Module 1 Homework (15 pts)

So far in this module you have learned some of the basics to studying religion and what
religion is. Religion is a difficult thing to study because we do not always know what
EXACTLY we are talking about. This is why effective scholarship discusses a definition of
religion and the scope of their research (meaning what they are focusing on). This means that
definitions of religion are not necessarily “right” or “wrong” but rather more or less useful. This
usefulness is determined by what we want to focus on in our research. This means that there is
no one perfect definition because there is no way to include all of the components of every
religion in there.

To give you more experience with some scholarly definitions this assignment will ask
you to engage with two (2) of the definitions from the handout “Definitions of Religion” that
were not in the example. The example focused on William James and Thomas Tweed so you can
use any definition except theirs (watch the video if you haven’t already). Below is a worksheet
that you will turn in for Module 1 Homework. This homework will be graded on completion and
application of your new skills. We want you to make an argument, it does not have to be 100%
correct. You can talk about what you find confusing or difficult.

Scholar’s whose definition you can use:

 Catherine L. Albanese
 Kalman Bland
 Emile Durkheim
 Armin Geertz
 Clifford Geertz
 Kimerer LaMothe
 Jonathan Z. Smith
 Melford Spiro
 Paul Tillich
 Ninian Smart

Definition #1: [Copy & Paste the author & definition here]

1) Identify what the key terms of the definition are by highlighting or underlining them.
Explain what you think they mean below. (note: you might have to look up in the
dictionary some of the words, some of the words a scholar has coined to help define
religion so you might need to break it down into parts)

2) Explain what this definition means in your own words. (hint: how would you explain this
definition to a friend who is not in this class?)

3) Apply the definition to your experiences. You do not have to answer every question, they
are there to help you if you are stumped. Try your best to answer both, this will be graded
on effort and there are really no right or wrong answers, make your argument!
a. Can you think of any religions that you have experience with that would fit really
well in this definition? Can you think of any parts of religion that aren’t included?

b. Would it be useful to apply this definition to things that are not religion? Sports?
Boy Bands? Nonreligious people? Why might applying this definition to any of
these work well or not so well?

4) On a scale from 1 – 10 rate:

a. How specific or generalizable is this definition (1 = very specific/can’t apply to
many religions and 10 = very general/can apply to things that aren’t religion)

b. How easy to understand is this definition (1 = very easy and 10 = very difficult)
Definition #2: [Copy & Paste the author & definition here]

1) Identify what the key terms of the definition are by highlighting or underlining them.
Explain what you think they mean below. (note: you might have to look up in the
dictionary some of the words, some of the words a scholar has coined to help define
religion so you might need to break it down into parts)

2) Explain what this definition means in your own words. (hint: how would you explain this
definition to a friend who is not in this class?)

5) Apply the definition to your experiences. You do not have to answer every question, they
are there to help you if you are stumped. Try your best to answer both, this will be graded
on effort and there are really no right or wrong answers, make your argument!
a. Can you think of any religions that you have experience with that would fit really
well in this definition? Can you think of any parts of religion that aren’t included?

b. Would it be useful to apply this definition to things that are not religion? Sports?
Boy Bands? Nonreligious people? Why might applying this definition to any of
these work well or not so well?

3) On a scale from 1 – 10 rate:

a. How specific or generalizable is this definition (1 = very specific/can’t apply to
many religions and 10 = very general/can apply to things that aren’t religion)

b. How easy to understand is this definition (1 = very easy and 10 = very difficult)