I recently learned about Robert Bellah's theory of religious evolution, which posits that there are four stages of religious development: mimetic, mythical, ethical, and modernized. Bellah, an American sociologist interested in religious studies, argues that religion evolves in response to social and cultural changes.



The mimetic stage is the earliest stage, in which humans imitate the behavior of natural phenomena, animals, or plants that are considered sacred. For example, primitive societies that use a large tree as a totem or symbol of their beliefs.


The mythical stage is when humans begin to create stories or myths about things that are extraordinary or beyond reason. For example, the ancient Greeks who had many gods and goddesses that ruled over various aspects of nature and life.


The ethical stage is when humans begin to develop moral norms and laws based on specific religious teachings. For example, Jewish society that follows the laws of the Torah or Islamic society that follows the laws of Sharia.


The modernized stage is when religion becomes more rational, individualistic, and pluralistic. For example, Western societies that have religious freedom and tolerance for other religions.


I am interested in this theory because I feel that I can see the development of religion in Indonesia from this perspective. I am also curious about how religion will continue to evolve in the future. Will religion remain relevant or will it be sidelined by advances in science and technology? Will religion become more peaceful or will it become a source of conflict? Will I continue to hold onto my religion or will I seek out another religion? I feel that I need to learn more about this theory and other religions so that I can answer these questions.