Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The concept of religion is based on an idea of reality which goes back to the beginnings of humankind and provides an explanation for the existence of itself as well as the world surrounding it. Since the beginning of history, the idea of religion has manifested itself in diverse forms, across human societies. These forms, which constitute bodies of knowledge, beliefs, and social institutions, form an ordered, operative system. In Durkheimian terms, a religion gradually emerges as the members of a particular tribe or society build a system of beliefs and rites that bind them. From barely conceived ideas, beliefs and practice proceed toward more elaborate systems (there are many “sacred” scriptures or oral traditions that are accepted, orthodox, and acknowledged), and, from informal interpersonal relationships, toward collective events (ceremonies which are more or less fixed at ritual level where it is possible to experiment and to reinforce the agreement between individuals, cognitive attitudes, and subsequent behaviors). It would be misleading, however, to begin with just one definition of religion as it would be far too recent with respect to the birth of religions in general, and those which are considered historically organized (dating back many millennia before the beginning of the Common Era). However, the main reference is Marcus Tullius Cicero, who lived in the first century ... log in or subscribe to read full text