page_title: Theories about religions
section_title: Substantive theories
hierarchical_section_title: Theories about religions / Substantive theories
context_page_description: Sociological and anthropological theories about religion generally attempt to explain the origin and function of religion. These theories define what they present as universal characteristics of religious belief and practice.
caption: J. M. W. Turner's painting The Golden Bough, based on the Golden Bough incident in the Aeneid
exif: {}