Defining Religion

Religion as defined by Merriam-Webster is, “the belief in a god or in a group of gods; an organized

Although religions today take on many shapes and forms, and may seem so dramatically different from each other, in order to study and understand these religions, their similarities must be identified. This paper will first present a definition of religion that will connect to all religions at the simplest base. Then this paper will examine the common practices and experiences that are present in both the primary religions of the world, as well as the indigenous religions. Finally, this paper will discuss the issues that are critical to the academic study of religions.

It is from this account of history that Quinn 's own, abstract definition of the word religion begins to emerge. Quinn states that "any story that explains the meaning of the world, the intentions of the gods, and the destiny of man is bound to be mythology" (Quinn 45). Religion is the historical reference of the values held by a society, with regard to its culture and mythology. It is when meaning pertinent to how a culture should live is applied to the story currently being realized by that same culture that religious thoughts appear. Such a process could apply to any aspect of societies ' indoctrination, whether a Koran or Bible is used in the process or not. To expound upon this point, let us note that the philosopher Paul Griffiths similarly shares Quinn 's open interpretation of the nature of religion. In The Uniqueness of Religious Doctrines, he describes religious doctrines as having five major functions. They are the rules that govern the life of the community, and provide "structure and order the intellectual, affective, and practical life of the community" (Griffiths 541). As well, they also define the bounds of the community, excluding what

The author of the course textbook offered his definition of religion. Based on your own spiritual understandings and beliefs, do you agree with this definition? Explain your reasoning. Cite references where possible.

the structure of religions I’ve never acknowledged or been aware of. The author, James C.

Defining Religion "Religion is only the illusory sun which revolves round man as long as

The Peace of Augsburg and Martin Luther were very important in the shift of Europe after the Reformation.

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

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

Kimball states, “Religion is a central feature of human life. We all see many indications of it every day, and we all know it when we see it." (Kimball 15). Totems, witchcraft, liberalism, Japanese tea ceremonies, nationalism, sports, and a lot of other institutions treated under the rubric religion according to the religious studies literature. Comparable to Theravada Buddhism and Confucianism, if one tries to limit the meaning of the religion faith in God or gods then certain belief systems that conviction called religions for a fact. If the value adds belief systems, then all sorts of practices go down under the definition of religion.

     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.

Religion can be defined with six characteristics: Sacred, myth, ritual, community, morality, and religious leaders. The first concept of religion is sacred, which is the idea that religion binds individuals and communities together. Myth is not the conventional definition we think of rather a much deeper concept. Myth is derived from the Greek word of “mythos” and is defined as a story that “ties and binds” humans into a powerful story about their destiny and origins. These stories, however, have profound truths behind life and should not be confused with fake stories.

What is religion? Each person’s definition of religion is different. Each person’s faith is different. This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and regardless of the answer given there is no right or wrong answer. Religion can be defined as a group of people who have shared beliefs who feel their life has purpose or meaning. This feeling or belief that their life has meaning can come from outside of themselves, as well as within. Taking this one step further, these shared beliefs put into action in the form of worship, can be easily identified because they happen regularly. It can be said the Primal religions were in fact not religions. Some may argue Confucianism is not a religion. Others may say Taoism is not a

What is Religion? Religion has many meanings; a way of life, belief, and practices. In America people have different views on religion; it was indicated in the constitution. What is the constitution? The constitution is set of laws approved by the state. Religion and constitution are separate. As stated in the constitution of the United State of America, the first amendment, “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” In other words the constitution and religion are not connected. The founder fathers meant when talking about “freedom of Religion,” is that the state and church are separate; because people saw the church as mass control, people were also affected by the English’s monarchies and lastly the Americans

The Problem of Definition of Religion The study of religion is problematic. There are so many dimensions to religion (belief, practice, experience, knowledge and consequences) that it is impossible to provide a conclusive definition. Most sociologists do not believe in God. Functionalist views on Religion -------------------------------