A group of beliefs and practices that are regarded as sacred by its followers. These include spirituality, rituals, and social interactions. Some people think that religion helps them deal with the uncertainty of life, provides a sense of purpose, and gives them a reason to live. They also believe that they can gain wisdom and guidance from religious teachings. Many cultures around the world have a religion or spirituality. Some are monotheistic, which means they believe in one god. Others are polytheistic, which means they believe in multiple gods.
Anthropologists (scientists who study human societies and human origins) have a number of theories about the origin of religion. They suggest that it developed as a response to either a biological or cultural need. For example, they argue that the development of religion may have been a response to the realization that humans will eventually die and that death is not only a natural part of life but that it will be followed by an afterlife.
Emile Durkheim’s work on functional analysis of religion emphasizes the way that religion serves a variety of social functions, regardless of what particular religious beliefs a society holds. This approach is still prevalent in sociological thinking on religion.
Critics of this view of religion say that it is a mistake to define religion in terms of any mental states and instead that we should look at the ways that religion is expressed by analyzing institutions and disciplinary practices. For example, students studying Roman Catholicism might examine a primary text written by the leadership of the Church that justifies the ordination of men only and compare it with a poll showing that most American Catholics support the ordination of women as priests.