Causes and historical patterns
Background on the relationship between religious identity, conflict and systems of power.
Conflict, harm and prevention
Religion, violence and persecution
An educational gateway to historical context and archived reporting on violence connected with religious identity, ideology, institutions or hostility toward belief communities.
Historical material presented with care and context.Reading this collection
Belief is rarely the only cause
Religious language can be used to justify hostility, persecution or political violence. It can also motivate resistance, protection, reconciliation and care. Responsible study therefore asks how belief interacts with power, nationalism, prejudice, social conditions, institutions and individual decisions.
This page is an archive menu rather than a claim that any religion or community is inherently violent. The linked essays range from broad historical surveys to dated reports about specific events. Their publication dates and terminology belong to the archive and may not describe current conditions.
Dated event records
Selected archive reports
These links document specific incidents. Dates identify the events, not recent publication or endorsement of every archived formulation.
Christian–Muslim cooperation against terrorism
Archived reports from 2015–2016 about cooperation across faith lines in response to extremist violence.
Read the archive entry →Attacks in Manchester and other cities
A 2017 archive covering attacks in Manchester, Charlottesville, Las Vegas and New York.
Open the event archive →Orlando nightclub mass shooting
Context surrounding the June 2016 attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Read the archived report →Quebec City mosque shooting
A four-part archive about the January 2017 attack on worshippers in Quebec City.
Pittsburgh synagogue attack and related crimes
Four archived pages addressing 2018 crimes with racial or religious components in Florida, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Christchurch mosque attacks
A five-part record concerning the March 2019 attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Synagogue attacks and disrupted plans
Archived reports from California, Germany, Colorado and Georgia during 2019.
Regional conflict files
Older reference pages about conflict involving religious, political and ethnic identities.
Responses
Prevention, law and solidarity
The archive also considers attempts to protect communities, reduce persecution and interrupt cycles of hostility.
Identify context
Distinguish religious teaching from political goals, prejudice, coercion and institutional power.
Protect people
Center the safety, rights and dignity of communities targeted because of belief or identity.
Examine responses
Study law, public policy, interfaith cooperation and community action without assuming a single remedy.
Read historically
Treat older reports as dated records and verify current facts through reliable, up-to-date sources.
Reader guide
Frequently asked questions
Does this page claim that religion causes violence?
No. The archive examines cases in which religious identity, rhetoric or institutions were factors. Political, ethnic, economic and personal factors commonly overlap.
Are all linked reports current?
No. Many are historical website pages about events from earlier decades. Dates and context should be checked before using them to describe present conditions.
Why are terrorism and institutional abuse grouped here?
They are different forms of harm. This menu brings together source material about serious violence and coercion while keeping separate subject headings for each.
Where can I read about less severe forms of hostility?
See the sections on religiously motivated hostility and conflict, oppression and discrimination.
Does the archive generalize about whole communities?
It should not. Organizations, governments and individuals are not interchangeable with every member of a religious or non-religious group.
Where can I find material about peace?
Begin with attaining peace, religious tolerance and religious freedom.
How can I report a factual or wording concern?
Use the contact page or email info@religioustolerance.en-html.org with the page title and relevant details.