Defining Religion
Every human group has something that anthropologists identify as religion.
However, not all groups have a named religion and there is much variability in religion.
Next: Problems in Definition
Religion is often a controversial topic, and this section of the class might make some people uncomfortable. I want to be clear from the outset that it is not my intention to challenge or change anyone's religious beliefs. As an anthropologist, I neither promote nor reject any religion. For the purposes of our class, all religions are just religions and none has priority. Instead, we are considering a framework for examining religion as a universal human phenomenon. We are looking for the commonalities among all religions, both in terms of what they consist of and in terms of how they operate in societies.