The word Religion describes people’s beliefs and practices in their dealings with the ultimate questions of life. It has been a hugely influential force in human history, creating cultures worldwide and shaping many societies in a variety of ways.
Religion has taught people how to treat others with respect and compassion; how to live in community, and how to relate to the natural world. It has also provided maps of time and space, allowing humans to recognize (or at least deal with) the many limitations that stand across the project of life. People do things religiously scrupulously, devotedly, generously, ecstatically, prayerfully, sacrificially, puritanically, ritualistically, and in many other ways as well.
Religious beliefs and behaviours are a key component of any culture. The study of how religion has influenced culture — and continues to influence culture — has long been important. The 19th century saw the growth of social theory and ethnological studies, with Emile Durkheim (1853-1925), Max Weber (1864-1920), and Karl Marx (1818-1883) examining the relationship between religion and society.
It is often assumed that when a scholar defines religion substantively or functionally, they are naming an aspect of the human condition that exists in all cultures. This view has been criticized as simplistic.