War and Religion: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #665

by Jolyon Mitchell, Joshua Rey

Very Short Introductions :Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Is religion a force for war, or a force for peace? Some of the most terrible wars in history have been caused and motivated by religion. Much of the violence that fills our screens today springs from the same source. Yet some of the bravest pacifists have also been deeply religious people, and many of the laws and institutions that work to soften or prevent war have deep religious roots.

This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of the history of religion and war, and a framework for analysing it. Ranging from the warrior gods of Ancient Greece and Rome, and the ethical drama of the Mahabharata, through the Islamic wars of conquest and the Crusades, to present day conflicts in Sri Lanka and the Balkans, it considers the entanglement of war and religion. Yet from Just War theory and the restraints on war-making imposed by Islamic jurisprudence, through the Pax Christi of the middle ages, to the non-violence of Gandhi and Bacha Khan; there is also a story to be told of peace and religion as well. Jolyon Mitchell and Joshua Rey consider both sides of the age long drama of war and religion, challenging assumptions at the most fundamental level. Throughout, they encourage a more sophisticated and well-grounded view on these issues that have had such weight in the past, and continue to shape our present and future.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Audiobook

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2021

Reviews

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lets religion off a little easy compared to the arguments it presents.

[Printed Pages and Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I listened to the audiobook as I’m in a bit of a physical-book-slump, but it was informative and well-paced. I do recommend the Oxford VSIs.

[Max ☭ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too soft on religion. This book tries too hard to be "fair." Imagine a scenario where someone robs someone, and then the judge tries to be fair to both parties. The one that's not in the wrong would always be the loser in that situation. This book says world war 2 was a "secular war," completely ignoring the fact that the church and its followers always blamed the Jews for killing Jesus. Without that seed of hatred propagated by the church, it's hard to imagine the Holocaust ever happening.

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

brilliant book, covers a very wide range of countries and regions and religions, lots of history packed into a small book. i can’t explain why, but it always put me off that the writer seemed to insert some of their own opinion or bias - i can’t explain it, but i’m glad i wasn’t the only one to notice this, as i’ve seen a few other reviewers thinking the same.

[Desollado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Althought slight a bias towards favoring religion, overall is a very good almost neutral assessment in the topic.
It seems that any book in the subjects of philosophy, theology, religion, biology, written to the public in the last 15 years it's obliged to deal with "the new atheists" movement.
it is a nice touch that even doe its bias, ends saying that the relation between war and religion doesn't end favoring any argument for or against the existence of god.
Moreover it opens several interesting questions regarding "peaceful religions" attitudes towards war.

[Elijah]

Pretty interesting, but seeing as how I'm not too well-versed in this particular subject of "wars and religion," I was a bit lost here and there - although I am aware that it is not as merely a black-and-white subject as some make it out to be, which the book also makes the case for.

[Abdul Alhazred · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst VSIs in a total diffusion of purpose. What's presented as background you undoubtedly already know, a solid theory section is missing and ultimate conclusions amount to a shrug. Did you know religion has sometimes been implicated in violence and sometimes advocated peace? Probably.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I think it is just about impossible to write a satisfactory very short book on such a broad topic. The authors made some interesting connections and I added more books to my "want to read list."

[Bob Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good short introduction to the subject of war and religion. Nothing earth shattering, but a good basic introduction or review.

Grade: B-