Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence

Wars, terrorism, aggressive intolerance, and social violence have accompanied humanity throughout history. Is religion to blame, which is increasingly accused of this? History from the Stone Age to the present reveals a complex picture. Built into the state apparatus, religion in early agricultural societies becomes a tool of social oppression.
In the name of religion, many crimes are committed; it justifies colonization and slavery, pogroms and terrorist attacks. And yet, from century to century, faith softens manners and teaches to see one's neighbor not only in blood relatives. Humanity owes its being to religions, which have prevented it from getting stuck at the level of barbarism, where each tribe is surrounded by hostile tribes.
This fascinating study of the history of religious wars and the role of religion in power and politics, written by the world-renowned religious scholar Karen Armstrong, is a profound and impartial account of the experiences of various religions: paganism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.