An anthology that examines the historical and contemporary
relationship between religion and violence
This groundbreaking anthology provides the most comprehensive overview
for understanding the fascinating relationship between religion and
violence--historically, culturally, and in the contemporary world.
Bringing together writings from scholarly and religious traditions, it
is the first volume to unite primary sources--justifications for
violence from religious texts, theologians, and activists--with
invaluable essays by authoritative scholars.
The first half of the collection includes original source materials
justifying violence from various religious perspectives: Hindu, Chinese,
Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist. Showing that religious violence
is found in every tradition, these sources include ancient texts and
scriptures along with thoughtful essays from theologians wrestling with
such issues as military protection and pacifism. The collection also
includes the writings of modern-day activists involved in suicide
bombings, attacks on abortion clinics, and nerve gas assaults. The
book's second half features well-known thinkers reflecting on why
religion and violence are so intimately related and includes excerpts
from early social theorists such as Durkheim, Marx, and Freud, as well
as contemporary thinkers who view the issue of religious violence from
literary, anthropological, postcolonial, and feminist perspectives. The
editors' brief introductions to each essay provide important historical
and conceptual contexts and relate the readings to one another. The
diversity of selections and their accessible length make this volume
ideal for both students and general readers.
