Religious beliefs and practices have shaped people throughout history. Understanding the differences and similarities of these faiths is key to promoting intercultural awareness and tolerance.

Religion is a complex subject with many different ways to approach it. Some researchers, such as Emile Durkheim and Paul Tillich, used a functional definition, which considers the purpose a belief system serves in society. For instance, Durkheim’s definition considers a religion to be any organisation that helps create solidarity in the population and establishes collective conscience.

Other theorists use a monothetic definition, which considers a religion to be any organisation, community, or set of beliefs that claims transcendence for itself and maintains institutional structures to manage those beliefs. In addition, a monothetic definition requires that there are at least four characteristics of religion: a belief in a supernatural being or power, ritualised action, sacred texts, and a code of moral conduct.

There are also a variety of social constructionist approaches to the study of religion. Social constructivists don’t believe that there is one universal definition of religion and that it can be determined by studying how a group acknowledges a set of beliefs as being religion. This includes considering how the term is used in different societies and whether it has been influenced by European colonialism.

Regardless of the approach taken, all research into religion shares a common feature of trying to understand why people participate in a religious faith and what it means for their lives. With so much diversity across the world, it is important to be able to have an informed conversation with someone of another faith about their belief and what they value.