Briefly. Religions of the world

Since ancient times, people have been trying to understand what religion is? At the heart of the word “religion” is a connection or revisiting of something. Religion connects people of different ethnicity, profession, character and way of thinking. Representatives of each religion have their own traditions that force them to return again and again to the basics of their faith, reminding us that in everyday life we ​​must not forget about God, He is with us everywhere. The amazing structure of the world, in which everything was created so that life could develop in it, always prompted people to think that a Creator exists. Even where people now do not know the Holy Scriptures, they continue to believe in higher powers. From the Holy Scriptures we know that man's relationship with God has developed over many millennia. That is why much of what is described in the Old Testament seems incomprehensible to us. In those days, God still appeared to people and revealed His will to them. We live in the times of the New Testament and our faith is based on our spiritual experience, which can sometimes serve as clearer proof of the existence of God than other material miracles and confirmations of His existence. But each person's spiritual experience is different. There are many religions in the world. And to say that “God is one for all religions” would be wrong, because God is not an impersonal Essence. Despite the fact that monotheistic religions have much in common - God is one and perfect, they also have significant differences that do not allow the followers of religions to finally unite. For Christians, God is Jesus Christ, we talk about the trinity of God. Christianity is based on the Covenant, as a kind of “agreement” concluded by humanity with God. It would be wrong to reduce the role of religion to a specific set of rules or “law” by which people all over the world live. In fact, religion has many more functions, which we will discuss in this article.

What is religion?

Now we know a lot even about those religions that we do not profess. If in former times the basis of the teachings of a particular religion was discovered only by its follower, now many historians are studying what religion is? It is already known that religion inevitably influences many social processes. The religious views of people have played a huge role in the history of the modern world and continue to change it. World religions have existed for a very long time. The youngest of them is Islam, but it is also more than 1600 years old. Christianity is over 2000 years old, Judaism is over 4000 years old, and Hinduism is over 5500 years old. At all times, people have tried to answer the question - who are we? Where are we from? Where are we going? Ancient myths, legends and fairy tales are built on this. Religion is a belief system built on a firm belief in something from the non-material world. Many great scientists - Einstein, Kurchatov, Pavlov, Vernadsky and others did not hide the fact that they were religious believers. The concept of “religion” is closely related to such concepts as “God” and “Church”, because any religion, be it a world religion or a small cult of a tribe, is built on faith in God or gods and is associated with an organization that has traditions and customs - Church. People have always explained certain natural phenomena and disasters by supernatural forces. With the development of civilization, humanity came to understand that God is one and polytheism became a thing of the past, and monotheistic religions appeared. These are religions in which God is one.

The role of religion in human life

Religion plays a huge role in all social spheres. What is religion if it influences culture, the development of science, medicine, social institutions and much more? This is an amazing spiritual community that arises among people with different cultural heritages, different views and traditions. Even such areas as marriage and starting a family cannot do without the participation of a person’s religious views. For example, Catholic clergy are prohibited from marrying. Medical ethics was formed not without the participation of religion. Numerous disputes about the possibility of cloning were largely due to the fact that the Church does not consider it necessary to take on the role of Creator. Sometimes people living in the same state and having the same culture and history can be completely different and live differently only because they profess different religious views.

Religion often determines a person's psychological state. Thus, when people found themselves in destructive sects, they often began to behave aggressively or exhibit character traits that were not characteristic of them before.

Religion even influences the politics and education of individual states, as well as their governance. Unfortunately, it was precisely religious views that often covered criminal acts. Such as the Inquisition. But this has nothing to do with true religiosity, since all world religions are peace-loving and profess love and respect for one’s neighbor. Love for God and neighbors is the basis of Christianity.

In scientific terms, religion has a regulatory, communicative, integrative, educational and compensatory function in the life of society. Regulatory establishes complex social processes and influences the behavior of people and their lives in society. Communication involves uniting people into groups based on religion. Integrative allows each follower of a particular religion to become part of the whole and is considered a continuation of the communicative function. The compensatory function helps a person cope with life’s difficulties; religion supports people in difficult moments of their lives, explaining what troubles may be associated with, how to overcome them or learn to live with them. Educational education forms moral values ​​in an individual or a whole group of people.

Most religions help a person overcome the fear of death and the unknown by declaring the immortality of the human soul or rebirth. Religion helps a person survive the pain of losing loved ones and find new meaning in earthly existence.

Types of religions

Initially, religions were based on polytheism. In ancient Egypt, of course, they tried to introduce the cult of a single god (Ra, the sun god), but people were more accustomed to thinking that each deity was “responsible” for the “diocese” entrusted to him. Monotheism was also important from a political point of view, because it was only possible to gather many ancient tribes into a single state if they were all ready to profess one religion. Otherwise, this could threaten strife and religious wars.

In the modern world, religions are mostly monotheistic. Despite the fact that neo-paganism has become a fashionable phenomenon these days, including in the former CIS countries and in Europe. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are monotheistic religions. Each of them claims to be a timeless religion, which is a permanent and eternal system of values ​​for those who profess it.

People, as is right, base their faith on holy books. For Christians this is the Old and New Testaments, the Holy Scriptures, for Muslims it is the Koran. The books contain the basics of doctrine and the history of the emergence of a particular religion.

To perform divine services and sacraments, people build temples. Each religion has its own name for the place where one can worship God. Muslims visit the mosque, Christians go to the temple. Moreover, in each Christian denomination the temple has its own name. In Catholicism it is a church, in Protestantism it is a church. They have different architectural structure and design.

In addition, in each religion God is worshiped differently, there are different sacraments and rituals. So Sikhism involves meditation, Christianity - worship with Communion.

Religions of the world

There is a common belief that there are three world religions:

1. Christianity
2. Islam
3. Buddhism

In fact, Buddhism cannot be considered a religion because it does not include the worship of a god. Buddha considered himself enlightened, but never considered himself a god. Along with Taoism and Hinduism, Buddhism is just a certain system of values, a belief in the supernatural forces of nature.

Monotheistic religions currently include:

1. Judaism
2. Christianity
3. Islam
4. Sikhism

Judaism was formed among the Jewish people and remains to this day one of the oldest monotheistic religions. There are more than thirteen million Jews in the world. The starting point of the ethical idea of ​​​​Judaism is the unity of the human race and equality between people. According to Judaism, it is not ethnicity or other affiliation that distinguishes people, but the participation of moral force in their lives. The unity of the universe, according to Judaism, owes its existence to the Will of the Creator. Along with the unity of God, Judaism emphasizes His incorporeality. God is not one of the forces of nature or the material world, He is above nature and above material laws. The commandments that Moses received on Mount Sinai are a continuation of the covenant that God made with Abraham. According to Judaism, man must cleanse the world through his actions so that God can be present in it. The doctrine of Judaism is that God is One, Almighty and Eternal. Man is not capable of knowing God, except to the extent in which the Lord reveals himself to people. The will of God is revealed through the prophets. He leaves every person free will and does not impose faith by force. The Jews are waiting for the Kingdom of goodness and justice, which will come when the Messiah comes.

Christianity at one time was considered a Jewish sect, but the truth of faith in Christ allowed the modest movement of Judaism to turn into a world religion with many followers. There are more than two billion Christians in the world who believe that Christ is the Messiah. He came to save Us and died on the Cross for us. Christianity does not deny the Old Testament principle of monotheism and veneration of the One God. The New Testament God is love. The basis of Christian virtue is humility and love for others. Christianity also talks about the equality of all people. God loves every person as his child and everyone has the means of salvation - free will and Divine grace.

Islam is the youngest of all monotheistic world religions. The Koran is the holy book for Muslims. The founder of Islam is considered to be the Prophet Muhammad. Islam came to replace paganism in Western Arabia, in Mecca. The basis of Islam is faith in one God, the brotherhood of believers and adherence to moral standards. According to Islam, Jesus is one of the prophets. Christians in Islam are called "people of the Book." With this term, followers of Judaism and Christianity are separated from pagans.

Sikhism is also a monotheistic religion. It was founded by the spiritual teacher of Sikhism, Nanak. More than 22 million people around the world practice Sikhism. It originated in the 16th century. God, according to Sikhism, does not reveal the purpose of creating the material world to anyone, but is full of love and devoid of hatred. God is present everywhere - in nature, mercy, truth and beauty. He is worshiped through meditative practices.

You should also not confuse religions and confessions. One religion can contain several denominations. So in Christianity the main ones are Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. In Islam, the largest denominations are Sunnism and Shiism.

One of the major polytheistic religions is Hinduism. This is not quite a religion in the usual sense of the word, but rather a complex set of beliefs. The main deities in Hinduism are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

It is important to remember that our God is love and hatred for people who profess other religious views, will not help us in any way in the matter of Salvation. The best way to be a missionary is to set an example of Christian love and piety in your life. Let us not forget that Jesus did not convert anyone to Christianity by force, but showed the world miracles of love.

Religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism and Confucianism. Christianity, based on faith in the Holy Trinity, is one of the main world religions, which calls people to do good, humility, fight sins and love the Triune God. This type of religion is divided into Catholicism and Protestantism, which converge on faith in Jesus Christ, but differ in their interpretations of Tradition and Holy Scripture.

The head of the church in Catholicism is the Pope, not Jesus Christ, while Protestants tend to interpret the Bible according to their personal beliefs.

Another global religion - Islam - is considered partially identical with Christianity, since it has its own God - Allah, who judges all human actions. But, unlike the Christian religion, where the emphasis is on freedom of choice and humility, Islam requires serious obedience from its followers and a number of strict rules. However, Christianity also prescribes a fair and compassionate attitude towards other people.

Buddhism sets its highest goal to achieve nirvana. At the same time, he teaches that a person’s salvation does not depend on the Buddha, who only shows the path to salvation, but on himself. Followers of Judaism consider themselves God's chosen people and await their Messiah, rejecting the Christian Christ. Sikhism and Hinduism combine features inherent in the Muslim religion, but do not have a single holistic system.

Commonalities between existing religions

In general, all religions are united by belief in higher spiritual powers and the continued existence of the spirit after death. The concept of spirituality and morality in world religions can vary greatly, but they are all similar to ancient idolatry, when people worshiped higher powers in the hope of some kind of help from them.

The Roman writer and orator Cicero interpreted the meaning of the word “religion” as “reverence for a higher mind.”

There are a huge number of churches in the world belonging to different religions - Orthodox churches, Islamic mosques, Lutheran churches, Catholic churches, Jewish synagogues, Buddhist temples and so on. Less developed peoples go to worship their gods in the sacred groves of the Kyusoto, the Udmur Kuala, the Sami Seydu and sacred storehouses. There they strive to make contact with the higher mind and find out their purpose on this earth.

- (from Lat. religio piety, shrine, object of worship). Secular authors usually define R. as an attitude, moral standards and type of behavior that are based on belief in the existence of a supernatural world or supernatural beings of God... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

This is the belief that everything that happens to us is extremely important. And that is why it will always exist. Cesare Pavese Without consideration of the divine you cannot do anything human well, and vice versa. Marcus Aurelius Among the adherents of each... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

- (Latin religio, from the preposition re, and ligare to bind). The relationship by which a person recognizes himself as connected with the invisible world. Religion, faith, generally recognition and veneration of God. Religion is natural. A religion based on the motives of the heart and... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Religion- Religion ♦ Religion A set of beliefs and rituals that have God or many gods as their object. This gives religion coherence (according to one of the possible, albeit dubious hypotheses, the etymology of the word goes back to the Latin verb religare -... ... Sponville's Philosophical Dictionary

Cm … Synonym dictionary

RELIGION, religions, women. (lat. religio). Views and ideas based on mysticism, on belief in miraculous powers and beings. Religions of the Ancient East. Muslim religion. “Religion is the opium of the people, this saying of Marx is the cornerstone... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

RELIGION- (from lat. religio piety, piety, object of worship), idealistic form. worldview, as well as corresponding behavior and specific actions (cult) associated with belief in supernatural beings. powers (of God) and their influence on the life of man and his... ... Demographic Encyclopedic Dictionary

See State religion... Legal dictionary

- (lat. religio piety, piety, shrine) worldview, worldview, attitude, as well as the associated behavior of people, determined by the belief in the existence of a supernatural sphere, articulated in mature forms of R. as God... The latest philosophical dictionary

Religion- ■ One of the foundations of society. ■ People need it, but not in very large numbers. ■ “The religion of our fathers” should be pronounced with reverence... Lexicon of common truths

Books

• Religion, Dmitry Merezhkovsky. ...
• Religion, T. I. Butkevich. Religion, its essence and origin: (Review of philosophical hypotheses): In 2 books. Book 1-2 Reproduced in the original author’s spelling of the 1902 edition (publishing house “Gubernsky Printing House…

The Orthodox Church is closest to the traditions of early Christianity. It, for example, preserves the principle of autocephaly - the independence of national churches (there are 15 in total). In the interpretation of the dogma of the Trinity, the main attention is paid to God the Father, and only from him is the procession of the Holy Spirit recognized. The main rituals of the cult are prayer, the sign of the cross, baring the head in front of the icon, kneeling, listening to teachings, and participating in the service. In the Orthodox Church, ritual prevails over theology. The splendor and luxury of the temple, the festivity of the liturgy, aim at the perception of faith not so much with the mind as with the feelings. The idea of ​​Orthodox conciliarity presupposes the unity of laity and clergy, adherence to tradition and the primacy of the collective principle. The main holiday of Orthodoxy is Easter.

The Catholic (translated from the Greek - universal) Church is the largest in the Christian world. The foundations of the faith of Catholicism are the books of the Old and New Testaments (Holy Scripture). The dogma of Catholicism, which is in many ways close to Orthodoxy, has some peculiarities. Under the influence of Arianism, a unique understanding of the Trinity was established: the procession of the Holy Spirit is recognized not only from God the Father, but also from God the Son. Hence the increased attention to the human path of Jesus, the main holiday is Christmas, the main symbol is the crucifixion. This understanding of the triune essence of God has given Catholicism enormous humanistic potential, which is manifested, in particular, in the sublime veneration of the Virgin Mary.

Catholicism, like Orthodoxy, recognizes the seven sacraments of Christianity (baptism, confirmation (confirmation), communion, repentance, marriage (wedding), unction, priesthood). However, baptism here is carried out by pouring, and confirmation is separated from baptism and is carried out when the child reaches 7-8 years of age. Until recently, the language of liturgy and “sacred books” was Latin, and now it is national languages. Modern Catholicism pays serious attention to the education of children and youth - there are about 30 thousand Catholic educational institutions in the world - from primary schools to universities. The influence of Catholicism spreads through thousands of periodicals and numerous television and radio stations. He is one of the most influential spiritual forces of the modern world.

Protestantism is a particularly variegated direction of Christianity in its structure. In the 16th century Europe was swept by the Reformation - a movement to transform the church in the spirit of evangelical ideals. Spread across parts of Europe, North America and some other regions, Protestantism has become the second most influential denomination in Western Christianity. Despite the presence of many churches and denominations in it, it is possible to identify common features of doctrine, cult and organization for all. The Bible is recognized by most Protestants as the only source of doctrine. Protestantism focuses a person on personal communication with God. Hence the right of every person to read and discuss the Bible. Paying great attention to the human incarnation of Jesus Christ, Protestants, for the most part, recognize Christmas as a holiday. The main services are reading the Bible, preaching, individual and collective prayers, and singing religious hymns. As a rule, the cult of the Mother of God, saints, icons and relics is rejected. The main organizational structure is the community. The hierarchy of clergy is not developed.

Protestantism penetrated into Russia since pre-Petrine times, mainly with visiting foreigners, among whom it did not find noticeable spread. From the second half of the 19th century. The propaganda of Baptistism, evangelism, and later Adventism, Pentecostalism, Jehovahism and other Protestant denominations is sharply increasing in the country. All of them are distinguished by especially active missionary work among youth and students.

The Christian faith shaped the picture of the world of ancient Russian man. The idea of ​​personal salvation, which was most important for the Christian faith, oriented a person towards self-improvement and contributed to the development of individual creative activity. The adoption of Christianity in Russia played an important role in the development of the material and spiritual culture of ancient Russian society. It would be wrong to deny that the church played a very definite positive role in the development of writing, architecture and painting in Rus', the rise of Moscow, the development of patriotic and national self-awareness and the moral rise of the Russian and other peoples of Rus' and Russia. It is not without reason that Russian Christianity has enriched European culture with its contributions: theology, philosophy, literature, church architecture, iconography, etc.

Like Christianity, Islam also played an important role in the social life of different countries, in their culture and art.

Islam is one of the three world religions. The name comes from the Arabic al-Islam, which means surrender to God, submission. A synonym for al-Islam is the Arabic Muslim (hence Muslim, Muslims). The religion was born among the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the Arabians were engaged in cattle breeding and led a nomadic lifestyle, driving herds of camels across the deserts from one oasis to another. They were called Bedouins (from the Arabic badw - desert dweller). Under these conditions, a special spiritual world of nomads was formed, closed by the interests of their clan and tribe. The dominant religion was polytheism. They worshiped the Moon and the Sun, believed in the omnipotence of deities, of which there were up to 350. The pagan pantheon included Allah, Uzza, Manat. For many tribes of Northern and Central Arabia, Allah was the supreme deity. He was perceived as the creator of the world, far from people, who did not patronize any particular tribe. His shrines almost did not exist. Allah's wife was Uzza, his daughter was Manat, sometimes both goddesses were considered his daughters.

The most common among the Bedouin Arabs were the cults of the Betils and ancestors. The cult of the Betils was expressed in the worship of large stones placed upright in the shape of a dwelling (Semitic beit-el - the dwelling of God), inside which there were idols - deities. Religious processions were organized around the betil twice a year. Such a pantheon was located, for example, in Mecca. It was headed by the patron god of the Qureish family, Hubal. Sacrifices were made to the souls of the deceased relatives. The custom of blood feud was associated with the cult of ancestors. The nomads considered it their religious duty, so constant internecine wars were fought in Arabia. Among the Arabs of that time there were those who condemned inter-tribal feuds, rightly believing that they led to the self-destruction of clans. In contrast to the political beliefs of the Bedouins, another culture is born in Arabia - the culture of monotheism (monotheism). It was based on Judaism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity. The bearers of these religions were foreign merchants, preachers - missionaries, warriors of neighboring states, who repeatedly invaded Arabia. Social and ideological changes were observed among the Arabs. Trade was intensive, which led to the strengthening of intertribal ties and contributed to the communication of Arabs with other peoples. At the same time, in the VI - VII centuries. There is a decomposition of tribal relations and increased social inequality. In the minds of a simple community member, the latter was often explained by the “wrong” faith. Many people searched for the “true” religion. At that time, the so-called “prophetic movement” arose in the Arabian Peninsula.

The preachers of Musaylim, Sajjah, al-Aswad, ibn Sayyad, who convinced the pagans to abandon idols and called for monotheism. The names of the gods Rahman and Allah appeared more often than others. Prophetess Sajjah from the Talim tribe acted exclusively through peaceful preaching. She subsequently converted to Islam. Others acted by force of arms. Musailima, for example, tried to establish his power in Yemama, al-Aswad in Yemen. The preachers of monotheism were called Hanifs (pious), and their beliefs were called Hanifism. In the 10s. VII century The merchant Muhammad, the founder of Islam, begins his preaching work. The Arabian preachers were undoubtedly influenced by the Judeo-Christian religious system, which was well known to them. However, they did not copy the Old and New Testaments. This teaching was transferred to the Arab spiritual soil, from which original religious teachings grew, including Islam.

Thus, the emergence of Islam is associated primarily with the development of the spiritual world of the Arabian tribes of the 1st - 7th centuries. from political to monotheistic religious views.

In Islam, nationalist tendencies have no basis. Islam has spread among nations that not only belong to different races, but also have nothing in common in terms of language, way of thinking, economy, environment and historical experience. He regards these external signs as not having the slightest value and recognizes all nations and all people as equal. Under the shadow of Islam, a person can feel the taste of freedom and independence. The Islamic faith of every resident of Islamic countries is the best guarantee of gaining freedom and independence.

Religion and morality are close, interconnected spheres of culture; their similarity is most noticeable in spiritual manifestations. However, the church had an incomparably stronger impact on the morality of society than morality on the religious cult and intra-church practice.

The moral and moral principle is especially expressed in world religions. For example, in Buddhism, according to the Pali Canon, movement along the path of salvation begins with observing moral precepts. Then comes concentration, in which saving knowledge is achieved, inextricably linked with liberation. To achieve a state of concentration, it is necessary to curb the senses, wakefulness of the spirit and constant self-control. This should be facilitated by the observance of moral commandments, without which it is simply impossible to even enter the path leading to the ultimate goal - nirvana.

Five initial requirements: do not kill any living creature, do not take what does not belong to you, do not tell lies, do not commit adultery, do not drink intoxicating drinks - were obligatory for both monks and laypeople who accepted Buddhism. For the novice and monk, these commandments were supplemented by five more: do not attend spectacles; do not use ointments, incense, or jewelry; do not sleep on a wide and high bed; have no gold or silver; don't eat after noon.

Later, the moral requirements included benevolence, modesty, help, respect, overcoming envy, etc. The circle of virtues that improve karma included listening and preaching the teachings of the Buddha, the practice of meditation, and the number of prophets additionally included ignorance, greed, frivolity , insult, etc. From this it follows that the moral code of Buddhism is close to the moral precepts of other religions, it reflects the deep commonality of the original ethical views of different peoples.

The moral principle in Islam permeates the idea of ​​one God - Allah, the Creator and Ruler of the world, an omnipotent and wise being. Reliance on the mercy and mercy of God lies at the core of Islamic belief. This is also characteristic of Sharia - a set of Muslim religious, legal and moral institutions. A Muslim must, for example, perform five daily prayers; consider Satan your enemy; beware of sinful acts inspired in him; support his wife honestly and fairly; it is recommended to know the entire Koran by heart, provide assistance to the crippled, the homeless, and educate orphans; perform Hajj; do not harbor a grudge for more than three days (if this does not harm faith), etc. Islam, unlike Christianity, does not know any church organization. In the Muslim world there were no councils dogmatizing doctrine and cult. Therefore, law plays a big role in preserving the unity of Muslims.

However, it is in Christianity that the idea of ​​God is most morally saturated. The omnipotent and omniscient God is both all-good and all-merciful. In the hypostasis of God the Father, he acts as a caring protector, patron, and guardian. In the hypostasis of God the Son, he accepts the sins of people and gives himself as a sacrifice for them. The laconic formula “God is love” (I John, 4, 8, 16) especially expressively conveys the moral essence of this world religion. Moral issues occupy a leading place in temple preaching, and moral theology is the most widespread branch of Christian theology.

Many ethics researchers believe that morality and morality are generated by religion and are inseparable from it. At the same time, they often cite the statement of the great thinker I. Kant about the divine nature of the “categorical imperative” inherent in man - an imperious internal manifestation to follow moral requirements. Even more often they refer to the ancient texts of “sacred books”, full of moral teachings, and to the fact that the very idea of ​​​​God and reward after death has a strong impact on the behavior of an individual, his moral foundations. Finally, they point out the special role of the church, which has taken on the function of a moral institution. The believer looks at the church not only as a temple of worship: he perceives it as an institution of morality, a hearth, a sanctuary and a school of morality. Here he confesses his offenses and receives absolution, is strengthened in his readiness to avoid them in the future, and therefore sees in the Church a kind of “ship of salvation.”

It is the church (and in pre-class society, the priesthood) that takes on the role of an institution that ensures morality and mores in the life of society. The history of all civilized countries convinces us of this. The clergy protected the moral principles that had developed in the practical life of society and promoted them. Edifications to the flock, spiritual supervision over the observance of the commandments, and often personal example, especially of pious ascetics, undoubtedly contributed to the maintenance and functioning of moral norms. However, even today moral sermons are perceived by believers not simply as reminders of morality from the point of view of a certain respected person, but as commands on behalf of God, which gives moral norms special significance. A religious person sees in these norms not only expediency and meaning, but something sanctified and sacred. For him, breaking these norms is unacceptable both according to earthly and religious laws. Morality for a believer merges with religion.

All religions of the world have common roots and equally participated in the formation of the culture of their people. Creeds and “sacred books” contain transferable universal human values ​​of culture and morality, which are equally dear to believers and non-believers. These values ​​are the center of the culture of every nation.

- is a public institution that occupies an important place in the structure of society; acts as a form of social consciousness, expressing certain ideas and regulating social relations; exists in the form of a system of norms and regulations for human behavior in society.

About five thousand religions are known. The variety of religious forms and linguistic differences in expressing these forms in different cultures make it extremely difficult to find characteristic features that would allow some phenomena to be classified as religious. All this complicates the problem of defining religion. There are more than 250 such definitions, and this number is constantly growing. It is impossible to consider each of the definitions, but all definitions can be divided into groups and the characteristic features of each group can be studied.

The following groups of definitions of religion are distinguished:

• theological;
• philosophical;
• psychological.

Religion and theology

Theological definitions- these are definitions accepted in theology. They consider religion “from the inside”, proceeding from the model that is set by the corresponding religion and confession. Despite the differences between religious denominations, what is common to all on this issue is that they view religion as a person’s connection with God. Definitions of this type can be divided into two groups.

1. Supranaturalistic- proceed from the fact that religion is a truly existing connection between a person and God, it arises from the Revelation of God, it is given to man by God once and for all in an unchanged form. These definitions cannot explain the reasons for the change in religion. Their authors believe that man needs the concept of the Absolute, the presence of which he constantly feels; this feeling helps a person to organize his own life. The Russian religious philosopher wrote that religion is a system of actions and experiences that provide salvation to the soul. The soul is surrounded by the chaos of social relations and its own unconscious impulses. Religion helps to build an integral, logical world out of this chaos and thereby saves the soul from chaos.

2.Historical definitions state that religion and society are closely related. Religion is an a priori, pre-experiential experience. However, she experiences a variety of influences from government, family, economic and other relations. Thus, religion is both a subjective attitude towards God and a historical reality. This point of view was developed by many theologians, in particular the German theologians Ernst Troeltsch and Rudolf Otto. Historical definitions make it possible to understand religion as a historical phenomenon that changes in accordance with changes in society and at the same time retains unchanged its ability to transcending - going beyond the limits of reality in order to construct a semantic field of existence.

Religion and philosophy

Philosophical definitions allow us to look at religion as a special entity that performs important functions in society. They strive to find signs of religion from the outside, consciously distance themselves from any religion and often take a critical position towards it.

The most original view on the relationship between religion and society in the history of philosophy was expressed by I. Kant. He believed that man, as a free being, must follow the categorical imperative, i.e. moral law. This law requires the fullness of moral virtue, which is unattainable in the “world of things for us,” therefore, the achievement of this highest virtue is possible only in the future, which means that the soul is immortal and God is the guarantee of this immortality and the moral basis of existence.

Distinguishes between moral and statuary religions. Moral religions are based on the faith of “pure reason”, in them a person, with the help of his own reason, knows the divine will in himself. Statuary religions are based on historical tradition, in them knowledge occurs through the Revelation of God, they cannot be considered obligatory for people. Only moral religion is obligatory. Religion first appears as a moral religion, but in order to become widespread in society, it takes on a static character. The highest form of religion is, and primarily in its Protestant variety.

He believed that religion is one of the forms of self-knowledge of the Absolute Spirit, the most adequate to its nature. Religion is equivalent, they have one subject - eternal truth, God and the explanation of God. But they differ in research method: Religion explores God with the help of feelings and ideas, and philosophy with the help of concepts and laws.

L. Feuerbach in contrast to Kant and Hegel, he believed that religion appeared as a result of alienation from man of his best characteristics, raising them to the absolute and worshiping them. He believed that such a religion should be destroyed, and in its place should be the worship of one person to another, or the love of man for man.

Marxist philosophy defines religion as belief in the supernatural. Religion is a fantastic reflection in the heads of people of those external forces that dominate them in real life. Marxism sees the reasons for the change in religion in. In primitive society, people depended on the elemental forces of nature, and therefore deified them. With the emergence of classes and the development of social relations, people learn the laws of nature, learn to use them to achieve their goals, so nature ceases to be a mystery and an object of worship. Its place is taken by social relations, which are becoming increasingly incomprehensible to people. Just as one monarch reigns on earth, so one God appears in heaven.

K. Marx, following Hegel, called religion the opium of the people, i.e. a means of deception for the purpose of exploitation. Religion in Marx's time was the only ideology permitted in society that expressed the interests of the ruling classes; with its help the rich exploited the poor. However, any uncontested ideology that expresses the ideas and interests of those in power, even an atheist one, becomes such an opium. Marxism argued that the basis of religion is people's ignorance of the laws of nature and society. As soon as the laws of their existence and development are discovered, the need for religion will disappear.

German philosopher and sociologist, one of the founders of the sociology of religion M. Weber believed that religion grows out of the experience of the irrationality of the world and human life. Religion is a way of giving meaning to social action; religion brings rationality to the explanation of the world and to everyday behavior. Weber explored how Protestantism stimulated the development of capitalism in Western Europe.

Religion and Psychology

Psychological definitions They see the basis of religion in the peculiarities of the human psyche.

Representative of pragmatism, American philosopher and psychologist W. James believed that the truth of a religion is determined by its usefulness. The main function of any religion is the transition from mental suffering to gradual liberation from it. Religion has a wonderful power, James believed, to transform the most intolerable suffering of the human soul into the deepest and most lasting happiness. James saw the usefulness of religion in that it promotes inner growth and a more intense spiritual life.

Austrian psychologist, neurologist and psychiatrist 3. Freud called religion a great illusion. Society imposes bans on the manifestation of human instincts, as a result of which instinctive drives are repressed, and this gives rise to neuroses. Religion is a means of protection against neurosis, since it offers a replacement for what is desired and, accordingly, the illusion of fulfillment of desires. Freud believed that under the influence of the rational principle, as a person becomes aware of his unconscious drives, religion as an illusion will be destroyed.

Swiss psychologist and cultural scientist K. Jung believed that in addition to the individual unconscious there is, which is expressed in archetypes and embodied in the images of mythology and religion. The collective unconscious is the same for all people on earth, since it is determined by the bodily organization of man, it is the reason for the emergence of religion. The differences in the religious beliefs of different peoples are explained by the peculiarities of the historically established customs, traditions, and rituals of these peoples. Religion, as Jung believed, performs an important function of protecting consciousness from destructive factors - the secret unconscious forces of the human soul.

Explains the dark aspirations of the soul by the works of the devil, and the bright sides by the desire for God. It is easier for a person to cope with such objectified images than with his own desires. In any religion there is a system of actions and ritual instructions aimed at protecting a person from unconscious forces. Jung believed that religion in this understanding will never be overcome, because its basis - the properties of the human psyche - is unchanged. It is no coincidence that psychoanalysis arises at a time when religion is losing ground.

What religion has done for centuries is now being replaced by psychoanalysis.

Elements and structure of religion

Any religion usually consists of the following basic elements:

• (ideology and religious psychology);
• religious cult (relationships);
• religious organizations.

Religious ideology represents a system of views concerning the existence of a supernatural force that creates the world and reigns supreme in it. Currently, religious ideology, in particular, includes:

• dogmatics;
• theology;
• doctrine of cults (exegesis);
• ecclesiastical archaeology;
• doctrine about the fathers of the church (patrology);
• history of the holy books of the church;
• rules for conducting services (homiletics).

Religious psychology implies the emotional relationship of believers to God and his attributes, religious organizations, each other, the state, society, and nature. Predominant among them are feelings of complete dependence on God's will, obligation, guilt and fear of God. The Orthodox catechism reads: “Every follower of Christ must bear his own cross, that is, always try to mortify his pride, evil will, carnal passions and sensual sinful desires, and also, having surrendered entirely to the will of God, meekly endure various hardships, labors, shortcomings, poverty, sorrows and resentments, suppressing envy, vindictiveness, and enmity.”

Religious cult represents a set of regulations indicating that. how and when to do it in order to be pleasing to God. In the cult, the connection between people and supernatural forces is realized, and the desire to influence them is manifested.

Ancient religious cults include:

• exaltation of gods, saints, ancestors, relics;
• sacrifice, sacrifice, alms, etc.;
• worship, sacraments, prayers, etc.;
• consecration of church buildings, utensils, etc.;
• propaganda of doctrine, books, figures, martyrs for the faith, etc.;
• forced to any form of self-sacrifice, sometimes even self-torture.

Religious organization implies the division of believers into ordinary people and their leaders, that is, into flock and pastors or laity and clergy. The clergy unites the following religious leaders:

• patriarch, pope, ayatollah, etc.;
• synod, collegium cardinayuv, imamate, etc.;
• clergy.

Religious organizations also act in the form of various associations of pastors and flocks: monastic orders, religious brotherhoods, societies of believers, etc.

Religion in the system of social relations

It is a complex system of relationships between people, institutions, states, and ethnic entities; Religion occupies one of the most important places in this system. To understand the meaning of religion and its roles in society it is necessary to consider the relationship between religion and other forms of social life.

Religion and production

From the point of view of Marxism, the decisive place in the life of society is occupied by material production, on the basis of which social relations are formed. The emergence of religion is determined by the degree of development of production and human knowledge of the world. With the development of production and social relations, religion will die out.

From the point of view of the American sociologist M. Weber, religion plays a decisive role in this relationship. He believes that the development of capitalism in Europe became possible as a result of the emergence of Protestantism, which could free the believers from the need to serve God and direct their energy in a different direction- production, commerce.

Religion and politics

Deals with relations between classes, nations, states and citizens, and since these are all subjects of religious relations, religion has an indirect influence on politics throughout the history of society. However, religion also influences political relations directly.

During the Middle Ages in Europe, politics and religion were closely interconnected, since they played a decisive role in society. Any political event took on a religious connotation, just as religious decisions were implemented through political means.

The relationship between politics and religion was even more interconnected in the countries of the Middle East, where Islam was born and developed during the Middle Ages. The most important feature is that political and religious authorities are combined. Often, even today, the head of state is also the head of the church. Very often, politicians use religious slogans to achieve their goals.

Religion and Law

This relationship is especially clearly visible in Islam, since the holy book of Muslims, the Koran, contains the foundations of political and legal legislation.

Religion and art

Religion uses art to influence the feelings of believers. Art uses religious images and plots, on the basis of which works of art are created.

Religion and Morality

Moral norms and principles first arise within religion in the form of divine commandments. The main function of morality is regulatory, i.e. regulates the relationships of people in society with the help of norms and principles. But this regulation in primitive society was possible only because moral principles had the status of sacred: do not kill, do not steal, because God requires it. A person will pay for a violation.

Religion and Science

The relationship between religion and science is the most dramatic. Religion and related by origin. Some researchers believe that the first form of science was magic, and magic is a form of religion. The first scientists are called shamans, since they were the bearers of knowledge in primitive society. Subsequently, science and religion are divided and even at odds with each other. However, even in the Middle Ages, when this confrontation was most fierce, religion contributed to the development of science. This manifested itself in various forms: the scientists of the Middle Ages were monks, the first scientific laboratories were created in monasteries, the monasteries contained huge libraries, the first universities also arose on the basis of monasteries; and finally, the church created the first primary schools for children.

In the modern world, science no longer considers the fight against religion one of its tasks; each of these forms of activity fulfills its own tasks and solves its own problems. The job of scientists is to create a consistent system of knowledge about nature and society, the job of priests is to help people in difficult life situations and solve ideological problems.