What is Religion?
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the complexity of defining 'religion,' highlighting the lack of a unified academic consensus. It critiques early definitions for their biases and explores perspectives from anthropologists like Tylor, Durkheim, and Weber, who emphasize religion's psychological and social roles. The script challenges the Western-centric view, urging a broader understanding that recognizes religion's diversity and evolution over time and across cultures.
Takeaways
- 😯 There is no universally agreed-upon definition of religion in academia, making it one of the most challenging questions to answer definitively.
- 📚 Early anthropological definitions, such as Edward B. Tylor's, have been criticized for being biased and problematic, often reflecting a Christian or Protestant perspective.
- 🤔 Influential thinkers like Emile Durkheim and Max Weber offered different perspectives on religion, with Weber viewing it as a psychological phenomenon and Durkheim as a social one.
- 🙏 Durkheim's view emphasizes that religious symbols and rituals serve to strengthen group identity and social belonging, similar to national flags.
- 💡 The importance of practice and performance in religion is highlighted, suggesting that actions often precede beliefs and rationalization.
- 📖 Clifford Geertz provided a celebrated definition of religion as a system of symbols that establishes moods and motivations in people, influenced by Weber's perspective.
- 🏠 Abby Day introduced the term 'believing in belonging,' suggesting that social identity and belonging are central to religious belief and practice.
- 🌏 The concept of religion is Western and influenced heavily by Christianity, which can lead to misunderstandings when applied to other religions.
- 🔄 Religions are internally diverse and change over time and place, with no single interpretation or practice being universal within a religion.
- 🌐 The distinction between religion and culture is not always clear, with the two being intertwined and influencing each other significantly.
- 🌟 The script encourages a nuanced and complex understanding of religion, recognizing its diversity and evolution, and the importance of context in its study.
Q & A
Why is defining 'religion' considered a difficult task in academia?
-Defining 'religion' is difficult because there is no official, agreed-upon definition in scholarship or academia. It involves various perspectives and interpretations that can vary greatly, making it a complex and multifaceted concept.
What problem arises from Edward B. Tylor's definition of religion as 'belief in supernatural beings'?
-Tylor's definition is problematic because it is biased towards a Christian or Protestant perspective and assumes that all religious beliefs are attempts to explain natural phenomena, which is an outdated and limited view.
How did Emile Durkheim and Max Weber approach the study of religion differently?
-Emile Durkheim viewed religion as a social phenomenon that strengthens group identity and organization, while Max Weber saw religion as a psychological phenomenon, a coping strategy for humans to create meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
What does Clifford Geertz's definition of religion emphasize?
-Geertz's definition emphasizes that religion is a system of symbols which establish moods and motivations in people by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence, making these conceptions seem realistic.
What does Abby Day's concept of 'believing in belonging' suggest about religion?
-Abby Day's concept suggests that religion is primarily about social belonging and identity formation, with belief being a matter of performative identity and social relationships.
Why is the term 'religion' considered a Western concept?
-The term 'religion' is considered a Western concept because it is largely influenced by the Christian environment and is often used to interpret and understand other religions from a Christian-centric framework.
What issues arise when trying to apply a Christian framework to non-Christian religions?
-Applying a Christian framework to non-Christian religions can oversimplify and misrepresent these religions, as it assumes they follow the same model of having a founder, sacred scripture, and established theology, which is not always the case.
How does Talal Asad challenge the separation of religion and culture?
-Talal Asad argues that the idea of religion and culture being separate is a modern invention, and that in reality, they are infinitely intertwined and can be one and the same thing.
What does the script suggest about the diversity and evolution of religions?
-The script suggests that all religions are internally diverse and change over time and place. They are not fixed entities but are continually shaped by the people who practice them and the contexts in which they exist.
Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying religion?
-Considering multiple perspectives is important because it acknowledges the complexity and diversity of religious beliefs and practices, and helps to avoid oversimplification and misinterpretation from a single cultural or academic viewpoint.
What role do practices and performances play in the understanding of religion according to the script?
-According to the script, practices and performances are crucial in understanding religion as they continually shape and create the religion itself. It suggests that actions come first, and beliefs are rationalized afterward.
Outlines
🤔 The Elusive Definition of Religion
The paragraph discusses the complexity of defining religion, noting that despite its common usage, there is no universally accepted definition in academia. It highlights the limitations of early definitions, such as Edward B. Tylor's, which focused on belief in supernatural beings but was criticized for its Christian-centric bias. The paragraph also introduces the perspectives of Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, who respectively viewed religion as a social phenomenon and a psychological coping mechanism. It emphasizes the importance of practice and performance in religion, suggesting that actions often precede beliefs.
📚 Evolution of Religious Definitions
This paragraph continues the exploration of religion's definition by mentioning Clifford Geertz's influential definition, which sees religion as a system of symbols that create moods and motivations. It contrasts this with Abby Day's concept of 'believing in belonging,' which suggests that religious belief is primarily about social identity and belonging. The paragraph also addresses the Western-centric bias in understanding religion, pointing out that applying a Christian framework to other religions can lead to misunderstandings and oversimplification.
🌏 Cultural and Contextual Influences on Religion
The third paragraph delves into how cultural and contextual factors shape religious beliefs and practices. It challenges the Western notion of religion as a distinct category, separate from culture, by arguing that religion and culture are deeply intertwined. The paragraph uses Islam as an example to show how religious practices can vary significantly across different cultures. It also discusses the internal diversity within religions and how they evolve over time, emphasizing that religions are not static but are constantly shaped by the people and contexts in which they exist.
🔍 Understanding Religion's Complexity
The final paragraph summarizes the complexity of defining and understanding religion. It acknowledges the ongoing debate and the need for a nuanced approach to studying religion. The speaker encourages viewers to consider the various perspectives and to maintain an open mind regarding the definition and nature of religion. The paragraph concludes with a call for a scholarly and neutral approach to understanding religion's role in society, both historically and in the present.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Religion
💡Supernatural beings
💡Emile Durkheim
💡Max Weber
💡Clifford Geertz
💡Practice and performance
💡Believing in belonging
💡Western concept
💡Internal diversity
💡Evolution and change
💡Cultural context
Highlights
The complexity of defining 'religion' and the lack of an official, agreed-upon definition in academia.
Early anthropological attempts to define religion, such as Edward B. Tylor's definition focusing on belief in supernatural beings.
The problems with Tylor's definition, including its Christian-centric bias and the assumption that religion is a failed attempt to explain natural phenomena.
Max Weber's view of religion as a psychological phenomenon and a coping strategy for existential questions.
Émile Durkheim's perspective on religion as a social phenomenon that strengthens group identity and organization.
The importance of practice and performance in religion, as opposed to just belief.
Clifford Geertz's influential definition of religion as a system of symbols that create moods and motivations in people.
Critiques of Geertz's definition for potentially overlooking the social aspect of religion.
Abby Day's concept of 'believing in belonging' and the role of social relationships in religious belief.
The western concept of 'religion' and how it is influenced by a Christian framework.
The challenges of applying a Christian-centric framework to non-Christian religions, such as Hinduism.
The cultural diversity within religions and the problems with trying to fit all religions into a single mold.
The modern western confinement of religion to a specific place in society, separate from other aspects like politics and culture.
Tala Asad's argument against the separation of religion and culture, suggesting they are intertwined and not distinct categories.
The internal diversity and evolution of religions over time and place, challenging the idea of fixed religious doctrines.
The importance of understanding the fluidity and context-dependency of religious practices and beliefs.
The call for an academic and neutral approach to studying religion, avoiding cultural biases and oversimplifications.
Transcripts
you know on this channel we talk about
all kinds of topics relating to religion
we talk about specific religions and
their history and their teachings we
talk about incredibly niche topics and
figures within different religions but
one rather important thing that most of
us don't really do much is ask a
deceptively simple question
what is religion
some of you listening might immediately
have some answer to this question
religion is belief in god or gods
religions are organized structures of
worship religion is opium for the masses
and whatever but don't be fooled this is
actually one of the hardest questions
that we can ask as serious students of
religion and a question that no one
seems capable of fully answering
the blunt fact is there is no official
agreed-upon definition of religion in
scholarship or academia i'll repeat that
there is no official agreed upon
definition of the word religion
you can look up the word in a dictionary
all you want but all you'll find is
usually a half-baked problematic
definition that most scholars probably
won't agree with religion is a
fascinating thing because it is a
concept that everyone kind of knows what
it is when we talk about religion we all
essentially know what it is that we're
talking about but as soon as we get down
to actually defining it properly things
start to fall apart now that isn't to
say that people haven't tried to define
it
certainly they have and they still do
there have been plenty of attempts to
define religion or of figuring out what
religion is all about
an early example is the anthropologist
edward b tyler who defined religion as
quote belief in supernatural beings
a definition that most of you might not
find any issue with but which actually
comes with a lot of problems not only
does it look at religion from a very
christian or specifically protestant
perspective a point that we'll return to
later but also betrays a very strong
bias
this is also confirmed when reading
tyler more closely and realizing that
his argument is essentially that all
religious beliefs appeared as failed
attempts to explain natural phenomena
another rather outdated perspective that
isn't very helpful in exploring the
history of religion and religious belief
more influential were other thinkers
from the same period like emile durkheim
and max weber who provided two different
yet pervasive ways of looking at
religion
weber saw religion as more of a
psychological phenomenon as essentially
the human attempt of creating meaning in
a seemingly meaningless world it becomes
like a coping strategy to deal with
difficult questions like death and the
meaning of life
durkheim on the other hand saw religion
essentially as a social phenomenon
religion its symbols its structures and
all its rituals serve to create a sense
of social belonging of strengthening
group identity and organization
two durkheim and those following his
line of thought religious symbols like
gods or totems function in similar ways
to say a national flag they are symbols
under which a group of people can unite
and which can increase and authenticate
their sense of belonging and identity
this is a very powerful and helpful
perspective and this kind of behavior
can be confirmed in experiments etc but
it still comes with a lot of problems of
its own too
if religion is nothing but symbols of
group belonging then what makes a
religion different from nationality
is americanism a religion is football or
soccer a religion they all have symbols
and practices under which a group of
people unite to create and strengthen
group belonging so that should make them
religions right most people wouldn't
define them as religions
these are the kind of problems that
scholars to this day are struggling with
when we try to define the word religion
but thinkers like durkheim and weber did
one thing much better than a person like
tyler and that was to include the
importance of practice and performance
indeed in my opinion as well as in the
opinion of many scholars in the field
religion is much more about what we do
rather than the things we believe
religions are performed and embodied
through practices that continually shape
and create that religion
research shows that even in a specific
thing like rituals the performing of the
ritual itself comes first and the theory
or symbolic meaning of the ritual is
secondary in other words we as creatures
do things first and we rationalize our
actions after the fact rather than the
other way around
this seems to go against how we perceive
how these things go but there is a lot
to suggest that it is indeed so
now building on the work of people like
weber and durkheim there have been many
scholars over the last century who have
continually improved and studied this
topic deeper to allow for new
perspectives
some famous examples include the
american anthropologist clifford geertz
who followed more in the line of max
weber but gave us one of the most
celebrated and quoted definitions of
religion in scholarship this one is
pretty good actually as far as these
things go
gertz defines religion in the following
way quote
a religion is a system of symbols which
act to establish powerful pervasive and
long-lasting moods in men by formulating
conceptions of a general order of
existence and clothing those conceptions
with such an aura of factuality that the
moods and motivations seem uniquely
realistic
as you can tell there is a lot of
weber's meaning creating perspective
here but it is formulated in a more
developed way this definition of gears
of how what religion is is still used
sometimes today there are those who
criticize it especially
for perhaps not including that
social aspect that for the followers of
people like durkheim emphasize so much
but generally this is a rather liked
definition of religion that
is one of the most popular around
another more recent example is in the
work of abby day who in an attempt to
talk about how religion functions coined
the term believing in belonging
that people primarily believe in their
social belonging and identity
that much like durkheim argued religion
and belief is primarily interested in
creating and maintaining social
belonging and identity formation
this idea is further supported by her
research in which she can show and argue
that belief is mainly a question of
performative identity formation and
social relationships so as you can tell
there are many different perspectives on
how one can properly answer the question
what is religion
another very important perspective that
needs to be kept in mind is the fact
that the term religion as we understand
it is a western concept and very much
colored by that context this means that
when we understand what religion is and
interpret other religions we do so from
a western framework
the whole concept of how we understand
religion is born out of a christian
environment and thus our whole view of
quote-unquote religion is heavily
colored by christianity
so when we and indeed many scholars in
the past and present try to study define
and understand religions other than
christianity we do so based on a
christian-centric framework we assume
that other quote-unquote religions if
they can even be called that follow the
same model of christianity and if they
don't then we try to fit them into that
framework sometimes forcibly
this christian framework includes many
things but often two or three very
specific features the religion has a
founder the religion has a sacred
scripture and the religion has a creed
or established theology
have you ever read a textbook about
religions that tried to explain
non-christian religions through this
framework
i'm sure you have and this can be a huge
problem
cultures are different and religions are
very different
if we look at a religion like hinduism
which first of all could be argued not
to be a single religion at all and we
try to apply this christian framework to
it it doesn't really work at all it
simplifies things to a huge degree
we often see people try to say that the
veda scriptures are the bible of the
hindus but this isn't accurate at all it
functions in a very different way
and this is a mistake that we often make
when we talk about religions they don't
all fit into a single mold they're all
infinitely complex and different from
each other and to call them all
quote-unquote religions
brings a lot of these problems with it
even though we shouldn't necessarily
give up doing that completely
even in a religion that is relatively
close to christianity in both origins
and structure like islam we can easily
make the same mistakes
seemingly it fits rather well into that
previous framework it has a founder it
seems muhammad and it has a sacred
scripture the quran but to compare
muhammad to jesus in christianity or the
quran where the bible creates a
fundamental misunderstanding about the
similarities and differences between
these religions
in fact if any comparison should be made
at all it would be more accurate to
compare the role of jesus in
christianity to the role of the quran in
islam
muhammad by comparison could perhaps be
thought of as having the same role or a
similar world to the virgin mary in
christianity
this stuff is a minefield even such
seemingly accurate comparisons can lead
to fundamental misunderstanding
so we should always keep this in mind
and understand that religions are very
different and we can't apply a single
framework or model onto religions other
than christianity without thinking any
further about it
this phenomenon also becomes very
apparent when you ask people to define
what religion is
many people here in the so-called west
will often reply that religion is
essentially about believing in god or
some kind of superhuman force or at
least that this is a central part of
what religion is
even a seasoned scholar like edward b
tyler made this mistake as we saw but
again this is a very specifically
christian and even more so protestant
perspective on religion
protestantism teaches that it is the
individual person's
personal inner belief that matters and
not so much outer actions or rituals and
this heavily influences our
understanding of what religion is
supposed to mean
but if you go outside a protestant
context to the i don't know the middle
east or india or any other place you
will find that perhaps very different
things are emphasized
perhaps religion is more about practical
things following certain laws acting a
certain way as a human being maybe it's
about family maybe it's about
charity the list goes on religion can be
many different things to different
people and we can't be chained to a
particular cultural perspective in our
understanding of such a broad concept
here in the west we today have confined
religion to its own place in society we
have clearly defined borders and pockets
for different aspects of our lives over
here is politics over here is culture
over there is entertainment and over
here is religion
religion has a specific place that is as
just pointed out often confined to
personal belief and these different
categories of society shouldn't meet at
least ideally should be kept in their
own pockets and not only is this a very
modern and new way of looking at
religion or society
a way that does not correspond to the
way it worked historically or in many
parts of the world even today but it can
also skew our understanding of how
religions function today at all in
different parts of the world
i'm sure many of you have heard the
argument well that isn't part of the
religion that's part of the culture
well is there necessarily a difference
the scholar tala assad didn't think so
he argued that the idea that religion
and culture are two separate things is a
modern invention
the seemingly arbitrary categories of
religion and culture are infinitely
intertwined and at times can be one and
the same thing
just look at a religion like islam islam
in morocco looks very different from
islam as practiced in indonesia
why is this well some might chalk it up
to culture you could say that's
definitely true to some degree but to
see religion as one thing and then
culture as another that
one influences the other is that really
an accurate picture
one could look at it that way but i
think that it's a very surface level and
shallow view of the reality of the
situation
in reality the borders or lines between
these two categories are very fuzzy
because a religion does not exist
independently of the people who perform
it and the context or culture in which
it exists the two become unified into a
single thing
and this leads us to what is perhaps the
most important point that needs to be
kept in mind when we study religions an
inescapable fact that cannot be escaped
that religions are internally diverse
and that they change over time and place
no religion is immune from this
all religions are diverse and
multifaceted there always exists a
multitude of interpretations and
understandings some say there are as
many versions of a religion as there are
adherence to that religion
and the second point is also important
that religions always evolve and change
the people who continually create and
perform the religion are shaping it in
new ways and adapting to new situations
and context whether they know it or not
the main point is we like to look at the
world of religions as a set of fixed
well religions that
believe certain things practice certain
ways but this is a hugely oversimplified
view of the situation all religions are
almost infinitely diverse and exist in
many forms the borders that separate all
these kinds of concepts are very fuzzy
and these perspectives that we have
talked about needs to be kept in mind as
we go forward and try to get a better
idea of how religions work and function
in society both historically and today
so now i hope you understand why asking
a question like what is religion can
become pretty complicated and that
answers to that question can vary a lot
depending on who you ask and in what
context it adds more nuance and
complexity to this topic which was
complex enough to begin with but it's an
important perspective to have in mind as
we study religion from an academic and
neutral scholarly perspective which is
what we aim for on this channel you
don't have to agree with everything i've
said here that's the whole point this is
an ongoing discussion about how we
define terms how we understand the
things
in a broad sense to understand the very
concepts that we're trying to study but
this is an introduction into some of the
debates and discussions that are had
within religious studies about this
specific question i would like to thank
all of my patrons as usual for the
invaluable support that you give me and
also a thank you to everyone who watches
and likes and subscribes to this channel
in general i'll see you next time
[Music]
you
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