Assess The Claim That The Most Compelling Reason For Studying Religion Today Is To Reach A Better Understanding Of Contemporary Society.
TMA 06: Religious Studies
Question:
Assess the claim that the most compelling reason for studying religion today is to reach a better understanding of contemporary society.
Religion is not a term with a singular definitive meaning. Not only what religion means but what constitutes religion has changed greatly over the centuries and continues to this day to encompass different things to different people. It is based on beliefs, mainly spiritual beliefs, moral codes, accepted modes of behaviour, fantastical traditions, prayer, human nature, the cosmos, mythology, mysticism and enlightenment. The list is inexorable, and for me to explain every possible facet of every known religion would take far more virtual ink than the 1200 words allocated for this assignment. So the first task, before attempting to decide how and why we study religion is to identify several common threads that can be found in most, but certainly not all, definitions of religion.
In its essence, it is a belief system in the sacred or the holy which underpins both the creation of the world in which we live and the metaphysical government of life. This often includes a deity or named forces which are beyond the restraint or understanding of accepted scientific laws. The two pillars of humanity, religion and science, often enjoy an abrasive relationship with some religions choosing to dismiss science and others choosing to accommodate science. Lindbeck (an acclaimed theological wordsmith) wrote that religion is "a kind of cultural and/or linguistic framework or medium that shapes the entirety of life and thought… it is similar to an idiom that makes possible the description of realities, the formulation of beliefs, and the experiencing of inner attitudes, feelings, and sentiments.”
The most basic definition of religion is: a way of life.
Fundamental differences in religious views have shaped the world as we know it. And it continues to do so in modern times. This is partly due to the...
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