Religious Diversity in the Middle East and its impact on patterns of global Interaction
- October 13, 2021
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue IX, September 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186
Religious Diversity in the Middle East and its impact on patterns of global Interaction
Ugwoegbu, Edmund Ugochukwu1, Umeh Lucy Chinwe2
1Department of Religion, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusette, United States
2Department of International Relations, Godfrey Okoye University, Thinkers Corner, Enugu State, Nigeria
Abstract: Religion has remained the key to understanding politics in the Middle East and it has a pronounced impact in the global society at large. The three monotheistic religion namely Christianity, Islam and Judaism originated in the Middle East with Islamic religion predominating. The estimated population of over 411 million includes 13 million Arab Migrants as of this year 2021 was 90% Muslims with religious diversity existing within the Islamic realm and also among the 10% of non-Muslims in the region. This study dissected religious diversity in Middle East using Structural Functionalism theory, documentary method and content analysis of varieties of religion which appears to be a regular feature of the modern complex society. It therefore discovered Middle East as the hub of conflict/terrorism due to its highly diversified nature when it comes to religion and the more diverse its religious population, the more violent its domestic conflict tend to be. However, it recommended that all the diverse religious population should embrace ecumenism and unification of the complex structures that will perform cordial functions of accommodation of the diverse religions in order to avert conflict among the difference religions that exist within the Middle East geographical area.
Key Words: Religious, Diversity, Muslims, Christianity, Judaism.
I. INTRODUCTION
The strife between Israel and Palestine today has been identified by scholars as a continuation of the ancient strife between Judaism and Islam. Religion becomes therefore, a nuclear energy for the destruction of the minorities in the Middle East.
This study looks at Religious diversity in the Middle East and its patterns on global interaction. It’s an effort to look at the various religious affiliations in the Middle East, and then how these affiliations have impacted positively or negatively in global interaction. Why people have clung to particular religions and how such religions have helped in cursing so much pain not only to the minorities in the region, but has put the world in a state of panic due to the proliferation of religious beliefs which are contrary to the acceptable standards of human existence.
