What Is Religion? Derivation, analysis, and definition The derivation of the word “religion” has been a matter of dispute from ancient times. Not even today is it a closed question. Cicero, in his “De natura deorum”, II, xxviii, derives religion from relegere (to treat carefully): “Those who carefully took in hand all...
Religion Explained The term religion denotes a set of common beliefs and practices pertaining to the supernatural (and its relationship to humanity and the cosmos), which are often codified into prayer, ritual, scriptures, and religious law. These beliefs and practices are typically defined in light of a shared canonical vocabulary of venerable traditions, writings,...
Religious Liberalism Religious liberalism is a conception of religion (or of a particular religion) which emphasizes personal and group liberty and rationality. It is an attitude towards one’s own religion (as opposed to criticism of religion from a secular position, and as opposed to criticism of a religion other than one’s own) which contrasts with a traditionalist or orthodox approach,...
Religions There are a number of models regarding the ways in which religions come into being and develop. The term religion (from Latin: religio meaning “bind, connect”) denotes a set of common beliefs and practices pertaining to the supernatural (and its relationship to humanity and the cosmos), which are often codified into prayer, ritual,...
Religion Religion is a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements. However, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. Different religions may or may not contain various elements...
Criticism Of Religion Criticism of religion involves criticism of the validity, concept, or ideas of religion. Historical records of criticism of religion go back to at least the 5th century BCE in ancient Greece, in Athens specifically, with Diagoras “the Atheist” of Melos. In ancient Rome, an early known example is Lucretius’ De rerum natura from the 1st century...