I found this section the most thought-provoking:
The difficulty in articulating the core of one's religion does not mean mystery is at the core. How about religion as action rather than belief? Something one does, generally as part of a community.
It's a little weird to carve up different aspects of culture and say, "this is art here...music is over here...basic day-to-day living is here...and this is religion." The mix and match approach, saying "we have the same culture but different religions" makes only partial sense.
A la Carse I can accept that the presence of a mystery is what makes something religious, but that mystery does not determine the nature of said religiosity. So for example, belief in God (whatever that is) is religious but does not mean you must be a Muslim specifically.
Belief is a lot more important in Christianity than in Judaism or Islam, especially where the notion of salvation by faith alone comes into play. You can be a good Jew or Muslim simply by following the commandments and traditions of your religion.
QuoteBut if a religion is not strictly a matter of believing, what is it? Take note first of the irreconcilable differences between the historic religions. Although Islam and Christianity have been close neighbors for fourteen centuries, it is unthinkable that Muslims might occasionally mistake themselves for Christians. There is something in each tradition that definitively sets it off from the other. But what? It might seem reasonable at this point to consult Christians to learn what their religion is at its core, then turn to Muslims with the same request. After the first few inquiries, we would discover that there is little within Christianity and within Islam as to how the core of each faith is to be articulated. Indeed, this is such an open question that both traditions largely consist in the struggle over what it means to be a Muslim or a Christian. At the center of each, in other words, is a mystery they cannot fully comprehend; neither can they cease attempting to comprehend it. They may give this mystery the name "God" or "Brahman" or "Tao," but when we ask for more complete clarification, agreement among them scatters. How then can we say what the Christian religion is when Christians themselves have never been able to do so?
The difficulty in articulating the core of one's religion does not mean mystery is at the core. How about religion as action rather than belief? Something one does, generally as part of a community.
It's a little weird to carve up different aspects of culture and say, "this is art here...music is over here...basic day-to-day living is here...and this is religion." The mix and match approach, saying "we have the same culture but different religions" makes only partial sense.
A la Carse I can accept that the presence of a mystery is what makes something religious, but that mystery does not determine the nature of said religiosity. So for example, belief in God (whatever that is) is religious but does not mean you must be a Muslim specifically.
Belief is a lot more important in Christianity than in Judaism or Islam, especially where the notion of salvation by faith alone comes into play. You can be a good Jew or Muslim simply by following the commandments and traditions of your religion.