What does the term 'religion' primarily refer to?

The term 'religion' primarily refers to the service and worship of God or the supernatural. This definition encompasses the core aspects of what religion typically involves—connecting individuals with a higher power, engaging in rituals, practices, and expressions of faith that are central to the beliefs and traditions of a religion. Religion often includes organized systems of belief, moral codes, and community rituals emphasizing the worship and reverence of divine entities or spiritual principles.

This understanding captures the essence of various religious practices across different cultures, where the focus is often on a relationship between humanity and the divine, alongside moral teachings and communal activities that reinforce this connection. By centering on worship and service, this definition aligns closely with how many people experience and define their religious lives.

The other options, while related to aspects of human culture and belief systems, do not encapsulate the foundational definition of religion itself. For instance, art and culture are expressions that may stem from religious beliefs but are not fundamental to the term 'religion.' Similarly, a philosophy of life without belief would contradict the concept of religion, which inherently includes belief in something greater. Finally, the study of religious texts represents an academic perspective on religion rather than its core meaning, which is primarily about the practice of