Religious war

A religious war is a war where the main cause is, or appears to be, religion or religious differences.The European Wars of Religion , the Crusades , and the Reconquista are frequently cited examples. While there are undoubtedly wars fought primarily on religous grounds, wars frequently have multiple and complex causes. In modern times religious designations are frequently used as shorthand for cultural and historical differences between combatants, giving the impression that the conflict is primarily about religious differences. However the more fundamental cause is the attachment of Northern Ireland to either the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom . As the native Irish were mostly Catholic, and the later English-sponsored immigrants mainly Protestant, the terms become shorthand for the two cultures. On the other hand it cannot be denied that religion does play a part in the conflict, as churches are used as organising points for demonstrations, and as Protestant church leaders vehemently oppose union with the Catholic-dominated Republic.

uses6 A religious war is a war caused by religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to spread its faith by violence, or to suppress another group because of its religious beliefs or practices. The Muslim Conquests , the French Wars of Religion , the Crusades , and the Reconquista are frequently cited historical examples. The Muslim concept of Jihad ,which is the Arabic word for struggle and which has a combative aspect, was set down in the 7th Century. Saint Augustine is credited as being the first to detail a " Just War " theory within Christianity , whereby war is justifiable on religious grounds. Saint Thomas Aquinas elaborated on these criteria and his writings were used by the Roman Catholic Church to regulate the actions of European countries. Many wars that are not religious wars often still include elements of religion, such as priests blessing battleships. Differences in religion can further inflame a war being fought for other reasons. Historically, places of worship have been destroyed to weaken the morale of the opponent, even when the war itself is not being waged over religious ideals. Religious designations are sometimes used as shorthand for cultural and historical differences between combatants, giving the often misleading impression that the conflict is primarily about religious differences. However, the more fundamental cause is the attachment of Northern Ireland to either the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom and while religion played a role as a cultural marker, the conflict was in fact ethnic or nationalistic rather than religious in nature. Since the native Irish were mostly Catholic and the later British-sponsored immigrants were mainly Protestant, the terms become shorthand for the two cultures, but it is inaccurate to describe the conflict as a religious one.

The Siege of Belgrade in 1456 during the Ottoman-Hungarian Wars . A religious war or holy war ( ) is a war primarily caused or justified by differences in religion . The account of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites in the Book of Joshua , the Muslim conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries, and the Christian Crusades (11th to 13th centuries) and Wars of Religion (16th and 17th centuries) are the classic examples but a religious aspect has been part of warfare as early as the battles of the Mesopotamian city-states . In the modern era, arguments are common over the extent to which religious, economic , or ethnic aspects of a conflict predominate: examples include the Yugoslav Wars and the civil war in Sudan . In several ongoing conflicts including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict , the Syrian civil war , and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq , religious arguments are overtly present but variously described as fundamentalism or religious extremism depending upon the observer's sympathies. At the same time, members of many religions have been and are active members of the modern anti-war movement .

War primarily over religious differences "Holy War" and "Wars of religion" redirect here. In the modern period , there are frequent debates over the extent to which religious, economic , ethnic or other aspects of a conflict are predominant in a given war. The degree to which a war may be considered religious depends on many underlying questions, such as the definition of religion , the definition of 'religious war' (taking religious traditions on violence such as 'holy war' into account), and the applicability of religion to war as opposed to other possible factors. Answers to these questions heavily influence conclusions on how prevalent religious wars have been as opposed to other types of wars. According to scholars such as Jeffrey Burton Russell , conflicts may not be rooted strictly in religion and instead may be a cover for the underlying secular power, ethnic, social, political, and economic reasons for conflict. Other scholars have argued that what is termed "religious wars" is a largely "Western dichotomy" and a modern invention from the past few centuries, arguing that all wars that are classed as "religious" have secular (economic or political) ramifications. In several conflicts including the Israeli–Palestinian conflict , the Syrian civil war , and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq , religious elements are overtly present, but variously described as fundamentalism or religious extremism —depending upon the observer's sympathies. However, studies on these cases often conclude that ethnic animosities drive much of the conflicts. According to the Encyclopedia of Wars , out of all 1,763 known/recorded historical conflicts, 121, or 6.87%, had religion as their primary cause. Matthew White's The Great Big Book of Horrible Things gives religion as the primary cause of 11 of the world's 100 deadliest atrocities. The General History of the Later War . Encyclopedia of Wars (Vol.3) .

War primarily over religious differences "Holy War" and "Wars of religion" redirect here. In the modern period , there are frequent debates over the extent to which religious, economic , ethnic or other aspects of a conflict are predominant in a given war. The degree to which a war may be considered religious depends on many underlying questions, such as the definition of religion , the definition of 'war', and the applicability of religion to war as opposed to other possible factors. According to scholars such as Jeffrey Burton Russell , conflicts may not be rooted strictly in religion and instead may be a cover for the underlying secular power, ethnic, social, political, and economic reasons for conflict. Other scholars have argued that what is termed "religious wars" is a largely "Western dichotomy" and a modern invention from the past few centuries, arguing that all wars that are classed as "religious" have secular (economic or political) ramifications. In several conflicts including the Israeli–Palestinian conflict , the Syrian civil war , and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq , religious elements are overtly present, but variously described as fundamentalism or religious extremism —depending upon the observer's sympathies. However, studies on these cases often conclude that ethnic animosities drive much of the conflicts. According to the Encyclopedia of Wars , out of all 1,763 known/recorded historical conflicts, 121, or 6.87%, had religion as their primary cause. Matthew White's The Great Big Book of Horrible Things gives religion as the primary cause of 11 of the world's 100 deadliest atrocities. Such estimates and others indicate that historically, religion was not a common source for war or conflict and that other factors played a more frequent role. The General History of the Later War . Encyclopedia of Wars (Vol.3) . The Great Big Book of Horrible Things . In Hosler, John (ed.). Seven Myths of Military History .