Religion in war in the 21st century

Abstract

This article argues that while decisions of religiously motivated parties in war may be “rational,” the “reality” that the decisions apply to may include transcendental elements that the nonbelievers may not perceive as “reality,” to wit; the actual involvement of the Deity or his angels in the battlefield, reward and punishment in the Afterworld for refraining from action in this world and the belief in supernatural omens and prophecy. Religious impact on war has reemerged, sometimes with redoubled strength, during the 20th and early 21st centuries. This is true in Islam, in the growing strength of the right wing in Europe and in the resurgence of religion as a factor in Putin’s Russia. The key to understanding the impact of religion on war is to understand the approach of each religious paradigm vis-à-vis initiation and waging of war (Jus ad bellum and Jus in bello) and the legitimacy of being deterred. In order to target the religious aspect of the enemy’s value system, it is necessary to know the various components of the religious belief system—the values, worldview, customs, superstitions and leadership paradigms.