Religion is a set of beliefs, practices, and behaviors that unite people into a moral community. The word religion comes from the Latin religio, which means “scrupulousness.” It is used today to describe a broad genus of social formations—a category that includes many different kinds of groups with varying cultural characteristics and histories. Nevertheless, there are some basic traits that seem to be common to all religions. These include a concept of salvation; sacred rites, objects, and rituals; sacred days and places; sacred writings; a clergy or priesthood; and a belief in a god or deities that are believed to be beyond the observable world.
Anthropologists and others who study early religion believe that it developed partly out of human curiosity about the big questions of life—like what happens after death, whether there is a god watching over humans, and whether the universe has meaning. But it also developed out of a need to control uncontrollable parts of the environment, such as weather and pregnancy and birth, and out of a fear of forces beyond human power.
The study of religion focuses on the beliefs, practices, and values that people use to connect with the spiritual or transcendent reality. Religion differs widely across cultures and traditions, but there are also some patterns that can be identified. For example, some religions deal with a supernatural or spiritual realm of beings and powers, while others focus on ethical conduct and morality.