How the US, Israel and Iran Are All Using Religion to Garner Support
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Toby Matthiesen analyzes how leaders from all three Abrahamic faith traditions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—are invoking religious scripture and doctrine to justify the current war involving the US, Israel, and Iran. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth used biblical language at a Pentagon service to frame the conflict as a holy war, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu invoked the Jewish holiday of Purim and compared Iran to the biblical Amalekites. Meanwhile, evangelical Christianity has gained significant influence over the Trump administration, with some troops reportedly told the war is part of “God’s divine plan.”
On Iran’s side, the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—the first assassination of a head of state by a foreign country in decades—has been framed through Shia martyrdom narratives. His son Mojtaba Khamenei emphasized messianic themes, including the “Hidden 12th Imam.” The article notes that while the Catholic Church has condemned the war as “immoral,” and responses from the broader Muslim world remain divided, the fusion of messianic and apocalyptic elements with authoritarian nationalism across all three traditions sets a dangerous precedent that has received insufficient criticism.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
All Three Faiths Invoking War
For the first time in decades, political leaders from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are simultaneously using religious scripture to legitimize warfare.
US Evangelical Influence Growing
Evangelical Christianity has gained unprecedented influence over the Trump administration, with Christian Zionist beliefs shaping foreign policy toward Israel and Iran.
Netanyahu’s Biblical Framing
Israel’s prime minister invoked Purim and compared Iran to the Amalekites—biblical enemies God ordered to be completely destroyed—to justify military action.
Historic Assassination of Khamenei
The killing of Ayatollah Khamenei marks the first assassination of a head of state by a foreign country in decades and the first killing of a senior Grand Ayatollah by a foreign power in centuries.
Divided Religious Responses
While Iran’s Shia clerics declared Khamenei a martyr, Sunni responses are mixed—complicated by Iran’s attacks on Sunni-majority countries hosting US bases.
Catholic Church Dissents
In contrast to evangelical support, the Catholic Church has condemned the war as “immoral” and “unjust,” with Pope Leo calling it a “scandal to the whole human family.”
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
Religion Is Being Weaponized Across All Sides
The central argument is that leaders from all three major Abrahamic faiths are simultaneously instrumentalizing religious scripture and messianic narratives to justify warfare—a convergence not seen in decades. While the war itself is not primarily about religion, Matthiesen argues that this fusion of apocalyptic religious rhetoric with authoritarian nationalism sets a dangerous precedent that has received insufficient criticism compared to violations of international law.
Purpose
To Expose and Critique Religious Instrumentalization
Matthiesen writes to document and analyze how religious language is being deployed by all parties in the conflict, while critically noting that this use of faith has escaped the scrutiny applied to other aspects of the war. The article serves both as reportage—cataloging specific instances of religious rhetoric—and as a warning about the dangerous precedent being established.
Structure
US Christianity → Israeli Judaism → Iranian Shi’ism → Broader Reactions
The article moves systematically through each party’s religious framing: beginning with US evangelical Christianity and Hegseth’s Pentagon service, then examining Netanyahu’s Jewish biblical references, followed by Iranian Shia martyrdom narratives. It concludes by surveying reactions from other religious voices—the Catholic Church’s condemnation and the divided Sunni Muslim response—before issuing a final warning.
Tone
Analytical, Concerned & Scholarly
Matthiesen maintains academic objectivity while documenting each side’s religious rhetoric, but his concern is evident in words like “worrying development” and “dangerous precedent.” The tone is measured and factual rather than polemical, relying on specific examples and direct quotations. The conclusion explicitly calls for change, revealing the author’s normative stance beneath the scholarly analysis.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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A Latin phrase meaning “God wills it,” historically used as a battle cry during the medieval Crusades and now associated with Christian military nationalism.
“…including one which reads ‘Deus Vult’, God wills it, and is associated with the medieval crusades.”
A biblical people described as archenemies of ancient Israel whom God commanded to be completely destroyed—men, women, children, and livestock.
“Netanyahu has also compared Iran to the biblical Amalekites (a theme he has used to refer to Hamas in Gaza, drawing criticism from the United Nations).”
A belief among some Christians that the return of Jews to Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem will hasten the Second Coming of Christ.
“…believing in Christian Zionism or that the strengthening of the state of Israel will ultimately lead to the erection of the Temple in Jerusalem and hasten the arrival of the day of judgement.”
In Twelver Shia Islam, the last imam who went into occultation and is believed to return on the Day of Judgment as the Mahdi to establish justice.
“…including an opening reference to the ‘Hidden 12th Imam’, who is meant to return on the day of judgement, according to Shia doctrine.”
A Jewish holiday commemorating the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot to destroy them, as told in the Book of Esther.
“He invoked the Jewish holiday of Purim, which fell on March 2-3 this year, and which celebrates the Jewish escape from a plot by Haman…”
A branch of Islam distinct from both Sunni and Shia traditions, predominant in Oman and known for its emphasis on moderation and tolerance.
“Some senior non-Shia clerics, including the mufti of Oman—a prominent scholar of the Ibadi branch of Islam—declared Khamenei a martyr.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, the current war is primarily about religious differences between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
2Why did Netanyahu invoke the story of Purim when announcing the war against Iran?
3Which sentence best captures the author’s central concern about the use of religious rhetoric in this conflict?
4Based on the article, evaluate the following statements about religious responses to the war:
The Catholic Church has condemned the war as “immoral” and “unjust.”
All major Sunni clerical institutions have vocally supported Iran against the US and Israel.
Even Shia clerics who had antagonistic relationships with Khamenei declared him a martyr after his death.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5Based on the article, what would the author most likely advocate for?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Christian Zionism is the belief held by some evangelical Christians that the strengthening of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem will hasten Jesus’s Second Coming and the Day of Judgment. This theological position translates into strong political support for Israel among American evangelicals, influencing US foreign policy. The article notes that evangelical movements have “vastly increased their political influence” and often support both right-wing domestic politicians and Israel internationally.
The article describes this as breaking norms “in more ways than one.” It is the first assassination of a sitting head of state by a foreign country in many decades. Additionally, it is described as “the first time in centuries—perhaps ever—that one of Shi’ism’s most senior Grand Ayatollahs has been killed by a foreign power.” This dual significance—both in international relations and in Shia religious history—helps explain the intensity of the martyrdom narrative that followed.
Shia clerics broadly united in declaring Khamenei a martyr, even those who had antagonistic relationships with him. Sunni responses are more divided. While some individual clerics (like the mufti of Oman and the Sunni mufti of Iraq) expressed support for Iran, major Sunni institutions have been less vocal. The article attributes this partly to historical Sunni-Shia tensions and partly to Iran’s attacks on Sunni-majority countries that host American military bases.
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This article is rated Intermediate. It requires familiarity with current geopolitical events and religious terminology from multiple traditions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). The vocabulary includes specialized religious terms like “messianic,” “apocalyptic,” and “Twelver Shia,” as well as historical references to biblical figures and Islamic doctrine. However, the article explains key concepts clearly and is suitable for readers preparing for CAT, GRE, or GMAT examinations.
Toby Matthiesen writes for The Conversation, an academic news outlet where experts analyze current events. His analysis demonstrates scholarly knowledge of all three Abrahamic traditions and their political expressions—from American evangelical Christianity and Christian Zionism to Israeli religious Zionism, Twelver Shia messianism, and the various branches of Islam (Shia, Sunni, and Ibadi). This interdisciplinary expertise allows him to trace how religious rhetoric is being deployed across all parties in the conflict.
The Ultimate Reading Course covers 9 RC question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, Multi-Statement T/F, Text Highlight, Fill in the Blanks, Matching, Sequencing, Error Spotting, and Short Answer. This comprehensive coverage prepares you for any reading comprehension format you might encounter.
