religious identity

(noun)

The set of beliefs and practices generally held by an individual,involving adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as faith and mystic experience.

Related Terms

Examples of religious identity in the following topics:

  • Identity Formation

    • An example of national identity is the way in which Americans are united on the Fourth of July.
    • An example of religious identity would be if someone identifies as belonging to a particular religious faith.
    • Individuals gain a social identity and group identity by their affiliations.
    • Cultural identity is one's feeling of identity affiliation to a group or culture.
    • Lastly, a religious identity is the set of beliefs and practices generally held by an individual, involving adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as faith and mystic experience.

  • Religious Denominations

    • A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.
    • A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.
    • Members of a religion may find that they have developed significantly different views on theology, philosophy, religious pluralism, ethics, and religious practices and rituals.
    • At a broader level, the term "interfaith dialogue" refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and spiritual or humanistic beliefs—at both an individual and institutional level.

  • The Future of Religion

    • 2) When discussing institutions, secularization can refer to the transformation of an institution that had once been considered religious in character into something not thought of as religious.
    • It has especially come to refer to any religious enclave that intentionally resists identification with the larger religious group in which it originally arose, on the basis that fundamental principles upon which the larger religious group is supposedly founded have become corrupt or displaced by alternative principles hostile to its identity.
    • A full analysis of what constitutes religious fundamentalism is beyond the scope of this chapter.
    • While widely associated with religious fundamentalism, suicide bombers are not exclusively religious; only 43% are identifiably religious.
    • What the future of religious fundamentalism holds for human society is unknown, but because of the impact of this particular religious approach on society today, religious fundamentalism warrants continued study.

  • World Religions and Religious History

    • One note is, however, in order concerning these religious groups.
    • Considering the remarkable dissimilarity between these five religious bodies, that they are grouped together at all is remarkable.
    • Three are religions of the book and can be practiced somewhat distinctly from one's primary cultural identity (e.g., being an American and Episcopalian), while two are better understood as synonymous with culture (Buddhism and Hinduism).
    • Finally, while four of these religious groups are very populous, Judaism is not.
    • Even so, most people should make an effort to familiarize themselves with these religious groups to facilitate understanding.

  • Race and Ethnicity

    • An individual is usually externally classified (meaning someone else makes the classification) into a racial group rather than the individual choosing where they belong as part of their identity.
    • Conceptions of race, as well as specific racial groupings, are often controversial due to their impact on social identity and how those identities influence someone's position in social hierarchies (see identity politics).Ethnicity, while related to race, refers not to physical characteristics but social traits that are shared by a human population.

  • Discrimination Against Individuals

    • Though what constitutes sex discrimination varies between countries, it essentially refers to an adverse action taken against a person based on their perceived sex, gender, and/or gender identity.
    • Religious discrimination is prejudicial treatment of a person or group differently based on their spiritual or religious beliefs (or lack thereof).
    • According to the commission, religious discrimination occurs when someone is denied " the equal protection of the laws, equality of status under the law, equal treatment in the administration of justice, and equality of opportunity and access to employment, education, housing, public services and facilities, and public accommodation because of their exercise of their right to religious freedom. "
    • Legislation in some nations, such as the UK, assert that identical treatment may sometimes act to preserve inequality rather than eliminate it, and therefore this so-called reverse discrimination is justified.
    • Give an example of discrimination and reverse discrimination using examples of religious, gender, or racial prejudice

  • The Nature of Groups

    • Examples of groups include families, companies, circles of friends, clubs, local chapters of fraternities and sororities, and local religious congregations.
    • Examples of groups include: families, companies, circles of friends, clubs, local chapters of fraternities and sororities, and local religious congregations.
    • Explicitly contrasted with a social cohesion-based definition for social groups is the social identity perspective, which draws on insights made in social identity theory.
    • " the social identity perspective expects group members to simply ask "who am I?
    • Contrast the social cohesion-based concept of a social group with the social identity concept

  • Religion and Other Social Factors

    • Women rate their religious beliefs as important more than do men, and they are more likely to report having had a religious or mystical experience...
    • As such, scholars continue to attempt to ascertain what role "race" plays in the social construction of white Evangelical identities, movements, and political operations.
    • Socioeconomic status (SES) or class tends to be associated more with how religion is practiced rather than degree of religiosity (i.e., very religious vs. not very religious).
    • Like income, educational attainment tends to vary by religious group.
    • Those who make it through college with their religious beliefs intact tend to be more devout than those who do not attend college to begin with yet remain religious.

  • Rituals

    • Catholic Sunday mass is a type of religious ritual that represents the religious culture of Catholicism and enacts theological doctrinal beliefs.
    • It may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including by a religious community.
    • Rituals can fulfill religious obligations or ideals, satisfy spiritual or emotional needs of the practitioners, strengthen of social bonds, provide social and moral education, demonstrate of respect or submission, allow one to state one's affiliation, obtain social acceptance or approval for some event—or rituals are sometimes performed just for the pleasure of the ritual itself.
    • In religion, a ritual can comprise the prescribed outward forms of observation within a religion or religious denomination.
    • Rituals can help create a firm sense of group identity.

  • Group Dynamics

    • Examining the ways people constructed personal, collective, group, and social identities, researchers taking an identity work approach have outlined four generic processes whereby people give meaning to themselves and others within group contexts.
    • First, group members must define an identity into existence.
    • Through the combination of all these processes, we would have created a group identity and a set of norms to demonstrate that identity to others.
    • Similar to the religious example just outlined, sociologists have noted similar processes of (1) definition, (2) coding, (3) affirming, and (4) policing in social groups as wide ranging as scientific disciplines, support groups, fraternities, sororities, sports teams, friendship groups or cliques, office or other occupational settings, social movement organizations, and classrooms to name just a few.
    • In all such cases, people engage in identity work to construct, affirm, and signify membership within social groups.