Religion is an organized system of beliefs and practices that provides meaning, value, and direction in life. Its central values are often in the realm of ideas and values that are not easily measured: love, loyalty, compassion, forgiveness, and humility, to name a few. It is for these values and the way they are interpreted that people are willing to live and, at times, die for.
The definitions of religion vary widely across scholars and disciplines. The variety of definitions is reflected in the vast range of theories about religion. Some critics suggest that a substantive or monothetic definition of religion is flawed because it reduces the concept to a belief in gods. These critics also point to the fact that, historically, the definition of religion has expanded over time in order to include a wide range of developments.
Those who support a polythetic or functional definition of religion tend to focus on the ways in which the religious experience generates social cohesion and provides orientation in life, as well as the various functions that religion serves in society. These scholars believe that a functional and/or polythetic approach to religion is more useful than the traditional approach based on beliefs in deities.
Still others believe that a more scientific approach is required to understand religion. These scholars are usually influenced by the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and his notion of “family resemblance.” They propose that, rather than looking for common features, it is better to compare religions to other social phenomena that have been classified by their crisscrossing and partially overlapping features, and to identify explanatory theories.
In addition, some scholars have developed a theory about the emergence of religious phenomena in the human case that holds that religion names an inevitable feature of the human condition. This theory of the human condition, sometimes called the evolutionary religion theory, argues that there is a basic set of religious responses in every culture that is a result of the human need for faith and purpose. The emergence of this response may be delayed, but it is unavoidable. Whether this theory of the human condition is correct or not, it is an important step in understanding the religious world. Moreover, it may help to explain why so many religions exist in the world. It is, however, an extremely controversial theory and the final word on this topic is unclear. Regardless of one’s view, it is clear that the study of religion is a complex and dynamic endeavor. It is a field that continues to evolve and will continue to be debated for centuries to come.