Religion 101: Defining Religion

Religion 101 aims to explore religion broadly, addressing what it is and how it is studied academically.
The primary challenge is defining "religion" because people already have preconceived notions.
The aim is to demonstrate that the definition of religion is subjective, blurry, and contested.

The term "religion" is variably used to define:
- A system of doctrines.
- A set of cultural practices shared by a society.
- A body of myths.
Key questions include:
- What constitutes a religion?
- What differentiates a religion (e.g., Buddhism) from a philosophy (e.g., Aristotle's philosophy)?
- Why is secular humanism sometimes considered a religion and sometimes not?

The English word "religion" differs significantly from its Latin origin, "religio."
"Religio" in Latin referred to socially acceptable cultic duties performed for the gods, such as sacrifices at state-funded temples.
"Religio" was opposed to unsanctioned, suspicious rituals and beliefs, termed "superstitio."
Christianity was initially labeled as "superstitio" by the Romans.
The modern definition of religion encompasses both "superstitio" and "religio," unlike the ancient Roman understanding.
The modern category of religion is shaped by the past 100 years of Western scholarship.
This category of religion didn't exist in other cultures, especially not in ancient Rome.

Offered a minimalist definition: religion as belief in supernatural beings.
He was interested in finding the primitive religion from which all religions evolved.
Tyler posited that belief in spirits (animism) evolved into polytheism and then into monotheism.
Most contemporary anthropologists view this definition as overly simplistic as the religion evolution theory does not hold up to scrutiny, and religion involves more than belief in supernatural beings.

Defined religion as a fundamentally social phenomenon reflecting societal needs and concerns.
He defined religion as "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community, called a church, all those who adhere to them."
Durkheim emphasized society and the unified community.
Religion socializes individuals into a larger community and obligates them to live by society's rules.
Religious beliefs and practices give ultimate significance to society and its ideology.
This perspective is currently popular among scholars.

Some scholars have abandoned a unified definition in favor of a family resemblances definition.
Wittgenstein applied this strategy to defining games.
It might not be possible to find a single characteristic applicable to all games, but similarities can be identified.
For example, tic-tac-toe and soccer have family resemblances such as rules, opponents, and leisure, which qualify them as games.
Philosopher Robert Audi includes characteristics like belief in supernatural beings, a distinction between sacred and profane, ritual acts focused on these objects, a moral community believed to be sanctioned by divine beings, etc.
Not all characteristics need to be present, but having multiple characteristics may qualify something as a religion.

The unifying theme among definitions is that they originate from Western scholars in the past 100 years.
Religion as a category may have been invented by modern Western scholars.
A one or two sentence definition applicable across all cultural contexts and belief systems may not be possible due to the complexity of religion.
Religion can be viewed as an analytical category of our own design.
Jonathan Z. Smith describes religion as "not a native term" but "a term created by scholars for their intellectual purposes and therefore is theirs to define."
Smith argues that religion is a subjective, analytical term whose meaning depends on the user and the questions it is used to illuminate.
Religion is a contested concept seen in scholarly debates and popular culture (e.g., "Is Scientology a religion?" "Is Jediism a religion?")

For those seeking a concrete, objective definition, the family resemblances definition is recommended.
Religion is a subjective and difficult concept to define.
When the term "religion" is used, consider:
- Whether it refers to belief in God.
- Whether it refers to ritual practice.
- The perspective of the person using the term.
Recognizing the varied uses of the word will help navigate discussions about religion with the necessary complexity and nuance.