Clifford Geertz taught that religion is an overriding system of symbols that serves two purposes. It gives us a worldview – what is the world all about? And it gives us an ethos – what ought we to do?
Think about religion as practiced in America today. Does it give a worldview? And does it give an ethos? For example, think about Christianity, practiced by the majority of Americans. Do they receive a worldview they can accept from Christianity? Do they get guidance on how to act?
