I hope this question doesn't fall under the "polls or trivia" clause regarding the types of questions that can (or should) be asked here. I apologize if it does.
I was wondering if you could recommend a few books that deal specifically with the church (christian) during the crusades. Its motivations, recruiting tactics, etc. Books about the crusades often deal with battles, with those doing the actual fighting, Christianity vs Islam, who was a barbarian, if it was provoked, whether or not it was the first wave of colonialism, etc. While all of that is very interesting in its own right, I was more curious about the church itself. What were they trying to accomplish? Were the armies sort of sub-contractors/mercenaries for Christendom? That sort of thing. I realize that "the crusades" isn't a single event, so books on specific crusades or more general "concise history" types are equally welcome.
Thanks in advance.
I think a great and accessible book that will give you what you want is The Glory of the Crusades by Steve Weidenkopf. Hold on, I know what you are going to say. You are right, it certainly doesn't sound like an unbiased work of history, but give it a chance. The author is Catholic and lectures at a well-respected Catholic college. The book is also published through Catholic Answers, which is a Catholic apologetics agency so keep in mind that it is written for Catholics. This being said, I found the book extremely fair and could definitely prove to be a useful resource for non-Catholics. He thoroughly explains the theology and trains of thought present during the times of the Crusades - which seems to be exactly what you are looking for. He also talks about some of the recruiting tactics that were common during the time. I was half-expecting him to gloss over some of the messy parts of the crusades, but I didn't find this to be the case. He gladly wades in to the massacre at Jerusalem and the sacking of Constantinople, for example.
If you have any other questions let me know. There are definitely more academic books available, but this is one of my favorites. It has a lot of depth and good history, but I found it to be a easy to get through and written for an audience less versed in history.