Religion aims to answer questions that science cannot, such as what happened before the world was created or what will happen after death. It has evolved, over time, from tribal totems and ancestor worship to complex beliefs about the world and its origins and from polytheism to monotheism. Religion has also developed rituals, symbols, and rules of behavior. Its defining features include supernatural beings, such as gods and angels, that can intervene in human affairs. Its teachings and practices, when formulated in doctrines or myths, are meant to guide human lives and provide the basis of ethics.

Religious ideas and traditions are a vital part of human culture. They play many roles in the societies where they are found, including establishing educational institutions, hospitals, and charities. They may provide a way for people to control their feelings and behavior, and they may give them a sense of belonging and community. In some cases, they can give people a reason to work and strive.

In the last century, academics have become increasingly interested in religion. Various disciplines study different aspects of it. Anthropology looks at its institutions and practices; history examines the development of religions; sociology studies how religion shapes communities; philosophy considers the nature of religion; psychology tries to understand religious experience and emotions; and literary and other studies attempt to uncover meanings in myths and symbols. Most attempts to analyze religion rely on a classical view that a concept, such as “religion,” should have a single necessary and sufficient property that makes it distinct from other practices.