Functional potential of religion in the context of war

author: Ihor Rusnak

Urgency of the research. Statistics show that more than 80% of people on Earth are religious. Complexity and intricacy of the question of the relationship between religion and war in modern geopolitical conditions, as well as the significant potential of religion and religious leaders in the context of influencing public opinion actualize the problem of religious functionality. A separate aspect is the question of the connection and mutual influence of religious organizations and political ideologies, which is especially important in the light of Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian state.

Target setting. The article problematizes the concept of “religious war”, shows the advantages and disadvantages of methodological approaches to its analysis and also indicated the need to establish clearer criteria for the use of this concept, given the risks of reputational loses of religion, especially in light of its potential to prevent military conflicts.

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. The article is based on a comparative analysis of open sources – statements by spiritual leaders, interviews, public lectures to identify relevant aspects of the functionality of religion in the light of the war, including in the Ukrainian context.

The research objective. To analyze the role of religion as an important factor in the formation of worldview attitudes through the prism of potentialism in the context of globalization processes and possible worldview crises in this regard.

The statement of basic materials. The concept of “religious war” is analyzed, comparative analysis of historical cases related to the relativization of religious attitudes, which were used in the political struggle and the implementation of political and ideological attitudes, was carried out. The article states the potential and prospects of religion in the context of the possibility of preventing war in connection with the peculiarity of the epistemological and axiological principles used by religion as a worldview system. The destructive influence of religious institutions that are not autonomous and perform an ideological function, as well as the need for a closer integration of the available state resources in the fight against such phenomena, is stated.

Conclusions. Almost all religious systems, because they are characterized by humanistic instructions, have a significant potential as a safeguard against war and are a factor capable of contributing to the end of military conflicts, but only under the condition of the autonomy of the religious institutions themselves and providing of active position in the public space, including in the context of the use of modern communication technologies.

Keywords: Abrahamic religions, war, constructive potential, politics, religion.

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