Religion can be studied academically because religion is a human phenomenon: it is expressed by humans in observable human ways such as writings, rituals, dress, paintings, sculptures, or architecture, to name a few. Because humans will use the tools they have at their disposal to express their religion, and because such tools are oftentimes culturally determined, religion then looks different in each and every culture that it takes root. What's more: nobody comes to understand anything in a vacuum, but rather, all people have their own experiences and understandings of the world based on the culture in which they live. These understandings color how one understands and expresses their religion.
For example: African American slaves from the south have embraced Christianity as being a religion for the down-trodden and marginalized. They saw the Christ figure as one who is familiar with pain and persecution, and so understood Christ to be on their side. They imagined Christ as being a black figure who looked like them. However, the white plantation owners understood Christianity as being a religion for the successful in life, for God had blessed them with material abundance. They saw the Christ figure as one who is in favor of hard work and perseverance, and who understood Christ to be on their side. They imagined Christ as being a white figure who looked like them. How can there be two such different versions of Christianity? Because a particular religion will look different in every culture in which it takes root because it will be expressed differently based on a community's resources, and will be shaped by how a community understands the world and their place in it.
Historically, religion has changed and adapted to changing environments, social events, and modernization. Some argue it is important for religion to be able to change so as to remain relevant: "God has assigned to each generation the natural duty of instructing the next and has made each succeeding generation the criterion of the truth of the information handed down to it" (Muslim writer Al-Jahiz). Others argue that it is more valuable for a religion to strictly adhere to its traditions, regardless of changing times. Academically, it is not the scholar's place to pass judgement on what is "right" or "wrong" but rather to observe and document these changes and these debates.
Religion is influenced by culture because religion exists in two forms, the ideal and the real. The ideal form of a religion is called the essential. The essentials are the core beliefs of the faith. This is the religion displayed at its best, usually as it is described in the central religious texts of a faith. It is where we find the devotion to peace and compassion that are at the heart of most faiths' most cherished convictions.
Religions, however, are also embodied. This means they are lived and enacted in the real world, in real time, and almost always imperfectly. They must interact with and coexist with the society in which they are embedded. This inevitably means taking on the color of the culture in which a faith resides. Otherwise, a religion will not be relatable to very people it is trying to help and influence.
Christianity, because it is the largest religion in the world, offers a good example of adapting to various cultures. In countries such as Mexico, for example, the public, communal face of a faith is important, so there are many Christian parades and festivals. In more inward-facing societies, such as the Scandinavian, Christianity is more of a private affair, and less likely to be celebrated communally. In all countries, embodied Christianity, like all religions, often fails to live up to its highest ideals (its essentials) because people are imperfect.
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