The Nature of a Religion
In thinking about religion, it is easy to be confused about what it is. is there some essence which is common to all religions? And cannot a person be religious without belonging to any of the religions? The search for an essence ends up in vagueness — for instance in the statement that a religion- is some system of worship or other practice recognizing a transcendent Being or goal. Our problems break out again in trying to define the key term "transcendent." And in answer to the second question, why yes: there are plenty of people with deep spiritual concerns who do not ally themselves to any formal religious movement, and who may not themselves ‘recognize anything as transcendent. They may see ultimate spiritual meaning in unity with nature or in relationships to other persons.