“And such is the vice of government churches — they can even exile whole groups who don’t do anything but dissent from the church doctrine.”
I doubt you’d find too many observant Jews who would characterize Judaism as “dissent” from Christianity.
If we found the spine to expel the muzzies from America, would it be because they dissent from Christianity?
In addition to being a novelist, James Michener was a historian. A person can profitably read “Iberia” for more insight into that period.
This sounds like an insinuation that there was something truly sinister going on with the Jews of Spain. Can you back it up besides waving a finger vaguely at some novel?