Religion can be a fascinating study to pursue, whether you’re interested in the history of your own faith or the religions of others. It can also give you new insight into the world around you and can help you increase your level of happiness and contentedness with this life.
Understanding and Connecting with People of Different Faiths
When you understand the basic beliefs of other cultures, you’ll be able to have more meaningful conversations with them about their views on the world. This can also open up new opportunities for friendships and even romantic relationships.
Developing a Definition of Religion
One way to develop a definition of religion is to define it as a social genus or cultural type that appears across cultures and serves a specific function in society. This approach, known as a functional definition, was developed by Emile Durkheim in the 19th century and has been influential in sociological thinking about religion.
Treating the Concept as a Multidimensional Complex
Another popular approach to studying the concept of religion is to see it as a complex or multidimensional complex, such as a constellation or assemblage. This approach is not a novelty, as Christian theologians traditionally treated their way of life as fides, fiducia, and fidelitas.
However, while this approach might well have been helpful in analyzing a single, prototypical religion, it can lead to a misunderstanding of the essence of religion. It may omit or undervalue a number of properties that are “common” or “typical” to a range of religions, and thus it could lead to a monothetic identification of the essence of religion that reflects an ethnocentrism that polythetic approaches avoid.