Religion mearning and definition and methods of study.

1. Religionmeaning– definition- nature.
 Man isa social animal,he isspiritual being.Religionismajorconcernof man.
 Religionisuniversal,permanent,pervasive andperennial interestsof man
 Man notonlyhas biological,economicandsocial needs,but also,whatisknownasa
religiousneed.
 He has religiousquestinhimandevenbeyondsatisfactionof hisbasicphysical needs..
 Hence the Biblical saying“Mancannot live bybreadalone”.
 It isnot the phenomenaof recentemergence,butitsbeginningis unknown.Itisdateless.
 The institutionof religionisuniversal.Religiousdogmashave influencedandconditioned
economicendeavors,political movements, prosperity dealings,educational tasks,
ideological fervors,scientificinventionsandartisticdevelopments.
 Religion –cultural needsof amen,has addednew dimensiontohumanlife andhuman
development.
 Religionrevolvedroundman’sfaithinthe supernatural forces.Religionisaconcrete
experience whichisassociatedwithemotions,especiallywithfear,awe,orreverence,many
societieshave awide range of institutionsconnectedwithreligionandabodyof special
officials,withformsof worship,ceremonies,sacredobjects,tithes,pilgrimages,andthe like.
In Modernsociety.
 Modernreligious leadersexplainsman’splace inthe universe.
 Modernizedreligioncloselyassociatedwithmoralityandhaselaborate rulesof conduct.
 The worldof religions –Hinduism, Buddhism,Confucianism, Judaism, ChristianityandIslam-
are elaborate cultural systemsthathave dominated‘whole’societiesforcenturies.
 Few definitions:- Religionscreatedfor“to cross the dangersof dailylife”- EdwarSapir,
 Religionexplains:relationshipbetweennotwithmanandman,but man alsobetweenman
and some higherpower”- MaclverandPage
 “Religionisanattitude towardssuperhumanpowers” –Ogburn
 Max Mullerdefinesreligionas“ a mental facultyordispositionwhichenablesmanto
apprehendthe infinite”
 Manipulationof non-empirical andsupra-empirical –conceived asa God,Gods or
otherwise”.
Nature and Aims of objectivesofcomparative religion:
Religionas a system of beliefandritual: Holyand unholyisourattitude,anaspectof our mind.
It isa qualityattribute tothe thing.Itisnot inherentinthe thing.Itisattitude attribute with
emotionandsentimentthatmakesusfeel thatcertainthingsare above and apart fromthe
ordinarymattersof everydaylife.
Religionas a system of belief: Religiousbelief isthe cognitive aspectof religion.Ittriesto
explainthe nature andoriginof sacredthings.Itassumesthatthe sacred thingsdoexist.Past
history,Presentandfuture interestare explained.Thatthe belief givesaboutthe superempirical
world.Boththe cases sacredobjectsandtheirlinkswiththe superempirical worldreston
attitude,notuponobservation.
Religionas a system of Ritual: It expresses -“aninternal attitude symbolicof the unseen
powers”Itleadsto recitationof hymnsorspecial formulas,andthe immersionincertainrivers,
wearingspecial clothing,itcanalsoinclude singing,dancing,weeping,bowing,prostrating
crawlingfeasting,reading,etc., Note:- Religiouscharacterof the behaviourdoesnotcome from
the behaviouritself,butfromthe attitude take towardsit.Ritualsare celebrative eventsbyan
individualorgroupof an individuals.There bymoral superiorityof the societyoveritsindividual
membersandthusto maintainthe solidarityof the society.The godof cleanand cleanyourself.
Andtherebyneedof cleanness.

2. Comparative religion:Scientificstudyof variousfeaturesof the differentreligionsof the world
ina comparative perspectiveisrelativelyalate development.Itshouldbe made rightearnest.
Comparative featuresof the differentreligionsof the worldinaperfectlyscientificsprite.
Comparative on (1) it isa comparative studyof differentreligionsonvariouspointsand(2)A
scientificstudy.Where whattoinclude andwhatto leave aside outof vastmass of materials
that we come across. Everyreligionsappearstobe distinctive characterwithspecificfeaturesof
itsown.Ie BuddhistscalleditNirvana,the HindustermeditMukti orMohsha-release fromthe
chainof birthand death.Theyhave attainedthroughfourpathsforits attainment –the yoga
Marga, the JananaMarga, the Bhakti Maraga and Karma Marga. In some otheras Liberation
Samathi etc., but all hasits character withspecificfeaturesof itsown.
Difficultiesincomparative religionstudy are:- it shouldbe a Real academicstudy,scientificway
of study,extremisttendenciesare tobe avoided,judgingotherreligionsinthe lightof rightpath
difficult,nouniformityincomparisons,arguments,firstsightinferencesare absent,observer
viewpointsonlybe considered.
The history and the developmentofthe foundedreligions:
It is complexno one can trace it – it iscomplex,intricate andfull of paradoxes,Itincludessuch
facts as celebration,despairethical vigor,mysticretreat,social activism, monasticquietude,
contemplation,animal sacrifice,ritualsinvolvingpainandterror,imagesof hope,symbolsof
fear,affirmationof life andstruggle againstdeath,creativegrowth,unthinking,superstitions,
belief’sanddogmasaboutnatural and supernatural etc.,
Questionof originof religiontobe of paramountimportance and(2) accordingto whichnot
originbutdescriptionisimportant.
Nature –Myth school: personificationsof natural phenomena;the sun,moon,stars,storms,
the seasonsof the year.On ebr.Of thisschool maintainedthatsolarmythswere most
importantandthat primitive ritualsandmythswere primarilyconcernedwithman’srelation
to the sun.
Animism– According:animaisGreekwordmeaningsoul Transempirical substance existing
independentof body.
Ancester-Worshiptheory:HerbertSpencertrace the originof religioninthe respectgivento
ancestorscombinedwithbeliefsinghostsandfairiescausedbydream- experience,
Accordingghostsof ancestorsare transformedintoGods.
Magic-Theory:Itseekstounderstandthe mechanismof nature andcontrol it.Religiousman
believesinthe existence of spiritsthatmustbe placedandworshipedbyprayers,rather
overwhelmedbymagicformulas.
Fear: WilhelmWundtreligionissimplyprojectionof fearintothe environment,and
accordingto some othersreligionisidentical withnuminousfeeling throughoutanemotion
otherpsychologistshave identifiedreligionwiththe sense of mysteriousthe uncannyand
the sacred andtermedit a numinous emotion. -Profoundemotional basis.
Fetishism:Undue emotional attachmenttosome object.Inearlyphasesof religionwe find
stones,treesandsuchobjectsgivenextremereverence andworshipped. There isdecline in
godsthat is a movementfrompolytheismtomonotheism.
Methodsof comparative religion:
 Religionsistobe investigatedphilosophically itisto be inarrivingat a systemof
philosophical conclusions’withoutanyregardto empirical factsof religion,
 Philosophyincludesatleastsix fundamental componentsproblems,attitudes,methods
activities, conclusionsandeffects.
 Major method ofphilosophysystematically dealswiththe problemsof knowledge
(epistemology,logic, philosophy of science,philosophyof language),problemsof reality of
existence ( metaphysics, ontology,cosmology),problemsof values(axiology,aesthetics,

3. ethics,philosophyof religions) andproblems of society(social, economic,political,
philosophical needs) therefore the mostsignificantpartsof philosophicalapproachisdealt
withconclusions,activity,methods, attitudesandproblems uponthe livesof individuals,
societiesandcivilizations.
 Psychological approaches: studythe phenomenonof religion( observation,interview and
recordingandevaluatingthe dataof religionandintrospectandfeel the factsof religious
experiencesWilliamJames –behaviour- inward–outward,SigmundFreud- child–father
relationship- remove vacuumcreatedbyfather..
 ReligionsandPsycho-analysis–Oedipuscomplex, religionisprojectionof –fatheridea.
 Sociological approach: humanwelfare isprime concerninChristianity. Hindureligionlike
Arya Samaj,BrahmoSamaj,Ram KrishnaMissionare alsoprimarilyconcernedwithhuman
welfare andservice throughmanagementof educational institutions,hospitalsand
orphanagesthussocial aspectof religionsunderstood.
 Theological orFictitiousStage: markedlackof logical andorderlythinking.The primitive
childrenandmando not have the scientificoutlook.Therefore,theological thinkingis
characterizedbynon-scientificorunscientificoutlook. Mainsubjectisnatural events.
Fictitiousinterpretationof these events.Unable todiscovernatural causedof the various
happenings,the primitive manattributesthemtoimaginaryordivineforces.The
explanationof natural eventsinnon-naturaldivine orimaginaryconditionsisknownas
theological orfictitiousthinking.Forexample understandthe excessordeficiencyof rain
due to godlywrath,Theological thinkingimpliesbelief indivineandextra – terrestrial forces.
Comte has classifiedthe theologicalstage furtherintothree loudstagestheyare (1)
Fetishims,(2) Ploytheismand (3) Monotheism.
 Fetishims:livingspritinnonlivingthings,asthe verytermanimismsignifiesitmeansthatthe
so calledanimate objectsof fetishisticthinkingcanbe seenfromthe widespreadbelief
amongrural people..
 Polytheism:gradual developmentof inhumanthnkkingthere occurredachange inthe form
of thinking.The more evolvedanddevelopedformthanthatof Fetishismisknownas
Ploytheism.EachGod hasdefinite functions….Hishope functionscope andareaof action
was determined…
 Monotheism:the lastand mostdevelopedformof theological thinkingisseenmanifestedin
man that isto be Victoryof humanintellectovernon-intellectual andirrational thinking.
God issupreme andthat he is responsible forthe maintenance of orderandsysteminthe
world…
 Meta physical or abstract stage: discordbelief inconcrete God…atommolecules
particulate mattersanditsstructural and functionsdeemedtobe disprovingthe gods…
speculation…stillyettobe discoveredmore…
 Scientificor Positive stage : scientificallyconfirmed..beginningof the scientificknowledge…
subjectedtoverification …
 Historical approach: ORGIN OF RELIGIONSSTILL NOTFOUND..IT PROVIDEDNUMBER OF
THEORIES… AND ALSOGREATE DEAL OFDISAGGREMENTS…