Religion and relation: notes on Malory Nye’ concept of religion

This essay engages in a dialogical exchange with selected theses formulated by Malory Nye regarding the dimensions of human life that can be encompassed by the concept of religion, beginning with Nye’s preliminary assertion about the concept of religion: ‘it is used in many ways in everyday life’. The argument unfolds in three stages: first, a set of critical remarks on Nye’s approach to defining religion is outlined; second, various cultural contexts are examined to illustrate the spectrum of meanings attributed to ‘religion’; and finally, an alternative framework is proposed, supplementing Nye’s perspective through the analytical lenses of agency and relationality. The aim of this essay is to identify key assumptions in Nye’s conceptualisation of religion that may, in some respects, present theoretical limitations or points of contention. In response, the essay offers theoretical and cultural refinements to address these concerns, ultimately proposing an initial step towards a more integrative version of Nye’s conception of religion.