The Meaning of Religion

a) Definition of Religion

To define a term by analyzing its etymology is to give a nominal definition; to define a term by indicating the essence for which the term stands is to give a real definition. A nominal definition explains the term as a name; a real definition explains the thing which is known by the name. We shall investigate both the nominal and the real import of the term religion. 1. Nominal Definition.—The term religion is variously derived. Cicero says it comes from relegere, which means “to exercise careful attention,” and asserts that those who conducted public worship of the gods were carefully attentive to the usual ceremonies, and were called, in consequence, religiosi. Lactantius, a renowned Father of the Church who lived in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries, derives the word religion from the Latin religare “to bind,” and says that it indicates the bond of duty whereby man is bound to God. St. Augustine first believed that the term religion is derived from reeligere, a Latin verb meaning “to choose again,” and said that as man had lost God by sin, so by religion he sought to find or choose Him again. Later, however, St. Augustine changed his mind about this derivation and adopted that proposed by Lactantius. 2. Real Definition.—St. Thomas Aquinas, discussing the disagreement of authorities about the derivation of the term religion, says: “Whatever be the truth about the origin of the name, religion as a reality indicates the relationship of man towards God.” Amplifying this definition, we may define religion as the sum-total of man’s relations (duties) toward God. Looking at religion objectively, or as a thing, we define it as “a system of truths, laws, and practices which man recognizes and observes in paying worship to God.” Viewing religion subjectively, i.e., as resident in the person, the subject, who exercises its acts, we define it as “the virtue which inclines man to render to God the honor, love, and worship, which is His due.” b) DIVISION OF RELIGION

The most important division of religion is that which classifies it as natural and supernatural, 1. Natural religion is the sum-total of man’s duties to God (including truths to be known, laws and practices to be observed), inasmuch as these may be known by the natural power of human reason alone, unaided by revelation. 2. Supernatural religion is the sum-total of man’s duties to God as known by divine revelation. Man may know many of the truths of religion by his unaided reason. He may know the existence of God, and may reason out the knowledge that God is one, necessary, infinite, etc. He may also reason out the truth that man depends utterly upon God, and that the meaning of life is the knowledge, love, and service of God. But there are other truths which man’s unaided reason could never know, such, for instance, as the Incarnation and the Blessed Trinity. To know these truths man must have revelation. Now, many of the truths that man could know by no unaided reason—truths, that is to say, of the natural religion—are also divinely revealed. Such truths are natural in themselves, but supernatural in the manner (or form, as the expression is) of their manifestation. Other truths, such as the Trinity, are supernatural in themselves, being above the unaided reach of reason, and also in their manner or form, for they are divinely revealed. Truths of religion that are supernatural both in themselves and in their form, constitute revealed religion, strictly so called. Revealed religion is also called positive religion, since its truths are manifested by the positive word of God in revelation. Supernatural truths are always found in harmony with naturally knowable truths. For truth cannot contradict truth. Reason may often find evidence to approve and manifest the truth of strictly supernatural and revealed facts after revelation has given the first knowledge of them. But in no case can reason find a contradiction in supernatural truths. Even the bitter enemies of God’s Church, who have tried in all ways and in every age to throw discredit upon such revealed truths, have been forced to the admission that no inherent contradiction or absurdity can be shown in them. While human reason accepts revealed or positive truths on the authority of God who reveals them, this acceptance is not blind. Human reason can know for certain that God exists, that God is all-truthful, that in

God has spoken. Hence it is a requirement of reason that unshaken faith be reposed in what the all-true declares as a fact. Faith is not to be rationalized, and faith is ever a submission to God’s authority; it has been well called “a genuflection of the will.” But faith is always reasonable, and never unworthy of rational man. On the contrary, faith elevates and perfects the rational powers of man.

Summary of the Article

In this very short Article we have defined religion. We have found that it is the sum-total of man’s duties to God. We have looked at these duties in themselves or objectively, and have defined religion as the sum of truths, laws, and practices which man recognizes and observes in paying worship to God. We have looked at these duties as they exist in man, the subject of religion, and have defined religion subjectively as the virtue which inclines man to render to God the honor, love, and worship which is His due. Throughout our enquiry we have been thoroughly rational; we have injected no sentiment into the subject. Hence we see that religion is not a mass of tender emotions or sentiments, as most men to-day regard it. The Catholic apologist should be instant in fighting the paralyzing notion that religion is merely something tender and appealing to the feelings; for it is as cold and hard a fact as man can face, and the apologist should see to it that the men of his acquaintance really face it.—We concluded the Article by distinguishing religion as natural and supernatural.