This analysis of the evolution of religious political violence outlines the differences between secular and religious political violence, on ideological, strategic, and tactical levels before comparing the concept of Holy War in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Lastly, it shows how modern radical monotheistic religious groups interpret and manipulate their religious sources and ideas to advocate their political agendas, including the practice of violence. A unique comparative study of religious political violence across Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, this text features many international case studies from the Crusades to the Arab Spring. --Publisher's description.

The origins of political violence and "terror". Ancient and medieval concepts ; The rise of modern secular-agenda political violence ; The rise of modern religious-agenda political violence -- The early origins of holy war in monotheism. The origins of holy war in Judaism ; The origins of holy war in Christianity ; The attitudes toward jihad in medieval Islam -- From holy war to modern terror. The rise of modern religious violence in Judaism ; The rise of modern religious violence in Christianity ; The rise of modern religious violence in Islam.