A dialectical engagement with key symbols of religiously motivated violence through the insights of Bernard Lonergan

The aim of this thesis is to dialectically engage key symbols of religiously motivated violence through the insights of Bernard Lonergan. The scope of the thesis covers four symbols: cosmic war, martyrdom, demonisation and warrior empowerment. These symbols are employed by sociologists such as Mark Juergensmeyer and psychologists such as James Jones to argue the link between religion and violence. They have also been used by the RAND group, a non-profit think tank, through its National Security Division framing an understanding of terrorism through the metaphor of cosmic war. Each of these symbols when interpreted empirically connects warfare, religion and social order. Religion is viewed more as part of the problem and not part of the solution to violence.