ABSTRACT
Defining science is a notoriously difficult exercise. Some have tried to characterize it in terms of its theories, others by its methods, others still by its social organization. Many of the issues encountered in defining science recur when people try to define religion. While some writers have emphasized its intellectual content by concentrating on theology, others have sought to interpret it socially and culturally. An example of the latter is Emile Durkheim's claim that a religion is 'a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things'. However, in contrast to most attempts to characterize science, religion is often conceived as possessing substantial individualistic, spiritual and transcendental dimensions. The situation is further complicated if people move outside the Judeo-Christian tradition and confront non-Western cultures which often lack a word to describe what they understand by religion. That there is no universally-accepted definition of religion is all too apparent.
