The document discusses how early Christian writers like Clement of Alexandria and Lactantius approached the study of religion in their works. Clement took a more inclusive approach, seeing other cultures and philosophies as preparatory for Christianity, while Lactantius emphasized the unique truth of Christianity and rejected other religions. Both linked the concept of religion to cultural characteristics but differed on whether religion originated from human cultures or divine revelation.
Any reading of the Scriptures will need a theology of history to relate the events to each other. A theology of history becomes necessary not only for an understanding of God’s dealings with humans at different times, but also in order to understand, for instance, why a particular divine commandment is not binding at other times. Thus, theology of history also sheds light on biblical politics and ethics. More significantly, it helps us in the understanding of contemporary history and its trends and in being able to predict where all this is leading towards.
Any reading of the Scriptures will need a theology of history to relate the events to each other. A theology of history becomes necessary not only for an understanding of God’s dealings with humans at different times, but also in order to understand, for instance, why a particular divine commandment is not binding at other times. Thus, theology of history also sheds light on biblical politics and ethics. More significantly, it helps us in the understanding of contemporary history and its trends and in being able to predict where all this is leading towards.
Sujay Religion in the twenty-first century and beyond FINAL FINAL FINAL.pdfSujay Rao Mandavilli
The term "Religion" refers to a wide range of social-cultural systems, which include beliefs, morals,
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places, and institutions that typically relate to the general belief in a God or a supernatural entity.
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attempt to take our endeavours to a much higher level, to analyse how the beneficial aspects of
religion can be magnified and amplified, and the negative implications of religion curtailed. We also
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Main content17-1The Sociological Study of ReligionLO 1Define.docxendawalling
Main content
17-1The Sociological Study of Religion
LO 1
Definereligion and identify its key components.
What is religion? Religion is a social institution composed of a unified system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals—based on some sacred or supernatural realm—that guides human behavior, gives meaning to life, and unites believers into a community. Based on this definition, religion is a stable institution that exists independently from individuals who attend religious services or officials (such as priests, pastors, or other clergy) in the administrative hierarchy. Religion is sometimes thought of as a platform for the expression of spirituality—the relationship between the individual and something larger than oneself, such as a broader sense of connection with the surrounding world. As such, spirituality involves the individual’s inner, subjective feelings and experiences rather than the act of giving devotion to external beliefs, rituals, and deities that are set forth in established creeds or religious communities.
In the final analysis, both religion and spirituality require that persons engage in a leap of faith—a confident belief that cannot be proven or disproven but is accepted as true. Religious beliefs require faith because religion provides answers for seemingly unanswerable questions that underlie human existence. According to the sociologist Peter Berger (1967), these questions are Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? What happens when I die? Berger suggests that religion provides a system of meaning that connects people to society and provides them with a sense of purpose that transcends the ordinary realm of life (Figure 17.1). Consequently, religious beliefs bind people together and establish rites of passage through various stages of life, such as birth, marriage, and death. People with similar religious beliefs and practices gather together in a moral community (such as a church, mosque, temple, or synagogue), where they engage in religious beliefs and practices with similarly minded people.
Figure 17.1
Hanukkah, a major holiday in Judaism, provides worshippers with the opportunity to come together and worship their Creator and celebrate their community.
Noam Armonn/ Shutterstock.com
Given the diversity and complexity of contemporary religion, how is it possible for sociologists to study this social institution? Most sociologists studying religion are committed to the pursuit of “disinterested scholarship,” meaning that they do not seek to make value judgments about religious beliefs or to determine whether particular religious bodies are “right” or “wrong.” However, many acknowledge that it is impossible to completely rid themselves of those values and beliefs into which they were socialized.
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The study of religion in the Early Christian Literature
1. The study of Religion in the
Early Christian Literature
Lecturer Dr. Georgios Gaitanos
KU LOGOS
Department of Social Theology &
Science of Religion
george.gaitanos@kulogos.edu.al
2. The main question
Is there any scientific or a
regulated study of religion
in the texts of the
Early Christian Literature?
3. Interpretations of the term "religion"
piety/fear of God1
description of a particular religious tradition or teaching2
devotion or loyalty to higher beings through devotional acts3
ritual-worship4
4. Interpretations of the term "religion"
true religion/superstition5
religious freedom6
conceptual category7
5. Adversus Gentes, PL 5, Book VII,
Chapter 37,2
“Opinio religionem facit”
(the opinion constructs religion)
This phrase has best justified not only the
variety and the diversity of the various
religions, but also that is relevant what each
person regards as religious or not.
Arnobius
(255-330)
6. Clement of
Alexandria
(150-215)
• a religious history of mankind
• Greek Philosophy and Old
Testament are preparatory materials
for accepting the Christian faith
• He formed a unified religious history
where the various stages and different
religious views were a preparation for
the appearance of Christian faith.
Paedagogus (Tutor)
Protrepticus (Exhortation)
Stromateis (Miscellanies)
7. Lactantius
(250-325)
• He shaped religion as a distinct concept
in contemporary Western thought.
• Due to his approach the term gained
more theological characteristics, since it
was directly connected with the worship
of one and true God.
Divinae Institutiones
(Divine Precepts)
8. History of Religions
Clement of Alexandria
Many of the teachings of others had
some common elements and could
be considered as preparation for the
knowledge of the complete truth by
mankind through Christianity
His works should be treated as
an alternative apologetic
effort to promote the superiority
of Christian worship
More protreptic and
less aggressive attitude
to philosophy and other
cults
This model of presentation
of various cults reminds of
a potential theory of
diffusion and cultural loans.
9. History of Religions
Lactantius
The "true/false religion"
dipole demeans the
cultural features and
peculiarities of each
tradition
For him, true religion is placed
beyond the history of human
civilization and out of time,
because is not a human cultural
product, but a divine one and
outside of this world
More aggressive attitude,
as he emphasized the
absolute and unique truth
of one God, giving religion
exclusively theological
characteristics
His work can be summarized
as a History of true religion
and false cults
10. Conclusion
The subject of "religion" to both writers was linked to national and
cultural characteristics, which reveals that what people of this era
perceived as a religion was related to their cultural habits and their
national/religious identity.
On the one hand, Clement accepted the contribution of the various
cultures to the search for the divine as part of the plan of the divine
economy, while on the other hand, Lactantius rejected the cultural
diversification in the search and worship of the divine as he believed
that religion was delivered to man from a superior ontological reality
and was not a product of human epiphany.
11. Thank you
You can find me at
￮ george.gaitanos@kulogos.edu.al
￮ LinkedIn: Georgios Gaitanos
￮ Academia: Georgios Gaitanos
￮ Researchgate: Georgios Gaitanos
