Religious life is a complex and enigmatic phenomenon. It has long been a subject of interest to social scientists, especially since the European Enlightenment (17th and 18th centuries), when the notion that religion would fade as empirical knowledge increased gained ground. Today, sociology, psychology, history, and anthropology study religion, each in its own way: anthropologists look at primitive societies; historians examine how beliefs change over time; psychologists explore religious experience and feelings; and sociology and anthropology focus on the institutions of a religious tradition as well as its values and beliefs.
One major point of contention about religion is its definition. Some definitions, like Edward Burnett Tylor’s, narrow the concept to include only those belief systems that have a God or a supreme being; others, such as Emile Durkheim’s, use functional analysis to define it as whatever system of practices unites a group of people into a moral community regardless of whether they believe in any unusual realities.
The nature of a religion depends on its culture and the experiences of its believers. Consequently, it is important that teachers understand and respect the diversity of all religions. It is also important to select materials that allow students to participate in the process of learning about these religions, such as reading their Holy Books. This will enable them to build an understanding that is deeper than just dates and doctrines. Students will be better prepared to live in a multicultural society when they are exposed to the complexities and nuances of modern-day religious life.