2007-12-12 08:44:37 · 11 answers · asked by Exclusive [♥] 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The same difference as lies between reading a medical journal and performing surgery.
2007-12-12 08:48:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
As my Religious Studies professor once explained to my class at the beginning of the term: Religious Studies is about understanding the oragins and development of religion from a scientific perspective. Practicing a religion is about belief and faith that a given religion is correct and following the tenants of that religion.
2007-12-12 16:58:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Practicing Religion means partaking in the ceremonies and traditions. Studying Religion means learning the meaning behind the various rituals and beliefs, the Church's stance on why it's important, and how it affects the community and society as a whole.
2007-12-12 16:48:53 · answer #3 · answered by Master C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Belief.
Studying the bible makes allot more sense if you take it pragmatically as a book written by prescientific man attempting to make sense of the world and universe around him.
Practicing religion, requires the studier to relinquish ration for faith and take the writings at face value, or at least try to find a metaphor to explain them away.
Studying the story of Joshua, who prayed to God to keep the sun still in the sky for a few more hours so he could finish off killing a group of Gentiles, would lead a pragmatic person to believe that after the heat of battle, the Israelites thought, that time stood still while they were slaughtering Gentiles, and created a myth around the battle.
A religious person reads the same story and concludes that God stopped the earth from rotating.
2007-12-12 16:53:06 · answer #4 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To study anything you have to open up your mind. You are required to question all aspects of a religion most often in anthropology of all regions..from the questions people have had before you and the ones you have today, you explore, grow and learn. Many leaders of religion are highly educated in all religions not just their own. Why not the sheep?
It's a far less discriminating approach than practising a specific religion. You are limited by your beliefs to question or even fully explore it in any great detail. You are not trusted to. Faith itself is a stifling word that limits all who have it to think fully for themselves.
2007-12-12 17:04:04 · answer #5 · answered by Blame Amy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best college course in a religious school would be one that has you practicing the religion it is teaching! For instance, at University Of Metaphysical Sciences, we give students meditations that go along with our courses so that they get to experience the concepts directly rather than just reading about them. If a religious school only offers written materials and no exercises to go with them, then they are falling short of really "teaching" the religion.
2007-12-12 16:49:57 · answer #6 · answered by Laura Phillips 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Studying is learning about the religion, practicing is attending religious ceremonies, and actually believing in it.
2007-12-12 16:48:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Study and practice mean different things. Consider kung fu. You have to learn the moves before you can practice them. They are both important, but they are not the same.
2007-12-12 16:53:33 · answer #8 · answered by Tommy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge vs. application.
Imagine: one might have the wrong religion and be condemned to Hell and the other religion (relationship w/Jesus Christ) will send one to Heaven.
Choose life. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life.
2007-12-12 16:55:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The difference between KNOWING that one's religion is right and SHOWING that it is right.
2007-12-12 16:48:56 · answer #10 · answered by Averell A 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋