Religion is the way that people deal with ultimate concerns about life, death, and a possible afterlife. Some form of religion is found in every culture. Religious narratives, symbols, and traditions give people meaning in their lives and provide them with a framework for understanding the universe. They also provide a sense of social connectedness and community. Religious faith and practice appear to have the power to make people happier and healthier.
The study of religion became more focused in the 19th century as Europeans became aware of how many different customs and beliefs existed in the world. This helped prepare the ground for more intensive research into religion in various disciplines. The study of religion has become a major area of inquiry in the humanities and social sciences.
Several theorists have offered definitions of religion that vary in detail, but all have some common features. A classic example of a stipulative definition is Karl Marx’s assertion that religion “is the opium of the masses.”
Emile Durkheim and Max Weber both took a functional approach, seeing religion as what organizes people’s values and provides them with a sense of identity. For Durkheim, this function was especially important in the industrialized world of the time.
Some scholars have criticized a functionalist approach to religion, arguing that it obscures the culturally specific and historically particular nature of religion. Others have defended it, noting that the fact that religion is something that is inherently culturally specific and historically particular does not necessarily imply that it is unimportant.