Religions and Their Environment

Abstract

The term environment in its strict sense (the German Umwelt) refers to the totality of those factors of the surroundings that actually exert some influence on the religion or that are effected by the religion, such as nature, economy, social organization, political situation, competitors. Religions adapt to their respective environments at their own pace, the environment exerts selection pressure onto the respective religion and thusly picks out especially suitable varieties. The varieties which harmonise with the living situation, the way of life, and the adherents’ ideology the best, relatively speaking, are more suitable and more adapted than others; their set of beliefs, rules, and behaviours can be communicated the best and the most successfully.