Religion & War
Over the course of time, nations have fought wars against each other over religious differences. These wars are called "Holy Wars" or "Just Wars," and based on the idea that war is justified by religion. Most of the major religions, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism, have a history of wars. Some historic examples include the Crusades and the Muslim Conquests.
Religious wars can take different forms. For example, some wars are fought between states with different religions. Other wars are fought between different sects within one religion. Finally, religious groups have used violence to spread faith or to oppress another group.
Christian Crusades
Lasting between 1095 and 1291, the Crusades were a series of religious military campaigns ignited by the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. The aim was to gain Christian control over Jerusalem and the Holy Land, which was under Islamic rule. At the same time, the Byzantine Empire called out for aid against Turkish Expansion in Anatolia.
The crusades not only had religious consequences but also political, social and economic. There were a total of nine crusades beginning with the Byzantine Empire fighting against the Turks and ending with a failed fight in the Middle East.
Other Christian Religious Wars
Although the crusades were the longest lasting battles, religious wars did not end there. The French Wars of Religion of the 16th century were a series of battles fought between French Protestants and Catholics. This is an example of an internal war within the same religion.
The Thirty Years' War, which lasted between 1618 and 1648, followed the French Wars. This particular war is considered to be one of the most destructive. Again, this was a battle between Protestants and Catholics during the Roman Empire. The war was mainly fought in Germany and later expanded into other areas of Europe.
Islam and Jihad
The fundamental belief in Islam is the submission to the will of God or Allah, which will lead to a good life. Jihad is one aspect of the religious duty of a Muslim. In Arabic, Jihad translates to a "struggle" in the way of God.
Jihad can refer to an internal struggle or a social struggle. It can also be translated to a struggle in defense of Islam. In the West, Jihad is associated with "Holy War," while Islamic scholars argue that Jihad is not directly related to holy war.
Islamic law only allows Jihad as a form of warfare. The wars can be fought against rebels, non-believers and the enemy. The goal of jihad as a military struggle is to expand and protect the Islamic state rather than convert non-Muslims. It is said that the Qur'an contains verses related to military action.
Although warfare is one aspect of Jihad, Muslims have used non-violence throughout history to expand and protect the state.
Judaism and War
Although peace is central to Judaism, Jews have a history of war and conflict. The Hebrew Bible justifies war in the name of self-defense and protection of the state as opposed to converting non-Jews. Major examples of Jewish conflict include the First Jewish-Roman War and the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.
The First Jewish-Roman War, which took place between 66 CE to 70 CE, was a series of battles fought by Jews against the Roman Empire. The war, also called "The Great Revolt," was initially caused by religious tension between Greeks and Jews.
Over the years, protests revolted over taxation and Roman citizens were attacked. Ultimately, Jerusalem fell to the hands of the Roman armies and many Greek and Roman colonies settled in Judea. The Jews were defeated and the rebels were sold into slavery. Several of the Jews entered the Jewish Diaspora.
The Israeli and Palestinian conflict is an on-going battle between Muslims and Jews. It began in the late 19th century and remains unresolved today. The conflict has earlier phases of battles between Jews and Zionists and is part of the larger Arab and Israeli conflict.
The basis of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict surrounds issues of geographical borders and control over Jerusalem. During the mid 20th century, a two-state solution was proposed and is still debated today. The conflict has also led to other smaller battles such as the Gaza Wars in 2008.