The academic study of religion identifies the devoted practice of researching into various beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It is intended to compare, describe, explain, and interpret the various religions based on history, systems, and cross-cultural perspectives (Cline, 2018). In this regard, the study of religion is like any other social science of understanding why the various religions are the way they are. Therefore, it draws upon numerous disciplines and their methodologies in the review of the science including sociology, anthropology, history or religion, philosophy, and psychology (Cline, 2018). On the other hand, devotional practice of religion identifies the active practice of the various teachings of a specific religion. This may involve going to church or the mosque, fasting, and giving an offering or tithe. The individuals will engage in the practice of traditions together with other believers.
What are key characteristics of religion?
Although every religion is different from the other, there are common traits in religion. The very first is in the belief of supernatural beings where Christians believe in God and Muslims believe in Allah. Each religion demonstrates sacred and profane objects, places and times (Cline, 2018). Hinduism demonstrate a strict belief against eating the meat from cows as they are considered a sacred being while Muslims will not eat pork as it is recognized as dirty or unholy. Ritual acts are another common characteristic in religion evident by the regular visits to church among Christians or mosque among Muslims (Cline, 2018). Each of the religions demonstrate a significant moral code that has supernatural origins guiding how people should behave individually and during interactions. Prayer is one of the common characteristics evident in all religions as it serves as a form of communication with the supernatural. As a result, religions organize socially by forming beliefs within a social structure.
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What are common questions, concerns, practices, and experiences across various world religions? Include indigenous religions in your discussion.
The various world religions have numerous aspects that make them common to one another. For instance, each of the religions seems to ask the same question about the origin of human life and what occurs after that life is over (Meyer, 2013). The world religions offer different explanations to the beginning of human life and its end. There is the common concern that the human body causes the individual to engage in profane behavior that may not be admired by the supernatural beings (Meyer, 2013). As a result, there is a common practice of repentance and adopting a new attitude towards leading a holy life. It is common among world religions including the indigenous people of America that the believers engage in prayer as a community (Meyer, 2013). Due to the fact that religions of the world establish a specific social structure, prayer forms an integral part to this process. Members will share in prayer for the entire community or for individual concerns.
What are some characteristics of indigenous religion?
It is evident that the American Indians serve as the Indigenous communities of the North American region. These groups had significant religious beliefs that evolved around the various movements around the society (De la Torre, & Martín, 2016). It is important to note that the members of these indigenous groups did not consider themselves to be from a specific group rather that they were living in faith, respect, and gratitude to their creator. In this way, they formed some of the basic foundations of the modern forms of religion evident across the world (De la Torre, & Martín, 2016). One major characteristic is that the members of community began to wonder on the true meaning of life, including its process and purpose. However, unlike the other religions, there were no scriptures or books for them to read and ascribe to a predetermined form of life. Rather, the main purpose was to learn through the experience of life by understanding the gifts it had to offer and the dangers it presented (De la Torre, & Martín, 2016). The eldest members were considered to be the wiser of all and would teach the younger ones on how to approach life and learn from it as well.
References
Cline, A. (2018) Defining the Characteristics of Religion . Thought Co, Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/defining-the-characteristics-of-religion-250679
De la Torre, R., & Martín, E. (2016). Religious studies in Latin America. Annual Review of Sociology, 42 , 473-492.
Meyer, B. (2013). Material mediations and religious practices of world-making. Religion Across Media: From Early Antiquity to Late Modernity , 1-19.
