Crucifixion and Christianity: reviewing Tom Holland

Crucifixion and Christianity: reviewing Tom Holland

Of all the ways to die, being nailed to a wooden cross and left to hang is the worst. The victim — fully naked — struggles to breathe. Birds flock around his head, his eyes, eager for an easy meal. The victim might be hanged just outside the city or along the road. People walking by can shudder or jeer. The pain, the humiliation, is all on total display. The victim might hang for days, and his body might be left up even after his death. This hor…