Assess the claim that the most compelling reason for studying religion today is to reach a better
understanding of contemporary society.
What is religion? This is not a question that can be answered easily. There is evidence of
religious activity in many cultures stretching back thousands of years however, according to
scholars, the use of the term religion is a relatively new and Western idea. Prior to the
Enlightenment scholars barely acknowledged any other religion except Christianity, referring to to
indigenous religious traditions as the 'religions of a given people'. As Europe expanded and more
civilisations were encountered European writers invented names for the various religious practices
of each nation. The names of these religions bore little relevance to the concepts of particular
traditions, but gave convenient labels so that scholars could categorize them as a religion. After the
war many other experimental religions other than Christianity have made their presence felt, leading
to a belief that modern Christianity is on the decline. In this modern age there are many ideas
which claim to be a religion. The dictionary and encyclopedia definitions offer no clear answer to
the question.
As religion is such a vast, all-encompassing topic it would be easy to assume that functional
definition would offer the best method by which to to answer the question, concentrating as it does,
on what the beliefs and practices do for the individual and social group and what needs they fulfil.
Although this method provides flexibility, the boundaries blur as to where rel ...