Posted: April 29th, 2018

Religion and Violence: How Religion Has Influenced Revolutions and Conflicts

Religion is often seen as a source of peace and harmony, but it can also be a cause or a catalyst of violence. Throughout history, religion has played a role in various revolutions and conflicts, either by providing moral justification, ideological inspiration, or organizational mobilization. In this paper, we will examine some examples of how religion has influenced revolutions and conflicts in different regions and periods, and discuss the possible factors and mechanisms that link religion and violence.

One of the most prominent examples of religion influencing revolution is the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, which challenged the authority and doctrine of the Catholic Church and sparked a series of wars and rebellions across Europe. The Reformation was driven by theological disputes, but also by political, economic, and social grievances. The reformers, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, denounced the corruption and abuses of the papacy and the clergy, and advocated for the supremacy of the scripture and the priesthood of all believers. They also appealed to the common people by translating the Bible into vernacular languages and preaching in simple terms. The Reformation inspired various movements that sought to reform or overthrow the existing religious and political order, such as the Peasants’ War in Germany, the Huguenots in France, the Puritans in England, and the Dutch Revolt against Spain. These movements faced fierce opposition and persecution from the Catholic authorities and their allies, leading to violent clashes and massacres. The Reformation also contributed to the rise of nationalism and state sovereignty, as some rulers supported or opposed the reformers for their own interests. The religious wars that resulted from the Reformation lasted for more than a century, until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio (whose realm, his religion), which granted each state the right to determine its own religion (Waldron-Moore 1999).

Another example of religion influencing conflict is the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, which overthrew the secular monarchy of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and established an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The revolution was motivated by a combination of religious, political, economic, and social factors. The Iranian people were dissatisfied with the authoritarian rule of the Shah, who was seen as a puppet of the United States and a violator of human rights. They were also frustrated with the economic inequality, corruption, inflation, unemployment, and cultural westernization that characterized his modernization policies. The revolutionaries were inspired by the Shia Islam doctrine of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist), which gave Khomeini the authority to lead the Islamic community as a representative of God. They also mobilized around various symbols and rituals of Shia Islam, such as martyrdom, Ashura (the commemoration of Imam Hussein’s death), mosques, Friday prayers, and religious slogans. The revolution faced resistance from the Shah’s loyalists, who were supported by the United States and other Western powers. The revolution also triggered a series of regional and international conflicts, such as the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Lebanon War (1982-2000), the Iran-Contra Affair (1985-1987), and the hostage crisis (1979-1981). The Islamic Revolution transformed Iran into a major actor in Middle Eastern politics and a source of influence for other Islamic movements around the world (Keddie 2006).

A third example of religion influencing conflict is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is one of

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