Studying Religion

Studying Religion

The Problem of Defining Religion

Defining religion has proven to be a challenge because of the different emotional and intellectual dimensions that keep changing through different civilizations. While some rely on a functional definition of religion that focuses on what it does in society, others rely on the substantive definition of religion that primarily focuses on the content and philosophy behind a certain religious belief. The conflicting basis for the definition of religion makes it hard to have a universal definition. However, individuals use an ideal approach that suits the beliefs and cultural aspects prevailing in their community, aligning with their moment. Therefore, narrowing the definition of religion into the approach that suits individual beliefs excludes many important aspects that should be included to give an accurate and informed definition devoid of ambiguity.

Approached of Defining Religion

There are four different approaches used to define religion: anthropology, social constructivism, ritualization, and lived religion approach. Among the four, social constructivism best rates with insight from the Gateway into Religions resource. Defining religion under social constructivism implies that human beings attach their religious beliefs to their experiences in a given civilization. Notably, different generations will tend to give a unique definition to religion based on the role and the value they attach to it in their civilization’s moment (Berger, p12). The fundamental reason for selecting social constructivism in defining religion is that it is applicable, and one can relate the variations in defining religion under different civilizations. An ideal example that shows the relevance of social constructivism is the ancient Roman Empire, where religion was a notion of divine order created by the people and used to influence many decisions that directly or indirectly affected people’s lives. However, David Hall and Robert Orsi’s lived religion approach makes the most sense because it values the changes in times and circumstances in an individual’s daily life (Hall David, p2). The approach values the changing moments in one’s life, which is real and practical in the real world.

 Works Cited

Berger, Peter L. The sacred canopy: Elements of a sociological theory of religion. Open Road Media, 2011.

Hall, David D. Lived Practice of Religion in America. Princeton up, 2020. and Orsi, Robert. Between Heaven and Earth, Princeton up, 2013.

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: Studying Religion

Review “Religion and Culture” by Eliza Rosenburg and “Religion” by Sashur Henninger-Rener and choose one of the Gateway into Religions resources and do the following:

Studying Religion

Discuss why it can be difficult to define religion and determine what we refer to when we use the term “religion.”
Refer to the list of four possible approaches to studying religion below from religious theorists and decide which one you think best relates to what you learned in the Gateway into Religions resource.
Explore why you think this approach best applies to the Gateway into Religions resource by providing specific examples from the Gateway resource.
Finally, make a brief statement about which of the approaches below makes the most sense to you overall and why?
Remember to use at least two quotes from this week’s Required and Gateway Learning Resources in your answer. Make sure to provide in-text citations for both quotes in MLA format.
Provide references for all sources in MLA format.
Approach #1: Clifford Geertz (anthropology)

Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures, New y=York: Basic Books, inc. , 1973.

Geertz offers the following definition of religion:

Religion is a system of symbols… Which establishes powerful and long lasting moods and motivations… Formulating conceptions of a general order of existence… Clothing those conceptions with such an aura of factuality… That (religion is seen as pure reality) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic .
its a humanities course