Final answer:
Religion is characterized by its system of beliefs and values held by individuals or communities regarding the sacred or the divine. It is manifested in various cultural practices, traditions, and acts of worship and often influences how adherents interact with and understand the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is Religion?
Religion is a system of beliefs, values, and practices concerning what a person holds sacred or considers to be spiritually significant. Emanating from the Latin terms religio (respect for what is sacred) and religare (to bind, in the sense of an obligation), religion encompasses various belief systems that give meaning to life and help us understand the universe. It often involves adherence to certain moral and spiritual principles that are believed to be imparted by a higher power or divine entity, and it forms an integral part of group and individual identities.
Across the world, religion is manifested through various cultural expressions, such as feasts and festivals, prayer, marriage and funeral services, music, art, and even meditation practices. All of these practices help to bind the community together, creating a shared identity among its members. Religion also shapes and reflects how people interact with the natural environment and guide their behavior in various aspects of life including politics, economics, and social relationships.
Pioneer sociologist Émile Durkheim notably defined religion as a system that includes beliefs and practices relative to sacred things which unite adherents into one moral community. Despite the myriad forms it takes, at its core, religion functions to provide not only an understanding of the supernatural but also a structured way of living that resonates with its followers on a deep, often emotional level.