Martyrdom in Islam: Does Theology Matter?

March 28, 2006

Paul Heck led the conversation on martyrdom, a significant phenomenon in the international realm and often but not always (or necessarily) associated with the religion of Islam. It is an effective tool for animating nationalist consciousness. It has been put to the services of global terrorism. It is also an act of piety. Theology thus has something to say about this critical issue in today's world. The willingness, even desire, to die is not theologically uniform; the language of martyrdom is deployed in markedly different ways. Are there, then, different kinds of martyrdom with variable societal aims? Theological reflection offers the possibility of constructing a typology of martyrdom that may help us better identify the motivations of the martyr on today's global stage.
This event was cosponsored with the Mortara Center for International Studies.

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