundamental Baptist Christian Apologetics Ministry. "Alexander Hislop's ''The Two Babylons'' is Not Reliable" (fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com)]  

[https://www.godfire.net/Elwin/two_babylons.htm The Two Babylons (godfire.net)] ''analysis and critique''

* [http://www.ukapologetics.net/1hislopbaby.html Hislop's 'Babylonian Mystery Religion' Teaching Exposed and Overturned. The ''Commendable'' Intellectual Honesty of Ralph Woodrow..., by Robin A. Brace (2005) (ukapologetics.net)] ''he is astonished that Hislop's discredited book is still for sale by Christian bookstores''

 

* [http://xhwa.blogspot.com/2008/12/babylon-connection.html Escaping Armstrongism (xhwa.blogspot.com)] ''"The Babylon Connection" by Ralph Woodrow and the biblical errors of [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] and the [[Worldwide Church of God]]''

[https://sites.google.com/site/christadelphianinfo/articles/apologetics/dbhislop Christadelphian Info. The Two Babylons - Hislop's hypothesis debunked, by D. Burke (google.com/site/christadelphianinfo)]

* [http://www.btdf.org/forums/topic/1006-the-two-babylons/ The Bible Truth Discussion Forum. The Two Babylons (btdf.org/forums/topic/1006-the-two-babylons)] ''lists Hislop's mistakes—explicit point by point analysis''

 

* [http://www.biblebelievers.com/babylon/ TEXT: ''The Two Babylons: The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'' by the Late Rev. Alexander Hislop, first published as a pamphlet in 1853 and greatly expanded in 1858.]

[http://fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com/2015/01/alexander-hislops-two-babylons-is-not.html Fundamental Baptist Christian Apologetics Ministry. "Alexander Hislop's ''The Two Babylons'' is Not Reliable" (fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com)]  

* [http://ralphwoodrow.org/books/pages/babylon-mystery.html Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association. Message from Ralph Woodrow regarding the book <small>BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION</small> (ralphwoodrow.org)]

 

* [http://www.biblicallifestyleseminars.org/uploads/CI00046_Babylon_Mystery_Religion_R_Woodrow_1970.pdf TEXT: Babylon Mystery Religion, Ancient and Modern, by Ralph Woodrow (biblicallifestyleseminars.org)] pdf

[http://www.ukapologetics.net/1hislopbaby.html Hislop's 'Babylonian Mystery Religion' Teaching Exposed and Overturned. The ''Commendable'' Intellectual Honesty of Ralph Woodrow..., by Robin A. Brace (2005) (ukapologetics.net)] ''he is astonished that Hislop's discredited book is still for sale by Christian bookstores''

* [http://xhwa.blogspot.com/2008/12/babylon-connection.html A Profile in Integrity: Ralph Woodrow, by David Kowalski] ''how research changed Ralph Woodrow's mind and prompted him to refute his book "Babylon Mystery Religion" with another book "The Babylon Connection?"''

 

[http://xhwa.blogspot.com/2008/12/babylon-connection.html Escaping Armstrongism (xhwa.blogspot.com)] ''"The Babylon Connection" by Ralph Woodrow and the biblical errors of [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] and the [[Worldwide Church of God]]''

 

[http://www.btdf.org/forums/topic/1006-the-two-babylons/ The Bible Truth Discussion Forum. The Two Babylons (btdf.org/forums/topic/1006-the-two-babylons)] ''lists Hislop's mistakes—explicit point by point analysis''

 

[http://www.biblebelievers.com/babylon/ TEXT: ''The Two Babylons: The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'' by the Late Rev. Alexander Hislop, first published as a pamphlet in 1853 and greatly expanded in 1858.]

 

[http://ralphwoodrow.org/books/pages/babylon-mystery.html Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association. Message from Ralph Woodrow regarding the book <small>BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION</small> (ralphwoodrow.org)]

 

[http://www.biblicallifestyleseminars.org/uploads/CI00046_Babylon_Mystery_Religion_R_Woodrow_1970.pdf TEXT: Babylon Mystery Religion, Ancient and Modern, by Ralph Woodrow (biblicallifestyleseminars.org)] pdf

 

[http://xhwa.blogspot.com/2008/12/babylon-connection.html A Profile in Integrity: Ralph Woodrow, by David Kowalski] ''how research changed Ralph Woodrow's mind and prompted him to refute his book "Babylon Mystery Religion" with another book "The Babylon Connection?"''

[[Category:History]]

[[Category:History]]