A religion is a system of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that provides its followers with an object (or objects) of devotion, someone or something to believe in, and a code of moral conduct. It also embodies a belief in a supernatural, spiritual world of forces and powers beyond the control of human beings. Most religions also include a belief in life after death and in a rebirth process. Some religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, are monotheistic; others, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are polytheistic. Some religions are apolitical; others, including Judaism and Islam, have political aspects.
Traditionally, scholars have sought to develop an objective definition of religion. The problem is that the term is so broadly applied that any definition will have some degree of arbitrariness. In addition, there is the difficulty of separating out what is religion from the culture in which it is practiced, since these cultures have many similarities. Thus, scholars have used a variety of criteria for defining religion: etiology, social functions, and internal structures.
The earliest religious notions, according to the ethnographic and historical accounts of Herbert Spencer, are thought to have centered on service and propitiation for departed relatives, and worship of great nature-deities. He suggests that the latter were mistaken applications of ancestor-worship, which is an example of a polythetic approach to religion.
In contrast, Durkheim’s definition focuses on the social function of religion and emphasizes the group solidarity it generates. A functionalist approach is also exemplified by Paul Tillich’s idea that religion is whatever dominant concern organizes a person’s values—whether these concerns involve beliefs in unusual realities or not.
Religions are a common feature of human societies and provide their members with guidance in meeting some of their most difficult questions, such as the meaning and purpose of life and the nature of the cosmos. Religions are also a source of much of the world’s most beautiful and meaningful art and architecture, music, dance, drama, and literature. They are a major resource and source of inspiration for the explorations of the natural world that eventually issued into what we now call science.
In addition to providing answers to fundamental questions, religions are a source of comfort and security. Their teachings of a just and loving God offer hope, and they are the source of comfort in times of crisis and stress. In addition, many people feel that their religion gives them a sense of identity and belonging to a community. It is this social aspect of religion that makes it such a potent force in the lives of human beings.