In order to examine how religion plays a role in the violence that occurs in the state of Northern Ireland, we must first look at one aspect: The separation of church and state. When we look at an issue that involves two groups with different religions

Investigate the potential for resolving conflicts between religion and politics

The use of conflict to try and resolve political, religious or cultural differences has existed for centuries, Violence and the State are still two prevailing issues in our world today. It is often assumed that violence and fighting occurs between peoples of very different nationalities or cultures; that there differences are too great for there to ever be peace or compromise. This, however, is not the case; it is people with the most similar backgrounds that have the hardest time agreeing. This is the situation in Northern Ireland. The Anglo-Irish conflict in Northern Ireland is a complex web that involves a struggle between classes, government power, and religion. This conflict began before the 18th century when Ireland was ruled and governed by the British until a heightened sense of Irish nationalism arose. The Irish people wanted freedom from the British government and the independence to rule themselves. Eventually the disputes were consolidated to Northern Ireland. Factors such as class struggle and politics became further entwined in this web. In Ireland, two distinct groups eventually emerged. There was the lower class that supported nationalism and the freedom of Ireland, and the upper class (unionists) that supported the “union” of England and Ireland.

In general, the English and upper classes are Protestant, and the lower class nationalists are Roman Catholic; however religion does not play a direct role in the conflict. It does, however, have some effect on the constant struggles between the two groups. For example, the fighting is not due to a disagreement over religious beliefs. Religion has, however, played a major role in distinguishing one class or group from the other, and both religious groups, especially the Roman Catholics have been persecuted for their religion.

In order to examine how religion plays a role in the violence ...

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In order to examine how religion plays a role in the violence that occurs in the state of Northern Ireland, we must first look at one aspect: The separation of church and state. When we look at an issue that involves two groups with different religions, we must ask ourselves one question. “If religion were absent, would the fighting still exist?” In the case of Northern Ireland it most certainly would. This is why we can say that religion does not play a direct role in the conflict. We can’t say, however, that it has no effect on the politics that surround the issue. The mix of church and state in the conflict is inevitable due to the strong religious values that each side of the conflict abides by. This point can be illustrated by republican hunger strike that occurred in Northern Ireland in 1981when men who served in the Irish Republican Army (IRA), were taken prisoners under the British rule as terrorists and were sentenced under criminal charges. The men refused to recognise the British Court System and insisted that they be held as prisoners of war, since they considered themselves to be soldiers fighting to preserve their country from foreign rule. The situation created disorder amongst lower class Irish Catholics who resided in Northern Ireland; wall murals in the Catholic ghettos portrayed the suffering of the
hunger strikers in imagery that evoked the death of Christ; catholic clergy made similar comparisons before and during the hunger strike. Catholic priests, Bishops, and Cardinals became very influential in the protest. They were the only people allowed in the prisons in order to provide services and administer Holy Communion to the prisoners. They then reported to the public the horrific situations the prisoners faced. The Republican hunger strikes demonstrated the indirect role that religion played in the fight. Religion also served as a source of comfort to the prisoners and their families. Because of this, Catholics were associated with the Republican prisoners and Protestants were associated with the British government even though the reason for their imprisonment was not religious.

Another example of the confusion between church and state in the Anglo-Irish conflict was the formation of the Catholic Association. Daniel O’Connell formed the Catholic Association in 1823 to protest British rule. The association; however, was totally dependent on the clergy and church structure for its support and funding. O’Connell made the dues very low in order to assure that the lower class, who at the time were mostly Catholic, could become members and finally feel that they had representation in government. They spoke and fought on political issues; but got their support from the church, which is another way in which religion played an indirect role in the violence and protest in Ireland.

Using religion, as an excuse to fight is another aspect that we must look at when studying violence in Northern Ireland. It is all too common that war occurs “in the name of religion.” Religion is used to make separations and distinctions between groups, even if the disagreement isn’t religious. For example, in Ireland, Catholics are classified as being rebellious republicans and Protestants are assumed to be unionists, supporting the union of Britain and Ireland. This however, is not always the case. Not every Catholic is a radical republican and not every protestant is a Unionists. Religion, however, has been used to persecute and discriminate against. The numbers of innocent Irish Catholics, who have been arrested and penalised by the British system because they are assumed to be militant protestors, are immeasurable. The Irish saw Catholiscm as a way to express their identity and preserve their goals towards individual liberty, the English could never interpret Catholiscm as anything other than the enemy of liberty.

In conclusion, violence and religion are two terms that are unfortunately very hard to separate. The shocking thing about the situation in Northern Ireland is that both sides of the dispute are Christian traditions. There is no doctrine or rule in either denomination of Christianity that calls for such violence. Christianity is supposed to be a religion that fosters peace and forgiveness. For peace to exist within religion, the UK would have to be run as a theocracy, however, this will never work as globalisation takes hold and multiculturalism and multiethnicity look to break barriers but fail.

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