War and religion go back thousands of years in
human history, this website will
let you take a closer look into the relationship
between conflict and God.
Examples Throughout History
There are many different examples throughout history that show how religion has influenced conflict. Religion has been on many sides of war, it has been the cause of war, the victim (or target) of war, and the opposition of war.
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Timeline |
The Crusades |
1095-1291
16th and 17th centuries
About 1804-1910
1939-1945
1955-1975
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Cause
The Crusades were a collection of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims, the objective was to secure what were considered holy sites by both groups. Wars of the ReformationCause
Otherwise known as the European Wars of Religion, there are so many different wars that have occurred in Europe, it would be impossible to list all of them on this website. Wars such as the Thirty Years' War, the War of Three Kingdoms, Eighty Years' War, and so many more occurred because of the conflict between Protestants and Catholics. Westward ExpansionCause
Manifest destiny is a term we are all probably familiar with. During this time in American history, there were many who believed that it was their God-give right to expand liberty to the edge of the continent. This belief led to conflicts and controversy such as the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Spanish-American War. WWIITarget
While there was no direct religious affiliation as to why WWII was started, Jews were targeted in this war. Because of certain beliefs by leaders and officers of the war, millions of Jews were victims of this war. Vietnam WarOpposition
With the birth of this controversial war, after a few years, more and more protest came into the light. Religious leaders came and publicly vocalized their opposition to the war in different ways. Violent protests included monks committing acts of self-immolation, and more peaceful protests included Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam" MLK walking in an anti-war protest 1967
Rev. Daniel Berrigan, a Jesuit priest walking in a Vietnam protest
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