Scholars have not reached a consensus on whether religious groups help induce contentious collective action or help keep social peace and stability. As such three main points are often disagreed on.

1. Do religious doctrines and values make religious groups more or less likely to participate and lunch collective contention?
2. Do religious groups reflect and/or reinforce politically-relevant divisions that could affect which party or government group is in charge (possible regime change)?
3. Do religious groups' organizational structures facilitate or prevent contentious collective action?