An Introduction to Religion
Religion is a system of human relations that deals with ultimate concerns about life and death. It also organizes society by establishing codes of recognition and behaviour, and by bringing order into the natural world and the social structure through hierarchies. It also enables people to recognize the many different kinds of limitation that stand across their projects and to deal with or accept them.
The concept of religion was originally a term for scrupulous devotion; it later came to refer to a specific type of social practice and, finally, it became the name for a particular set of beliefs and practices. The different senses of the word religion shift the meaning of the concept, however, and what is counted as a religion by one definition may not be counted as such by another.
In the broadest sense, a religion is any organized system of belief and conduct that has a core of especial reverence for something—whether God, spirits, a cosmological order, or some other entity or idea—and aims at its preservation and transmission. Religious systems can be characterized as offensive or defensive, depending on whether they seek to protect their domains from secular forces or are perceived to be threatened by them. Even when their domains are very small, a religion has the potential to become intensely emotional, as when it is threatened by a secular philosophy or by the threat of a hostile heavenly body.
Religious explorations typically focus on the inner self. They involve seeking and discovering what is true of the human being, or what is true of the cosmos and its aims. In some religions (for example, Jainism and Buddhism), the emphasis has been on exploring what is inside the body—for example, enlightenment, peace, emptiness, or Buddha-nature. In others, it has been on exploring the universe and its aims—for example, omniscience, omnipresence, or the oneness of all things.
The anthropological study of religion is a rich and rewarding field for students. It allows us to explore the diverse ways that human beings have sought and found truth, and it inspires real life skills. It requires the ability to empathize with people from other cultures and traditions, as well as to discuss sensitive issues in a civil manner. Moreover, it is an excellent way to develop well-rounded students who are culturally competent and intellectually able.