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Religion, violence and “holy wars”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2010

Hans Küng
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Abstract

The author analyzes the impact of religion in current conflicts throughout the world. The main focus lies on the monotheistic religions, i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all of which have recently been reproached for potentially fostering the temptation to resort to violence. The article focuses on this accusation and departs from an analysis of the concept of “holy war” in the three religions. The article concludes with setting out a pragmatism of peaceableness highlighting that wars in the twenty-first century can neither be regarded as just, nor holy, nor clean and that absolute pacifism will not only be politically impossible but might as a political principle even be irresponsible.

Type
Religion
Information
International Review of the Red Cross , Volume 87 , Issue 858: Religion , June 2005 , pp. 253 - 268
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 2005

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References

1 The article by Gerlitz, P., “Krieg I (Religionsgeschichtlich)”, in Theologische Realenzyklopädie, Vol. 20, 1990Google Scholar, de Gruyter, Berlin, gives an overview of the vast number of comparative theological studies on the subject of war.

2 See Ex 20:1–17; Deut 5: 6–21. The biblical quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, WM. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., New York, Glasgow and Toronto.

3 See H. Küng, Judaism, Ch. 1-A II, 5: “The establishment of monotheism.”

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5 Gen. 4.

6 Is. 2:4; Mic. 4:1–3.

7 Deut. 1–3 and the Book of Joshua.

8 For an overview of the various attempts at reconstruction, see H. Küng, Das Judentum, Ch. 1 -C 1,1: “Die Landnahme.”

9 See N. Lohfink, Art. aeraem (Vernichtungsweihe), in Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament, Vol. III, Stuttgart, 1982, Col. 192–213; Cit. col. 206.

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20 Sura 61:11.

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22 Sura 9:73.

23 Sura 9:5.

24 Sura 2:190–193.

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28 Sura 47:4–6.

29 Meddeb, A., La Maladie de l'lslam, Paris, 2002Google Scholar (in German: Die Krankheit des Islam, Heidelberg, 2002, p. 247).

30 Sura 64:14.

31 Sura 41:33–35.

32 Sura 8:61.

33 See Rittberger, V., Hasenclever, A., “Religionen in Konflikten”, in Küng, H., Kuschel, K.-J. (eds.), Wissenschaft und Weltethos, Munich, 2001, pp. 161–200Google Scholar; Hasenclever, A., “Geteilte Werte — Gemeinsamer Frieden? Überlegungen zur zivilisierenden Kraft von Religionen und Glaubensgemeinschaften”, in: Küng, H., Senghaas, D. (eds.), Friedenspolitik: Ethische Grundlagen internationaler Beziehungen, Munich, 2003, pp. 288–318Google Scholar; Gebhardt, G., Zum Frieden bewegen: Die friedenserzieherische Tätigkeit religiöser Friedensbewegungen, Hamburg, 1994.Google Scholar

34 For a detailed exposé, see Kung, H., Weltethos für Weltpolitik und Weltwirtschaft, München 1997Google Scholar, Ch. A V: “Weltfrieden — Herausforderung fur die Weltreligionen.”

35 See Sura 22:38 f.

36 Dunant, Henry, A Memory of Solferino, English version by, and reprinted by courtesy of, the American Red Cross, ICRC, Geneva, 1986, p. 127.Google Scholar