- "Religion is a range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements."
Explains what religion is and its importance in society.
Definitions and origin of religion: Exploring the various definitions of religion, its origins and evolution through history.
Theoretical perspectives on religion: Understanding the various theoretical perspectives on religion, such as functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism and so on.
Religious belief and practice: Analyzing the different forms of religious beliefs and practices across cultures and contexts.
Religion and social change: Examining the role of religion in promoting or inhibiting social change, and its impact on society and individuals.
Religious institutions and organizations: Investigating the structures and functions of religious institutions and organizations, such as churches, sects, cults, and new religious movements.
Religious diversity and tolerance: Understanding the various forms of religious diversity and its impact on society, as well as the need for tolerance and respect for different religious beliefs and practices.
Religion and politics: Examining the intersections between religion and politics, and the role of religious organizations and leaders in shaping political discourse and policies.
Religion and gender: Analyzing the role of religion in shaping gender relations and roles, and the impact of gender on religious beliefs and practices.
Secularism and religion: Understanding the concept of secularism and its impact on religious practices and beliefs, as well as the challenges faced by religious organizations in secular societies.
Religion and globalization: Investigating the impact of globalization on religious beliefs and practices, and the ways in which religion is adapting to the changing global context.
Religion and identity: Examining the role of religion in shaping individual and collective identities, and the impact of religious identity on social interactions and relations.
Religion and morality: Analyzing the relation between religion and morality, and the ethical challenges faced by religious organizations and individuals.
Religion and science: Understanding the relation between religion and science, and the debates around creationism, evolution, and other scientific concepts.
Religion and art: Investigating the role of religion in shaping art, literature, music, and other cultural expressions, and the impact of artistic expressions on religious beliefs and practices.
Religion and education: Examining the role of religion in shaping education systems, as well as the challenges faced by religious schools and educators in secular societies.
Substantive definition of religion: This type of definition sees religion as being characterized by a set of beliefs in supernatural or divine beings and forces, as well as the practices and institutions that are based on these beliefs.
Functional definition of religion: This type of definition focuses on the social and psychological functions that religion serves for individuals and society as a whole, rather than on its substantive elements.
Social-constructivist definition of religion: This type of definition sees religion as a social construction that is created and maintained through interactions and negotiations between individuals and groups.
Weberian definition of religion: This type of definition focuses on the role of religion as a source of cultural values and meanings that shape social action and behavior.
Durkheimian definition of religion: This type of definition emphasizes the role of religion in creating and maintaining social solidarity, as well as the ways in which religious rituals and institutions reflect and reinforce societal norms and values.
Marxist definition of religion: This type of definition views religion as a tool of the ruling class to control and oppress the working class, by promoting false consciousness and distracting people from their real-life struggles and problems.
Feminist definition of religion: This type of definition focuses on the ways in which religion reinforces patriarchal norms and values, as well as the ways in which women have historically resisted and challenged such norms.
Postmodern definition of religion: This type of definition emphasizes the fluid and diverse nature of religious beliefs and practices in contemporary society, and challenges essentialist or universalist assumptions about religion.
- "Although there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion."
- "Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, or public service."
- "Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred texts, symbols, and holy places, that primarily aim to give life meaning."
- "Religions may contain symbolic tales that may attempt to explain the origin of life, the universe, and other phenomena; some followers believe these to be true stories."
- "Four religions—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—account for over 77% of the world's population."
- "92% of the world either follows one of those four religions or identifies as nonreligious."
- "The religiously unaffiliated demographic includes those who do not identify with any particular religion, atheists, and agnostics, although many in the demographic still have various religious beliefs."
- "A portion of the world's population, mostly located in Africa and Asia, are members of new religious movements."
- "The study of religion comprises a wide variety of academic disciplines, including theology, philosophy of religion, comparative religion, and social scientific studies."
- "Most definitively including the Abrahamic religions Christianity, Islam, and Judaism."
- "Nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings."
- "Traditionally, both faith and reason have been considered sources of religious beliefs."
- "Scholars have indicated that global religiosity may be increasing due to religious countries having generally higher birth rates."
- "Both faith and reason have been considered sources of religious beliefs."
- "Religious practices may include rituals, commemorations or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services..."
- "Although there is an estimated 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings."
- "Religion is a range of social-cultural systems that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements."
- "Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine, sacredness, faith, and a supernatural being or beings."
- "Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred texts, symbols, and holy places."