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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Psychology of Religion Module Defining Religion and Exploring the Psychology of Religion Can we define what religion is? What are the dimensions of religious commitment? Are science and religion incompatible? What is the nature of religious orientation? Defining Religion Defining religion is an inordinately difficult task, complicated by the wide range of religions in the world, their complex histories, and their cultural meanings (Pargament, 1997).

One way to define religion is in terms of its functional nature. For example, psychology of religion scholar Daniel Batson and his colleagues (Batson, Schoenrade, & Ventis, 1993) stated that religion is what a person does to answer the basic existential questions of life (questions having to do with the nature of human beings’ existence). Such questions include these: •Why am I here? •What does life mean in general? •What does my particular life amount to? •What happens when I die?

Batson believes that people can answer these questions in many ways. Some answers emphasize institutional religious affiliation (such as being a member of the Catholic or Baptist church); others emphasize unique meanings of religion to the individual. Although Batson’s functional, existential definition is instructive, it is inadequate as a comprehensive definition of religion, because many people are religious for reasons not having to do with existential issues.

For example, some individuals grow up being taught a specific religion, such as Catholicism or Islam, and believe in their faiths without ever concerning themselves with existential questions. Thus, if we adopted Batson’s definition of religion, someone like this - who practices Catholicism or Islam without exploring existential questions - would have to be labeled “nonreligious” even though they believe in and practice a major world religion.

According to Finnish researcher Kalevi Tamminen (1991), religiousness also involves a conscious dependency on a deity or God. Tamminen argues that this dependency or commitment is reflected in an individual’s experiences, beliefs, and personality, motivating the individual to engage in a variety of behaviors, such as devotional behavior and moral behavior. This definition encompasses individuals’ thoughts and feelings about their beliefs, as well as the beliefs themselves.