Smith, J. Z. (1998) Religion, Religions, Religious. In Taylor, M. C. (ed) Critical Terms for Religious Studies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

 

Attempts to define the term, ‘religion’ began in the 16th century. Since this time, there have been problems, as religion is…

1. A category imposed on people from outside. 2. Thought to be a ubiquitous human phenomenon. 3. Familiarity (to impose). 4. Anthropological, not theological.

Eden understands religion as based upon belief, whereas Cieza focuses more on behaviour.

 

The reformation / protestantism marked a shift in focus from ritual/customs to belief/piety.

 

Four categories emerged – Christian, Judaism, Mohametanism, Idolatry – the plural religions “forced a new interest in the singular, generic, religion”. In the latter part of the 17th century, the term natural religion became common.

One branch of study, chiefly anthropological, assumed an innate truth which many religions touched upon. This approach favoured the acknowledgment of similarities and was based in inter-Christian study. A second approach was more historical and looked at things which the different main religions held in common. Comparison highlighted differences. These two simultaneous lines of study led to a blurring of truth and origin.

 

David Hume argued that religion is not innate, for “scarce any two men” agree.

 

James H. Leuba’s Psychological Study of Religion (1912) lists 50 different definitions of religion.

 

‘The anthropological definition of religion that has gained widespread assent among scholars of religion, who both share and reject its functionalist frame, is that formulated by Melford E. Spiro (1966, 96), “an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings.” ‘ (Smith)

 
 

NOTE: The least troublesome definition of religion in my mind is “anything which anyone who calls themselves religious calls religion”. Just as anyone who introduces themselves as an artist can name something art. It may not be popular art or religion. It may be appreciated as such by only one person. People may call it “bad, offensive, insincere” art or “bad, offensive, insincere” religion, but it fits the category, nonetheless. Take for instance the flying spaghetti monster.