What is it about?
Extremism and violence based on faith exist in different parts of the African continent, where the interpretation of religious texts is employed as the main motive to justify the clashes with the existing society. This applies to all major religions in Africa, including Christianity. Accordingly, this paper seeks to study the impact of extremist Christian movements on African society, including their vision of the “other,” whether Muslim or non-Muslim. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to define the concepts of Jihad and new religious movements in the African experience. By comparing them with violent Islamic jihadist movements, this paper will attempt to locate the religious factor in an array of African conflicts.
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Why is it important?
This study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it put radical Christian movements on the research agenda for studying the phenomenon of violent religious extremism. This study finds no significant difference between Islamic jihad and Christian jihad, as each seeks to politically exploit religion for political ends.
Perspectives
I hope that this article clarifies what some may believe is a topic that is only relevant to Islamic extremism, as religious extremism affects all religions, including Christianity and Judaism. Because the way religion is exploited for political ends is not just a problem that worries believers of a particular religion - it is a problem that affects every human on this planet in one way or another. Above all, and at the very least, I hope you find this article thought-provoking.
Professor Hamdy A. Hassan
Zayed University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Religion as a Security Threat, Journal of Religion in Africa, March 2022, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/15700666-12340216.
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