Religion

Any institutionalized system of shared beliefs and rituals that identify a relationship between the sacred and the profane. Ferries & Stein ]Universal human institution

Distinction between the sacred & profane Sacred Holy, divine, supernatural Profane Ordinary, mundane, everyday

Religion reflects the culture to which it belongs

The idea of the manyness of God is alien not only to Western religion, but also to Western culture. Our monotheism leads us to believe in one Truth. In our minds, the ultimate or best can stand out in many areas, whether it be the best care, the best university, or the ultimate religion. Goldman, 1991

India’s Hijras are born neither men nor women – born men, genitals removed, they act like women, but not considered women

Religiosity The regular practice of religious beliefs, often measured in terms of frequency of attendance at worship services and the importance of religious beliefs to an individual. Ferries & Stein

Invisible religion & Unchurched Spirituality A private religion that is substituted for formal religious organizations, practices & beliefs in a secular society

Civil Religion Public religion that expresses a tie between a deity & a culture

The Modern World Religion has been displaced by science as a formal knowledge source

Types of Religion

Supernaturalism Supernatural forces can & do influence human events Forces inhabit animate & inanimate objects

Animism Ancestral worship Spirits of ancestors actively work to influence human affairs

Theism Monotheism Polytheism Belief in divine beings who shape human affairs

Abstract Ideals Focus of achievement of personal awareness & higher state of consciousness No worshipping of god/s

Types of Religious Organizations

Church/Ecclesia Religion & State are closely intertwined

Denomination Membership is voluntary No official/unofficial connection to the state Tolerant of other religious organizations Accepts secular society & laws

Sect Formed when members break away in an attempt to reform “parent” group Rejects society Unconventional beliefs or forms of worship – Snake Handlers at Jolo, West Virginia (

Cult Characteristics are typically not drawn from existing religious traditions within a society Shared characteristics – Authoritarian structure – Rejection of secular world’s laws & ways – Strict discipline to adherents & rigidity in thinking – Conviction of sole possession of truth & wisdom