Global Perspectives

Contributor Perspectives

Geopolitics and the history of religious violence.

Geopolitical disruption, confounding religious edicts and social upheaval have created a recipe for the killings of clergymen over the past two decades. When political stability is scarce, religion might play a steadying role. But despite many good efforts within faith communities, and with the assistance of the media's megaphone, dogma seems to be trumping righteousness.

Of Murder, Men and God

Highlights

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

France

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Iraq

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Politics

Military & Security

The Jihadist Wars

Human history is littered with killings in the name of God. Many cases are called religious wars: the Battle of Jericho, the Battle of Badr and the Crusades, to name a few. Some target specific communities: the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, the persecution of Yazidis. And some are political, including the assassinations of Umar, Uthman, and Ali, the second, third and fourth "rightly guided" caliphs of Islam after the death of the Prophet Mohammed.

Into which category do we put the recent killings of Catholic clergy by Muslims?

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Of Murder, Men and God

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