Religion comes from the Latin word
religare, which means “to bind together”. Religion also means different things to different people because it is a preliterate in societies.
Some Philosopher defines Religion as:
- Durkheim
- Defines religion as unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called church.
- Evans – Pritchard
- Religion embodies beliefs or representations with express the nature of sacred things as well as rites prescribing how a person should behave in the presence of sacred objects.
- Nisbet
- A strong manner that the deepest roots of any religion lies in the experience of the social and moral community which professes it. The togetherness in worship satisfies human craving and his may be found in universal religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam.
- Giddens
- All religion involves a set of symbols which arouses feeling of reverence or awe and are linked to rituals or ceremonial such as church service practiced by a community of believers. Example of a ceremonial is Baptismal.
- Rituals are repetitive sets of action and patterns of behavior in relation to the sacred for the regulation and ordering f social lives. Rituals acts may be in the form of prayers, singing, chanting, dancing and sharing certain fords. The rituals bring the believers of any given religion together.
