Comparative Religion was by far one of the most eye-opening courses I took as an undergraduate. Going into the course, I thought I would be simply comparing religions. I thought I would be learning about various religions and the similarities and differences between those religions. However, it was quite different. Yes, I learned about the major world religions and their practices, but more importantly, I learned how to approach the study of religion through various religious scholars. One of the hardest parts of the course was not being able to truly define “religion”. It is based too much on an individual’s interpretation and personal beliefs; therefore an unbiased definition cannot be given. Tweed puts it perfectly as “doomed attempts to characterize religion” (Tweed, 30). However, after studying religious scholars, Tweed, Reader, Eade, and Sallnow, I was able to come up with this definition of religion. Religion is based on an individual’s belief or non-belief in a higher power, way of life, and values. Religion occurs on an internal and external level that is influenced by society, institutions, and religious texts.
My favorite definition of religion is by Thomas Tweed, “Religions are confluences of organic-cultural flows that intensify joy and confront suffering by drawing on human and superhuman forces to make homes and cross boundaries” (Tweed, 54). Meaning, religion is a convergence of factors that intensify joy and confront suffering by leaning on both human and
Religion as defined by Merriam-Webster is, “the belief in a god or in a group of gods; an organized
Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, principles and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or
Religion is defined as A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual being (Mifflin). It is known that many of our behaviours are determined by the presence of religion in one's life. Religion implants its principles in a person and their attitudes, personality, morals and ethics and alters it to a great extent. This
Religion is a system of several characteristics combined together to form a dynamic, living reality. These characteristics are sacred texts and writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies and beliefs and believers. These characteristics are established in both immanent and transcendent worldviews.
What is the true definition of the word religion? Well, religion is a set of beliefs and practices that recognize the existence of a god or many gods. We need religion in our lives because it gives us a sense of belonging to our common faith and helps us set morals in our lives. The importance of faith in our lives has created a bigger understanding to us and has showed us how we can have a closer link to it.
Religion is the belief in an ever-living God, that is, in a Divine Mind and Will ruling the Universe and holding moral relations with mankind. (James Martineau)
Definitions of religion tend to suffer from one of two problems: they are either too narrow and exclude many of the belief systems which most people will agree are religious, or they are too vague and ambiguous, leading one to conclude that just about any and everything is actually a religion. Thus defining
Upon reading the chapters written by both Kessler and Martin this week I believe that this will be an interesting course for the seven remaining weeks. Even though I identify myself as a follower of the Christian faith, I think it will be nice to have a fresh outlook on religion from the outsider's point of view. From my time as a first grader through my time as an eighth grader, I spent at least an hour or two each week learning about the Catholic faith in a religion class. Also, I would like to see how this course will possibly change my outlook or open my eyes to different aspects of religion. In addition, I expect to have discussions about several religions from the various regions of the world. I hope that these discussions will help me broaden my understanding and appreciation of other religion and cultural backgrounds
What is religion? Is it a type of belief or worship? Is it simply an interest? According to Dr. Shaun Casey, who served as the U.S. Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs for several years, there is no official definition of religion. In fact, the term is “problematic.” Religion is viewed as being the cause of violence around the world, or can be seen from the perspective of opposing or fighting for religious freedom. As a result, religion is a multivalent force, which is why we must have knowledge of religion, rather than promoting religion.
As a result, I believe that the best definition of religion is “a set of guidelines that defines who you are, whether or not you worship a god or gods. Religion varies from person to person and is based on personal faith and it is also greater than its followers and allows individuals to explore the true meaning of life” (Nguyen and Ibaviosa et al., 2014)
Western scholars of religion have attempted to define the term religion for a long time. Often times, these definitions are too narrow and are based on the individual’s own background and
The different approaches in how many people define religion gives different effects on how people actually group the word in different categories. According to the book “introduction to the study of religion” the authors gives a brief statement about how religion is interpreted. They state two definitions “1. Religion is awareness expressed through symbols of relationship to, or participation in, the fundamental power of life. And 2. Religions are symbol systems that facilitate relationship to, or participation in, what the members understand to be the fundamental power of life.” (Ring, Nash, MacDonald, and Glenmon, p 79). This explanation the book gives explains why it is so difficult to define religion. There are
What is a religion? A religion is defined by Richard Schaefer as a unified system of beliefs and practices that relate to what is believed to be sacred (Schaefer, Richard T, 2009, pg 323). There are many world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, and so forth, and while all of these different religions are
According to the American College Dictionary, religion is a noun defined as the quest for the values of the ideal life. This definition is vast and general, allowing for a variety of interpretations by people from all cultures. There is no single path to follow in order to lead an ideal life, only personal beliefs and experiences. Religion is non-finite so there is no way of determining a boundary (Smart, 5). In my quest for a true understanding of what religion is I explored my own traditions and religious beliefs as well as life experiences. Slowly, with the added insight from the text and videos, my own definition of religion has begun to take shape.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: “the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain the worship of one or more than one spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the