Religion is a concept with wide application across social science disciplines, including anthropology, history, philosophy, sociology, psychology and religious studies. As the field develops, there are debates over what exactly we mean by religion. One approach is to focus on beliefs or subjective mental states. Another is to focus on the structures that produce religion.

The issue of definition arises because of the vast variety of religious beliefs and practices globally. Substantive definitions like those of Edward Burnett Tylor that focus on belief in spiritual beings run the risk of including too many people and exclude others who might well be considered religious (such as those who believe in fate or magic). Functional definitions, meanwhile, can be too narrow, such as Emile Durkheim’s definition that turns on the social function of creating solidarity, or too broad, such as Paul Tillich’s definition that includes whatever concerns a person organizes his or her values around (see Greil and Rudy 1990 on “quasi-religion”).

A third approach, symbolic interactionist, focuses on the meaning and value that is given to particular events and experiences by individual participants. These events and experiences can be ritualized, and may involve such things as crying, screaming, trancelike conditions or feelings of oneness with those around you. They are sacred to those who experience them, and they serve various functions such as providing meaning in life, reinforcing social ties, promoting psychological and physical well-being, acting as a basis for morality or ethics and motivating people to work for positive social change.