ABSTRACT
In October 1187, responding to the disastrous defeat of the Christian army at Hattin, Pope Gregory VIII issued the bull, Audita tremendi, calling for a new crusade to the Holy Land. Gregory concentrated on the redemptive work of Christ’s incarnation and his death on the cross. While God had worked salvation in the Holy Land, now, the pope emphasized that God had brought a severe judgment upon this land because of diabolical dissensions and the malicious sins of all Christians. Gregory’s message laid the foundation for the preaching of the Third Crusade with its emphasis on Christ’s redemption and the conversion of Christian society. Granting a full indulgence to contrite crusaders, the pope encouraged them to imitate Christ by laying down their lives for their brothers and seeking the recovery of the Holy Land. 1
