RELIGION
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RELIGION
this view. But as religion is an elementary notion,
long antedating the time of corapheated ritual pre-
supposed in this explanation, we must seek elsewhere
for its etymology. A far more likely derivation, one
that suits the idea of religion in its simple beginnings,
is that given by Lactantius, in his "Divine Insti-
tutes", IV, xxviii. He derives rehgion from religare
(to bind): "We are tied to God and bound to Him
[religati] by the bond of piety, and it is from this, and
not, as Cicero holds, from careful consideration
[relegendo], that religion has received its name." The
objection that religio could not be derived from
religare, a verb of the first conjugation, is not of great
weight, when we call to mind that opinio comes from
opinari, and rebellio from rebellare. St. Augustine, in
hjs "City of God", X, iii, derives religio from religere
in the sense of recovering: "having lost God through
neglect [negligenles], we recover Him [religenles] and
are drawn to Him." This explanation, implying the
notion of the Redemption, is not suited to the primary-
idea of religion. St. Augustine himself was not satis-
fied with it, for in his "Retractions", I, xiii, he aban-
doned it in favour of the derivation given by Lactan-
tius. He employs the latter meaning in his treatise
"On the True Religion", where he says: "Religion
binds us [religat] to the one Almighty God." St.
Thomas, in his "Summa", II-II, Q. Ixxxi, a. 1, gives
all three derivations without pronouncing in favour of
any. The correct one seems to be that offered by Lac-
tantius. Religion in its simplest form implies the no-
tion of being bound to God; the same notion is upper-
most in the word religion in its most specific sense, as
applied to the life of poverty, chastity, and obedience,
to which individuals voluntarily bind themselves by
vows more or less solemn. Hence those who are thus
bound are known as religious.
Religion, broadly speaking, means the voluntary subjection of oneself to God. It exists in its highest perfection in heaven, where the angels and saints love, praise, and adore God, and five in absolute con- formity to His holy will. It does not exist at all in hell, where the subordination of rational creatures to their Creator is one not of free will, but of physical necessity. On earth it is practically coextensive with the human race, though, where it has not been ele- vated to the supernatural plane through Divine revela- tion, it labours under serious defects. It is with reli- gion as affecting the life of man on earth that this article deals. The analysis of the idea of religion shows that it is very complex, and rests on several fundamental conceptions. It implies first of all the recognition of a Divine personality in and behind the forces of nature, the Lord and Ruler of the world, God. In the highest religions, this supernatural Being is conceived as a spirit, one and indivisible, everywhere present in nature, but distinct from it. In the lower religions, the various phenomena of nature are asso- ciated with a number of distinct personalities, though it is rare that among these numerous nature-deities one is not honoured as supreme. Ethical qualities, corresponding to the prevailing ethical standards, are attributed by the different peoples to their respective deities.
In every form of religion is implied the conviction that the mysterious, supernatural Being (or beings) has control over the lives and destinies of men. Es- pecially in lower grades of culture, where the nature and utilization of physical laws is but feebly under- stood, man feels in many ways his helplessness in the presence of the forces of nature: it is the Di\nne Being that controls them; He it is that can direct them for man's weal or woe. There thus arises in the natural order a sense of dependence on the Deity, a deeply felt need of Divine help. This lies at the basis of religion. Still it is not the recognition of dependence on God that constitutes the very essence of religion, indispensable as it is. The damned recognize their
dependence on God, but, being without hope of
Divine help, are turned from, rather than towards,
Him. Coupled with the sense of need is the persuasion
on the part of man that he can bring himself into
friendly, beneficent communion with the Deity or
deities on whom he feels he depends. He is a creature
of hope. Feeling his helplessness and need of Divine
assistance, pressed down, perhaps, by sickness, loss,
and defeat, recognizing that in friendly communion
with the Deity he can find aid, peace, and happiness,
he is led voluntarily to perform certain acts of homage
meant to bring about this desired result. What man
aims at in religion is communion with the Deity, in
which he hopes to attain his happiness and perfection.
This perfection is but crudely conceived in lower reli-
gions. Conformity to the recognized moral standard,
which is generally low, is not wholly neglected, but it is
less an object of solicitude than material welfare. The
sum of happiness looked for is prosperity in the
present life and a continuation of the same bodily
comforts in the life to come. In the higher religions,
the perfection sought in religion becomes more in-
timately associated with moral goodness. In Chris-
tianity, the highest of religions, communion with God
implies spiritual perfection of the highest possible
kind, the participation in the supernatural life of grace
as the children of God. This spiritual perfection,
bringing with it perfect happiness, is realized in part
at least in the present life of pain and disappointment,
but is to be found fully attained in the fife to come.
The desire of happiness and perfection is not the only
motive that prompts man to do homage to God. In
the higher religions there is also the sense of duty
arising from the recognition of God's sovereignty, and
consequently of His strict right to the subjection and
worship of man. To this must also be added the love
of God for His own sake, inasmuch as He is the in-
finitely perfect Being, in whom truth, beauty, and
goodness are realized in their highest possible degree.
While the prevailing motive in all lower religions is
one of self-interest, the desire of happiness, it gener-
ally implies to some extent an affectionate as well as
reverent attitude towards the deities that are the
object of worship.
From what has been said it is plain that the concept of deity required for religion is that of a free personal- ity. The error of mistaking many nature-deities for the one true God vitiates, but does not destroy, reli- gion. But religion ceases to exist where, as in Pan- theism, the deity is pronounced to be devoid of all consciousness. A deity without personality is no more capable of awakening the sense of religion in the heart of man than is the all-pervading ether or the universal force of gravitation. Religion is essentially a personal relation, the relation of the subject and creature, man, to his Lord and Creator, God. Religion may thus be defined as the voluntary subjection of oneself to God, that is to the free, supernatural Being (or beings) on whom man is conscious of being dependent, of whose powerful help he feels the need, and in whom he recognizes the source of his perfection and happiness. It is a voluntary turning to God. In the last analysis it is an act of the will. In other words it is a virtue, since it is an act of the will inclining man to observe the right order, springing from his dependence on God. Hence St. Thomas (II-II, Q. Ixxxi, a. 1) defines religion as "virtus per quam homines Deo debitum cultum et reverentiam exhibent" (the virtue which prompts man to render to God the worship and rever- ence that is His by right). The end of religion is filial communion with God, in which we honour and revere Him as our supreme Lord, love Him as our Father, and find in that reverent service of filial love our true perfection and happiness. Bliss-giving communion with the sovereign Deity is, as has been pointed out, the end of all religions. Primitive Bu(l<lhism (i). v.), with its aim to secure unconscious repose (Nirvana)
