JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

This paper examines the complex relationship between religion and violence across various faith traditions, analyzing whether religious doctrines inherently promote violent behavior or merely serve as tools appropriated by political actors for their own ends. Through a comparative historical analysis and case study approach, the research investigates how theological frameworks – particularly René Girard's mimetic theory and Charles Taylor's concept of numinous violence – help explain the persistence of religiously framed conflicts. The study explores manifestations of religious violence in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism, demonstrating how doctrinal interpretations interact with socio?political contexts to either mitigate or intensify violent tendencies. Employing discourse analysis of religious texts, historical documentation, and contemporary case studies, the research reveals that while religions contain doctrines that can be mobilized for violent purposes, violence typically emerges from the interplay between theological justifications and underlying political, economic, and cultural tensions. The findings suggest that religious violence operates through mechanisms such as the “scapegoat mechanism” and “crusade mentality,” which transform political struggles into existential conflicts by framing opponents as impure or evil. This research contributes to ongoing academic debates by offering a nuanced understanding of how religious ideologies become weaponized across different traditions and historical contexts, challenging both essentialist views that religion is inherently violent and apologetic perspectives that dissociate religion entirely from violence.

Open Full Text (PDF)