Religion is the system of beliefs and practices through which people seek proximate and ultimate goals of life. It is a cultural phenomenon, and it provides an important framework of meaning for the world and for human life. The study of religion involves many disciplines, from history and sociology to anthropology and philosophy. Since the 19th century, scholars have debated the nature of religion and its role in society and in human life. These debates have focused on the importance of understanding religion in the context of other cultural phenomena such as art and science.
Religious belief is a fundamental human activity, with a long and complex history. Much of the history of religion precedes recorded history. The bulk of this early history consists of burials of prehistoric Homo sapiens, some of which are dated to 100,000 BC.
The earliest religious beliefs were based on ideas about gods, spirits, and the afterlife, as well as about the nature of the universe and of humans themselves. These pre-historic religions were not organized as religious institutions, but they were nevertheless very complex and influential.
Modern history of religion has been dominated by the rise of Protestantism, Islam, and Hinduism. These movements have reshaped the world’s religious landscape and have challenged traditional assumptions about the relationship between religion and culture. In particular, they have revived the question of whether or not social modernization is associated with a decline in religion.
Historically, religions have offered comfort and guidance to their members and provided a sense of community. In addition, they have often served as the source of enduring artistic and cultural traditions. They have also been sources of moral and ethical reflection and orientation toward the moral. Religions can provide a focus for the highest flights of charity, devotion, trust, patience, and bravery that human nature has been capable of.
Religious ideas and practices have also been a major source of social conflict. Over the centuries, people have been willing to persecute and kill other people because of their religion. This has been true not only of individual believers, but also of whole nations and communities.
Because of the complexity and diversity of religions, it is difficult to define religion. However, philosophers have addressed this issue and are in agreement that any definition of religion must take into account its underlying dynamics. This article presents an overview of the history of the concept and outlines two philosophical issues that arise for any attempt to sort this abstract social taxon into categories like “literature,” “democracy” or even “culture.” These issues are similar to those that may be raised for any other social taxon, such as language. The article concludes with an explanation of how the semantic range of the term “religion” has shifted over time. It is argued that the best way to approach this problem is to examine the concept as it was originally formulated by Frederick Ferre in his Basic Modern Philosophy of Religion.