On the Social Nature of Monotheistic and Ethnic Religions

Abstract

The article presents criticism of a widely spread assertion of the progressive nature of the world's monotheistic religions. The author identifies the differences in understanding the social nature of religions in different cultures: religion as private faith; religion as the duty of respect towards the community, its Gods and ancestors; religion as the path of cognition. Ethnic religions are considered, primarily, as social ones; while metaphysical religions are viewed as religions of the elites.