The English word "religion" is derived from the Middle English "religioun" which came from the Old French "religion." It may have been originally derived from the Latin word "religo" which means "good faith," "ritual," and other similar meanings. Or it may have come from the Latin "relig©re" which means "to tie fast."
Defining the word "religion" is fraught with difficulty. Many attempts have been made. Most seem to focus on too narrowly only a few aspects of religion; they tend to exclude those religions that do not fit well. As Kile Jones wrote in his essay on defining religion:
"It is apparent that religion can be seen as a theological, philosophical, anthropological, sociological, and psychological phenomenon of human kind. To limit religion to only one of these categories is to miss its multifaceted nature and lose out on the complete definition." 1
Dictionary definitions:
Dictionaries have made many attempts to define the word religion:
1)Barns & Noble (Cambridge) Encyclopedia (1990):
"...no single definition will suffice to encompass the varied sets of traditions, practices, and ideas which constitute different religions."
2)The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1990):
"Human recognition of superhuman controlling power and especially of a personal God entitled to obedience"
This definition would not consider some Buddhist sects as religions. Many Unitarian Universalists are excluded by this description. Strictly interpreted, it would also reject polytheistic religions, since it refers to "a" personal God."
3)Webster's New World Dictionary (Third College Edition):
"any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy."
This definition would exclude religions that do not engage in worship. It implies that there are two important components to religion:
one's belief and worship in a deity or deities
one's ethical behavior towards other persons
This dual nature of religion is expressed clearly in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) in Matthew 22:36-39:
"Teacher, what is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
4)The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (CARM):
"An organized system of belief that generally seeks to understand purpose, meaning, goals, and methods of spiritual things. These spiritual things can be God, people in relation to God, salvation, after life, purpose of life, order of the cosmos, etc."
There are still many other definitions given on the website, by academics and others.
However, at the end of all these searches, the important point is not what religion is or how Christianity can be argued to fit in the different definitions or even why christianity is the only true religion. The truth that has to be reminded is that Christianity is in fact all about relationship, a relationship with God.
This is probably also why Christianity is so important and it's something that we can't live out. That's the purpose of life.
"The human heart is drawn to fall in love--a quality placed within our soul by God. Marriage is the human picture or illustration of the divine relationship we are ultimately destined to experience for all eternity with God once we’ve entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (NIV) (Mary Fiarchild)
Our faith actually rests on our love for God. Therefore, if we are reminded that God is with us always wherever we go (Joshua 1:9), all the troubles, worries, disappointment and fear will not disturb or harm us.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
In addition to this vertical relationship that we have with God, God also commanded that we should love one another, the hotizontal manifestation of the love that God has given us. However, it's sad that many people cannot practice this and thus results in unforgiveness, grudges against each other or awkwardness among each others. If one does not focus on the outcome and expectations of the human relationship, but on following God's command, that we are doing so as a way of building our relationship with God, I am sure human relationship can be much more genuine, comfortable and harmonious.
"Relationship can be thought of as a ship carrying some cargos that you need in order to answer your prayer. This ship in most cases is a person. Therefore, very often, God sends people among us to lead us to the fulfillment of our prayers." once said a preacher. I would further this analogy to the relationship with God. Our disorientation in many circumstances in life can be redirected, if we have found God to be the "ship" to guide us and sail us through and lead us to the destination.
