It's popular today for public speakers and authors to consistently assign a negative connotation to the words 'religion' or 'religious.' However, the historical and biblical connotations of these words do not accord with this popular notion.
Historically, the meaning of the word 'religion' is the same as 'faith' or 'belief system.'
According to the Simple English Wikipedia, "A religion is a set of beliefs that is held by a group of people... Other words that are used for 'religion' are 'faith' and 'belief system.'"
The Bible itself tells us there are true and false forms of religion. The apostle James wrote about both. In chapter one of his general epistle he wrote first about false religion in verse 26, "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."
Next, he contrasted that with what he called true or pure religion in verse 27, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
The apostle Paul referred to false religion as well when he wrote, "For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant...holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power" (2Ti 3:2-5 NAU).
Commentator Matthew Henry, perhaps, makes my point best when he writes in his commentary on this verse, "...people...make it [religion] a vain thing if they have only a form of godliness, and not the power." Henry seems to be saying that religion itself is not vain or false. Rather, people make it vain or false.
False religion often takes one of two forms, legalism or licentiousness (sometimes called antinomianism [anti - against, nomianism - law]. However, most often, the misuse of the word 'religion' or 'religious' refers to legalism. Note the definitions below.
Legalism, in Christian theology, is a sometimes-pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on discipline of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigour, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of law over the spirit.
License, Licentiousness (or Antimomianism), on the other hand, is lacking legal or moral restraints; especially disregarding sexual restraints; or, marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness.
True Religion (faith) versus False Religion (legalism and license). True religion is faith in God's grace as the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Legalism is any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Its opposite is antinomianism, or licentiousness, which is the view that believing in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for receiving eternal life.
In summary: Public speakers and authors, especially pastors and Christian speakers, should adhere to the historic and Biblical connotations for the words 'religion' and 'religious.' They should refrain from assigning them with a negative connotation without qualifying the form of religion to which they are referring. If they are referring to religious legalists they should say so. If they are referring to religious antinomians, they should say so. Otherwise, listeners and readers will become increasingly confused about the true meaning of these words.
Historically, the meaning of the word 'religion' is the same as 'faith' or 'belief system.'
According to the Simple English Wikipedia, "A religion is a set of beliefs that is held by a group of people... Other words that are used for 'religion' are 'faith' and 'belief system.'"
The Bible itself tells us there are true and false forms of religion. The apostle James wrote about both. In chapter one of his general epistle he wrote first about false religion in verse 26, "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."
Next, he contrasted that with what he called true or pure religion in verse 27, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
The apostle Paul referred to false religion as well when he wrote, "For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant...holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power" (2Ti 3:2-5 NAU).
Commentator Matthew Henry, perhaps, makes my point best when he writes in his commentary on this verse, "...people...make it [religion] a vain thing if they have only a form of godliness, and not the power." Henry seems to be saying that religion itself is not vain or false. Rather, people make it vain or false.
False religion often takes one of two forms, legalism or licentiousness (sometimes called antinomianism [anti - against, nomianism - law]. However, most often, the misuse of the word 'religion' or 'religious' refers to legalism. Note the definitions below.
Legalism, in Christian theology, is a sometimes-pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on discipline of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigour, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of law over the spirit.
License, Licentiousness (or Antimomianism), on the other hand, is lacking legal or moral restraints; especially disregarding sexual restraints; or, marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness.
True Religion (faith) versus False Religion (legalism and license). True religion is faith in God's grace as the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Legalism is any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Its opposite is antinomianism, or licentiousness, which is the view that believing in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for receiving eternal life.
In summary: Public speakers and authors, especially pastors and Christian speakers, should adhere to the historic and Biblical connotations for the words 'religion' and 'religious.' They should refrain from assigning them with a negative connotation without qualifying the form of religion to which they are referring. If they are referring to religious legalists they should say so. If they are referring to religious antinomians, they should say so. Otherwise, listeners and readers will become increasingly confused about the true meaning of these words.
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