Year 11 - Religious education
Religion as a cause of war and Holy War
Religion, peace and conflict
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils examine ideas of violence and how some religions justify war in terms of holy or just war. They will move on to examine specific ideas such as nuclear war and terrorism. Finally they will examine the role of religion in finding and making peace.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how religion can be a cause of war, using the Crusades as an example, and evaluate different Christian, Muslim, and non-religious attitudes towards Holy War.
Key Notes
- Religion may lead to war for reasons including defending its existence, conflict over land, trying to convert others.
- Matthew 10: 34-40 suggests that God should come before all others and people should be willing to fight in His name.
- The Crusades are an example of Holy War between Christians and Muslims fought over controlling Jerusalem.
- Many humanists believe that this type of war is wrong due to the reason behind it and the loss of life.
- Christians have a range of views depending on which texts and examples they prioritise.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Holy War: a war believed to be sanctioned or commanded by God, often fought to defend a faith, secure religious territory, or convert others to a religion
- Crusades: a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages, primarily over control of Jerusalem and other holy sites
- symbolic interpretation: understanding a religious text as using symbols or metaphors, rather than taking the words literally
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The Crusades were only about religion.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Religion may lead to war for reasons including defending its existence, conflict over land, trying to convert others. Matthew 10: 34-40 suggests that God should come before all others and people should be willing to fight in His name.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'Holy War'
a war believed to be sanctioned or commanded by God, often fought to defend a faith, secure religious territory, or convert others to a religion.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: The Crusades were only about religion. Correction: Religion was a big reason for the Crusades, but they were also about gaining land, power, and wealth. Wars often have multiple overlapping causes, not just one simple reason.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Contrasting religious views about violence Study Guide
- Different religious views about pacifism Study Guide
- Different religious views about weapons of mass destruction Study Guide
- Nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence Study Guide
- Pacifism Study Guide
- Reasons for war Study Guide
- Religion and peace-making Study Guide
- Religious responses to victims of war Study Guide
- Terrorism Study Guide
- The Just War theory Study Guide
- The meaning and significance of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation Study Guide
- The work of Christian Aid for victims of war Study Guide
- Violence, including violent protest Study Guide
- Weapons of mass destruction Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Religious education guide library.