Religion is a cultural system of beliefs, values and practices that offer people a set of tools to navigate life’s challenges. These tools include moral codes that promote the sanctity of certain social behaviors such as not stealing, not murdering and being hospitable to strangers. Often, these values and behavioral rules are codified in written and oral traditions such as holy texts, sacred buildings and rituals. In some cases, religious systems offer explanations of the origins of the universe and life on earth.
For most of the 20th century, scholars used a variety of models and theories to explain how religion works. The most common approach was a “monothetic” one that assumed that every instance of religion could be accurately described by a single property that distinguished it from other phenomena. More recently, however, there has been a shift towards a more flexible and multifaceted approach called polythetics, which uses the classical notion of prototypes to describe the range of properties that can make up the concept of religion.
The word religion comes from the Latin verb religio, which roughly translates to “scrupulousness” or “adherence to ethical rules”. Early on, the meaning of this concept was quite different than what it has become today. The earliest uses of the term, dating back to Western antiquity, were for a particular style of worship or adherence to taboos. It was not until later, in the Middle Ages, that the religious idea became a system of beliefs and values.
Today, the term “religion” is still most often associated with a particular faith or belief system. The most popular religions in the United States include Christianity, Judaism and Islam. In addition, there are a number of other smaller religious movements, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Roughly eight-in-ten Americans who identify as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons or members of historically black Protestant churches say their religion is very important in their lives. Gallup polls suggest that these figures have been relatively stable over the years.
Some research suggests that being religious may have health benefits, including a reduction in risk of heart disease and greater longevity. But you don’t need to be a member of a specific religious community to reap these rewards, according to experts who study the psychological and social impact of religion. Just forming healthy relationships with other people and strengthening your coping skills are steps you can take to enjoy these benefits.