Final answer:
Religious beliefs are the statements or specific ideas that members of a particular faith hold to be true, and are a core part of a religion's practice, often expressed through religious rituals. These beliefs unify community members and can vary across different denominations within a religion.
Step-by-step explanation:
These are the specific ideas that members of a particular faith hold to be true, such as the existence of a higher power or specific tenets about the nature of life and morality. Beliefs form the core of a religion and are often accompanied by religious rituals, which are behaviors that express and enforce these beliefs within a community, thus unifying its members.
Furthermore, these beliefs and rituals are seen as sacred, having been established by a supernatural authority, and are practiced collectively. This communal aspect fortifies individual and group identities. For example, Christianity practices communion and baptism, whereas in Islam, practices include daily prayers and fasting during Ramadan.
It is important to note that religious beliefs are not static; they evolve in response to the cultural and environmental context. And within larger religious traditions, there may be various denominations, each with their own unique interpretation of doctrine and practice. Christianity, for example, has various denominations like Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodoxy, each with distinctive beliefs and scriptures.