A Critical Analysis of Clifford Geertz's Thought in Religion as a Cultural System

Abstract

This paper offers a critical analysis of Clifford Geertz's seminal essay Religion as a Cultural System (1966), which introduced an interpretive paradigm into the study of religion. Geertz defines religion as a system of symbols that shapes durable moods and motivations in human beings by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality, thereby linking a religious worldview to a religious ethos. This analysis argues that Geertz's theory constitutes a major turning point in the anthropology of religion by placing meaning, rather than social function or psychological need, at the centre of religious phenomena. At the same time, the theory has been criticised for being overly descriptive, for neglecting questions of power, and for paying insufficient attention to historical change. The paper concludes that Geertz's interpretive approach remains valuable for understanding religion as a cultural system, particularly when read alongside contemporary critical perspectives on power, history, and discourse