THE ROLE OF RELIGIONS AND CULTURES IN CONFLICTS
THE ROLE OF RELIGIONS AND CULTURES IN CONFLICTS

Summary/Abstract: All major religions claim to call for peace in their messages and to actively contribute to peace in times of conflict. However, it must be noted that the scriptures of all religions also contain texts that can be interpreted as calls to violence. The question arises whether in conflicts such as the Balkan Wars, the Northern Ireland conflicts, Israel/Palestine, or even the Crusades, belonging to a religious community is the basis and trigger for military actions, or whether religious differentiation is only a reinforcing consequence of other conflict-promoting factors.Research largely works with Vilhelm Aubert’s conflict typology, distinguishing between interest conflicts (disputes over scarce goods) and value conflicts (morality, religion, ideology, rule). Since people are more easily mobilized in value conflicts and the willingness to use violence and to be a victim increases, rulers today, as in the past, are striving to ideologically charge interest conflicts and transform them into value conflicts.After an extensive treatment of examples (Crusades, Balkan War, Northern Ireland conflict, etc.), this study concludes: Many collective long-lasting conflicts in Europe initially suggest religious causes. However, a differentiated examination shows that it is not the religious origin but rather the differentiation from the other culture and the inherent fear of the foreignness of others that is usually the dominant basis for enmity.Examples of worldwide peace initiatives based on religious grounds are listed, which demonstrate that religions are “experts” in processing memories (Healing of Memories) for peacekeeping and for sustainable reconciliation between nations, cultures, and religions.

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