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Webster 1913 Edition

Religion

Re-li′gion

(rē̍-lĭj′ŭn)
,
Noun.
[F., from L.
religio
; cf.
religens
pious, revering the gods, Gr.
ἀλέγειν
to heed, have a care. Cf.
Neglect
.]
1.
The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety;
as, ethical
religions
; monotheistic
religions
; natural
religion
; revealed
religion
; the
religion
of the Jews; the
religion
of idol worshipers
.
An orderly life so far as others are able to observe us is now and then produced by prudential motives or by dint of habit; but without seriousness there can be no religious principle at the bottom, no course of conduct from religious motives; in a word, there can be no
religion
.
Paley.
Religion
[was] not, as too often now, used as equivalent for godliness; but . . . it expressed the outer form and embodiment which the inward spirit of a true or a false devotion assumed.
Trench.
Religions
, by which are meant the modes of divine worship proper to different tribes, nations, or communities, and based on the belief held in common by the members of them severally. . . . There is no living
religion
without something like a doctrine. On the other hand, a doctrine, however elaborate, does not constitute a
religion
.
C. P. Tiele (Encyc. Brit.).
Religion
. . . means the conscious relation between man and God, and the expression of that relation in human conduct.
J. Köstlin (Schaff-Herzog Encyc.)
After the most straitest sect of our
religion
I lived a Pharisee.
Acts xxvi. 5.
The image of a brute, adorned
With gay
religions
full of pomp and gold.
Milton.
2.
Specifically, conformity in faith and life to the precepts inculcated in the Bible, respecting the conduct of life and duty toward God and man; the Christian faith and practice.
This definition is from the 1913 Webster, which was edited by Noah Porter, a theologian. His bias toward the Christion religion is evident not only in this definition, but in others as well as in the choice of quations or illustrative phrases. Caveat lector. - PJC
Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without
religion
.
Washington.
Religion
will attend you . . . as a pleasant and useful companion in every proper place, and every temperate occupation of life.
Buckminster.
3.
(R. C. Ch.)
A monastic or religious order subject to a regulated mode of life; the religious state;
as, to enter
religion
.
Trench.
A good man was there of
religion
.
Chaucer.
4.
Strictness of fidelity in conforming to any practice, as if it were an enjoined rule of conduct.
[R.]
Those parts of pleading which in ancient times might perhaps be material, but at this time are become only mere styles and forms, are still continued with much
religion
.
Sir M. Hale.
☞ Religion, as distinguished from theology, is subjective, designating the feelings and acts of men which relate to God; while theology is objective, and denotes those ideas which man entertains respecting the God whom he worships, especially his systematized views of God. As distinguished from morality, religion denotes the influences and motives to human duty which are found in the character and will of God, while morality describes the duties to man, to which true religion always influences. As distinguished from piety, religion is a high sense of moral obligation and spirit of reverence or worship which affect the heart of man with respect to the Deity, while piety, which first expressed the feelings of a child toward a parent, is used for that filial sentiment of veneration and love which we owe to the Father of all. As distinguished from sanctity, religion is the means by which sanctity is achieved, sanctity denoting primarily that purity of heart and life which results from habitual communion with God, and a sense of his continual presence.
Natural religion
,
a religion based upon the evidences of a God and his qualities, which is supplied by natural phenomena. See
Natural theology
, under
Natural
.
–
Religion of humanity
,
a name sometimes given to a religion founded upon positivism as a philosophical basis.
–
Revealed religion
,
that which is based upon direct communication of God’s will to mankind; especially, the Christian religion, based on the revelations recorded in the Old and New Testaments.

Webster 1828 Edition

Religion

RELIGION

,
Noun.
relij'on. [L. religio, from religo, to bind anew; re and ligo, to bind. This word seems originally to have signified an oath or vow to the gods, or the obligation of such an oath or vow, which was held very sacred by the Romans.]
1.
Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion.
2.
Religion, as distinct from theology, is godliness or real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and his law. James 1.
3.
Religion, as distinct from virtue, or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to his will. Hence we often speak of religion and virtue, as different branches of one system, or the duties of the first and second tables of the law.
Let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.
4.
Any system of faith and worship. In this sense, religion comprehends the belief and worship of pagans and Mohammedans, as well as of christians; any religion consisting in the belief of a superior power or powers governing the world, and in the worship of such power or powers. Thus we speak of the religion of the Turks, of the Hindoos, of the Indians, &c. as well as of the christian religion. We speak of false religion, as well as of true religion.
5.
The rites of religion; in the plural.

Definition 2024

Religion

Religion

See also: religion and religión

German

Noun

Religion f ‎(genitive Religion, plural Religionen)

  1. religion

Declension

Related terms

Derived terms

religion

religion

See also: religión and Religion

English

Religion symbols

Noun

religion ‎(countable and uncountable, plural religions)

  1. (uncountable) The belief in and worship of a supernatural controlling power, especially a personal god or gods.
    My brother tends to value religion, but my sister not as much.
  2. (countable) A particular system of faith and worship.
    Islam is a major religion in parts of Asia and Africa.
    Eckankar is a new religion but Zoroastrianism is an old religion.
  3. (uncountable) The way of life committed to by monks and nuns.
    The monk entered religion when he was 20 years of age.
  4. (countable) Any practice to which someone or some group is seriously devoted.
    At this point, Star Trek has really become a religion.
  5. (uncountable, obsolete) Faithfulness to a given principle; conscientiousness. [16th-17th c.]

Usage notes

  • Generally speaking, certain groups that do not acknowledge the existence of one or more deities, such as Buddhism, are still religious—though some prefer a definition of religion without non-theistic groups within the definition.

Synonyms

Hyponyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:religion

Hypernyms

Derived terms

  • Abrahamic religion
  • false religion

Related terms

Translations

Verb

religion ‎(third-person singular simple present religions, present participle religioning, simple past and past participle religioned)

  1. Engage in religious practice.
    • 1978, Military Chaplains' Review, page 70:
      On the scales below, circle the one ( + ) or (-) number which best represents your situation on both the belief and practice dimensions for each of the traditional and nontraditional forms of religioning.
    • 2013, Monica R. Miller, Religion and Hip Hop, ISBN 0415628571, page 74:
      A similar caution is made by Nye when he calls for a re-evaluation of the category of religion in relationship to theory and method, suggesting that this category: be reconstructed in terms of practice theory as religious practice or religioning.
    • 2015, Alexander Horstmann & ‎Jin-Heon Jung, Building Noah’s Ark for Migrants, Refugees, and Religious Communities, ISBN 1137496304, page 13:
      Religious practice and action (“religioning”) can be liberating, and can connect displaced people with the spirits of home.
  2. Indoctrinate into a specific religion.
    • 1890, John R. Kelso, Deity analyzed: In six lectures - Page 37
      To men whose minds are thus religioned, tied back to gods that never advance, there can never be any such word as progress
    • 2007, Janette Oke, A Bride for Donnigan, ISBN 0764202502, page 225:
      “What do you do, Donnigan? Spend all yer time religioning yer young?”
  3. To make sacred or symbolic; sanctify.
    • 1994, Timothy Morton, Shelley and the Revolution in Taste, ISBN 0521471354, page 238:
      The discussion of diet and health raises the question of the importance of discussing vegetarianism in relation to the contemporary religioning of health; as Ross remarks, 'health has replaced sexuality as the new privileged discourse of bodily truth and inner essence'.
    • 2011, Andrew O'Shea, Pedagogy, Oppression and Transformation in a 'Post-Critical' Climate, p 116
      The ideas expressed above challenge us to continuously rupture and interrupt racialized, classed, gendered, religioned and sexualized norms that inhere between and within institutions, understandings of bodies and our Selves.
    • 2013, Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip & Stephen Hunt, The Ashgate Research Companion to Contemporary Religion and Sexuality, ISBN 1409472256:
      If queer Jews, Muslims and Christians are engaged in queering their religions, they are also engaged in what might becalled 'religioning' the queer.

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: ourselves · pale · happiness · #914: religion · dress · degree · spoken

Esperanto

Noun

religion

  1. accusative singular of religio

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rəliʒjɔ̃/
  • Hyphenation: re‧li‧gion

Noun

religion f ‎(plural religions)

  1. religion

Synonyms

See also

Ladin

Noun

religion m ‎(plural [please provide])

  1. religion

Middle French

Noun

religion f (plural religions)

  1. religion

Descendants

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

religion m ‎(definite singular religionen, indefinite plural religioner, definite plural religionene)

  1. a religion

Synonyms

Related terms

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

religion m ‎(definite singular religionen, indefinite plural religionar, definite plural religionane)

  1. a religion

Old French

Noun

religion f ‎(oblique plural religions, nominative singular religion, nominative plural religions)

  1. religion

Related terms

Descendants

Papiamentu

Noun

religion

  1. religion

Swedish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rɛlɪˈjuːn/

Noun

religion c

  1. a religion

Declension

Inflection of religion 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative religion religionen religioner religionerna
Genitive religions religionens religioners religionernas

Related terms

See also

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁeliˈɡjoːn/

Similar Results