Bullies and Saints by Christopher Tierman

A thousand years after paul, saint bernard alludes to this same new testament imagery to endorse actual armor and weaponry. In the holy land, ernard of clevaux made an extraordinary interpretive manoeuvre. The knight who puts the breastplate of faith on his soul in the same way as he puts a breastplate of iron on his body, is truly intrepid and safe from everything. So forward in safety, knights, and with undaunted souls, drive off the enemies of the cross of christ, that is moslems.