The world religions paradigm
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When the category of religion is used to describe ‘world religions’, it is often in a way that turns multiple diverse traditions, philosophies, and practices into one single entity for the sake of simplicity.
By Luke Burns
When the category of religion is used to describe ‘world religions’, it is often in a way that turns multiple diverse traditions, philosophies, and practices into one single entity for the sake of simplicity.
A good example of this is Hinduism, which is a label coined by the British to describe the religion of the Indian people.
The hidden diversity of Hinduism
Hinduism did not exist in the language of the Indian peoples (in fact there are many languages in use on the Indian subcontinent); it was a label applied by British observers.
There are many different religious traditions in India that are viewed as subdivisions within Hinduism, but this shared definition does not mean that all Hindus believe the same things or practice in the same way.
Of course, Hinduism ...
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