Jonathan Z Smith's Attempt To Define Magic To Muggles

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

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.

In the story, Quinn never truly defines religion, despite drawing on several examples of both Eastern and Western religious thought. By leaving religion to be broadly interpreted, he subtly demonstrates his personal contempt for the way that the word is currently used in today 's society. Gage Canadian Dictionary defines it in three ways. First it is the "belief in or worship of god or gods." According to

In the study of religion, one can quickly discern that there are two major differentiations between the anthropological definition of religion, and that of religion in the context of belief systems. Religion, in the context of anthropology, can often be related to social institutions. On the other hand, religion in the context of belief systems indicate faith in something or someone...such as oneself, a god, or object. As identified by scholar Clifford Geertz, the anthropological definition of religion is “a system of symbols which acts to (1) establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (2) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (3) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality

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.

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

The meaning of religion is something that scholars, along with society at large, have attempted to define for centuries. Although the term cannot truly have one solid meaning, it is clear that religion is much more than a set of beliefs and practices. In Religion: The Basics, author Mallory Nye discusses his approach to studying religion. In arguing that culture and religion strongly influence each other, he explains that those studying religion must make people and culture their focus, as variations even within the same religions exist and must be considered. Moreover, Nye explains how religion is, essentially, a universal concept, as it takes form in an array of shapes across the globe. With Nye’s argument, I have developed new insights

Religion is a fundamental element of human society. It is what binds a country, society or group of individuals together. However, in some instances it destroys unity amoungst these. Religion is a belief in a superhuman entity(s) which control(s) the universe. Every religion has its differences but most strive for a just life and the right morals. The three major groups are the primal regions which consist of African, Aboriginal and Native American religions, Asian which consist of South Eastern Asian religions and Abrahamic religions which consist of Middle Eastern religions. The foci of this essay are the differences between the Abrahamic religion, Christianity, and the Asian region Buddhism as well as making reference to the Islamic

There are several important ideas and most interesting thoughts that are poised by Smith that communicated to me directly. Some of the most important ideas that Smith depicted were a result of events that he experienced. He was able to observe traits from others who believed they “knew” a religion and he was actually able to explain to them the difference in sentences and phrases that one was able to understand and comprehend. It is important for one to not only study a religion and practice it but for one to be devoted to the religion. Religion is a part of life, and to live you must have religion in your life. In his article he continuously states that he is not defining the religion although he may not realize that he actually is. He is defining the religion as a concept in which an outside reader is able to understand. “The man of religious faith lives in this world. He is subject to its pressures, limited within its imperfections, particularized within one or another of its always-varying

In this essay I will be looking at the theories of Edward Burnett Tylor and Émile Durkheim, and comparing them to see which theory I think gives a better explanation about what religion is, or whether religion is actually definable. On the one hand we have Tylor’s theory that tells us that religion is belief in spiritual beings and that religion is just a step on the way to reaching full evolutionary potential. Durkheim’s theory, however, says that religion is very much a social aspect of life, and something can only be religious or “sacred” if it is something public (Durkheim 1965:52). Ultimately these theories do not give us an outright explanation about what ‘religion’ is, but there are aspects of the theory that can be used to gain an understanding or idea.

When discussing religion, many people have different perspectives about religion beliefs and how to approach it. Religion is grouped in different sections such as, religion and spirituality, religion and philosophy, and religion and politics. Religion has many different views from different cultures because everyone approaches it differently with different beliefs also. To make something religion, is to have some type of belief in God, but everyone’s belief is different depending on the culture someone is located in. In society back then and today, religion has no set essence of a definition because of the different aspects people group religion in. This paper will explain the different aspects of what people believe constitutes different types of religion.

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.

A definition of Religion is and can be academically useful. It’s the same as with science as it is with religion, the ability to have a definition, creates academic validity for the subject. One has the ability to point to a certain section or a topic of a book and then support themselves with a fundamental definition. Now the problem that arises in religious studies is that the definition is not always accurate or consistent. Many different academic scholars and writers have their own beliefs and reasoning as to what religion is and thus they tend to create their own definitions. Which is why if one reads Mircea Eliade’s, The Sacred and the Profane, and then goes on to read Edward Burnett Tylor’s, Primirive Culture, they would be presented with two entirely different definitions of religion. For example Eliade essentially defined religion as “the one unique and irreducible element – the element of the sacred” (Pals 272) in relation to that of the profane. This definition created by Eliade fit in perfectly with his theories of religion. Essentially, Eliade believed that the daily life of a person was connected to this idea of the sacred, by the appearance of the sacred, known as “hierophany,” or “theophany” if an appearance of a god occurs. Then Eliade attempts to provide validity to the definition he has created by using the “archaic man.” The archaic man wished to return to a lost paradise, free from historic time as a way to escape their insignificance. The archaic man

     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.