▁most ▁significant . ▁Relig ious ▁bel ie vers ▁may ▁or ▁may ▁not ▁accept ▁such ▁symbol ic ▁interpret ations . ▁ ▁Pract ices ▁ ▁The ▁practices ▁of ▁a ▁religion ▁may ▁include ▁rit uals , ▁ser m ons , ▁comm em oration ▁or ▁v ener ation ▁( of ▁a ▁de ity , ▁gods , ▁or ▁god d esses ), ▁sacrific es , ▁festiv als , ▁fe asts , ▁tr ances , ▁initi ations , ▁fun er ary ▁services , ▁mat rim onial ▁services , ▁med itation , ▁prayer , ▁religious ▁music , ▁religious ▁art , ▁sacred ▁dance , ▁public ▁service , ▁or ▁other ▁aspects ▁of ▁human ▁culture . ▁ ▁Social ▁organisation ▁Relig ions ▁have ▁a ▁soci etal ▁basis , ▁either ▁as ▁a ▁living ▁tradition ▁which ▁is ▁carried ▁by ▁lay ▁participants , ▁or ▁with ▁an ▁organized ▁cler gy , ▁and ▁a ▁definition ▁of ▁what ▁constit utes ▁ad her ence ▁or ▁membership . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁study ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁discipl ines ▁study ▁the ▁phenomen on ▁of ▁religion : ▁the ology , ▁compar ative ▁religion , ▁history ▁of ▁religion , ▁evolution ary ▁origin ▁of ▁relig ions , ▁anth rop ology ▁of ▁religion , ▁psych ology ▁of ▁religion ▁( including ▁neu ros cience ▁of ▁religion ▁and ▁evolution ary ▁psych ology ▁of ▁religion ), ▁law ▁and ▁religion , ▁and ▁soci ology ▁of ▁religion . ▁ ▁Daniel ▁L . ▁P als ▁mentions ▁eight ▁classical ▁theories ▁of ▁religion , ▁foc using ▁on ▁various ▁aspects ▁of ▁religion : ▁anim ism ▁and ▁magic , ▁by ▁E . B . ▁T yl or