Salve Brute Augur!I would define "religion" as the
tradition of worship of one or more gods.
This definition implies:
- That it follows the rules of a certain tradition.
- It worships something.
If the first condition is not fulfilled, it is simply "spirituality".
If the second condition is not fulfilled, it is only a tradition.
I would distinguish anything that goes beyond this definition as either
philosophy, if it deals with ethics or the explanation of the world (natural philosophy), or as
mythology, if it reports stories about these gods. Both can be associated with a certain religion, but are something distinct.
Modern "world religions" are often not just religions, but have merged with certain philosophies. Christianity for example is a religion (mass, baptism, marriage and funeral rites), a philosophy (the teachings of compassion and the ten commandments) and a set of mythological stories (the bible).
The
Religio Romana has maintained this separation from philosophy and mythology. One can follow the
religio and be either Epicurean, Stoic, Platonist or belong to no philosophical school at all. One can accept the Greek mythology like the Iliad or the Odyssey or rather consider them as fairy tales. It does not interfere with adherence to the
religio.
I would also distinguish
superstitio from religion, which is the practice of worship that goes beyond the rules set by tradition.
Optime vale!C.Florius Lupus