One of the most pressing issues of our time is the outbreak of extremist violence and terrorism, done in the name of religion. This volume critically analyses the link made between religion and violence in contemporary theory and proposes that 'religion' does not have a special relation to violence in opposition to culture, ideology or nationalism. Rather, religion and violence must be understood with relation to fundamental anthropological and philosophical categories such as culture, desire, disaster and rivalry. Does Religion Cause Violence? explores contemporary instances of religious violence, such as Islamist terrorism and radicalization in its various political, economic, religious, military and technological dimensions, as well as the legitimacy and efficacy of modern cultural mechanisms to contain violence, such as nuclear deterrence. Including perspectives from experts in theology, philosophy, terrorism studies, and Islamic studies, this volume brings together the insights of René Girard, the premier theorist of violence in the 20th century, with the latest scholarship on religion and violence, particularly exploring the nature of extremist violence. This volume of outstanding essays begins with the master-question 'Does religion cause violence?' and ends with a careful look at the case of Islamic terrorism. In between it explores modern forms of containing violence. René Girard's mimetic theory is invoked, questioned, criticized and stretched as the writers respond to vexing question of how religion seems to both invite and defer violence. We learn about the ways in which religion and the sacred, politics and spirituality, Christianity and Islam all intersect with each other and with the problem of violence in our modern world, and in so learning we are invited to take steps to undo the knots that disfigure love into hate.