Is Religion Historical or Allegorical?

By Sadhika on

To what extent can you read religion as you read history (depicting events) or as you read science (explaining the workings of the universe)?

Although I hold my own views on these matters, they hardly serve as answers that conclusively resolve such inquiries. And perhaps that is for the best. It is this kind of perpetual questioning that keeps conversations surrounding religion alive.


Some people view religious texts primarily as historical documents, containing accounts of events that actually happened in the past. They interpret these texts literally and believe that the stories and events described within them are accurate representations of real events. For these individuals, religion is closely intertwined with history, and the two are inseparable. On the other hand, many others interpret religious texts allegorically, seeing them as containing deeper symbolic meanings rather than literal truths. They believe that the stories and teachings found in religious texts are meant to convey timeless truths and moral lessons, rather than being strictly historical accounts. From this perspective, religion is more about the metaphorical and spiritual interpretation of events rather than their literal truth.


In other words, science made certain questions redundant when it demystified some of the workings of the universe. We turned to books or experts in search of answers to the questions that flooded our curious minds, not unlike how we turn to Google in today’s day and age. But before knowledge became scalable with the advent of the education system or the printing press, we had historically turned to prayer for the answers. Somewhere in the transition, scientific scepticism became indistinguishable from the spirit of inquiry that had preceded the era of scientific exploration. That spirit is very much alive and kicking, but, beyond scientific inquiry, are other outlets considered valid sources of knowledge? If so, can a modern perspective accept truths derived from sources that lack objectivity or empirical evidence? 


An attempt to answer such questions would be wanting, without a discussion on the composition of ‘truth’ first. The post-Enlightenment era has influenced how modern people approach religion, emphasising rationality, scepticism, and empirical evidence as the criteria for truth. There's a tendency in modern societies to prioritise objective and empirical truths over subjective or metaphysical interpretations. This perspective has led to increased scrutiny of religious claims and interpretations, as well as efforts to reconcile religious beliefs with scientific discoveries and historical evidence. However, this doesn't mean that all interpretations of religion must conform strictly to empirical standards.


In trying to determine the truth of a statement or an idea, it is important to consider the goal that one wishes to achieve with the statement or the idea. For example, does the truth of a knife solely rest in its existence, or does it also depend on its capacity to cut sharply? Of course, the object knife exists regardless of whether it is sharp or blunt, the category ‘knife’ only exists insofar as it is usable for the purpose designed — its ergon and fulfilment of its telos, so to speak. To be categorised as a "knife," an object must possess certain recognisable traits, including a knife-like appearance and a sufficiently sharp blade, although some degree of variation is permissible. For the human brain to be able to abstract out the category ‘knife’ from the object, it must prioritise the object's purpose as the essence of its identity. And the truth in abstraction cannot be dismissed; numbers and words are abstractions, and play essential roles in running our world.


Extending the analogy forward, the truth of an idea must also rest on its usability. Ideas laying claim to truth must, to some extent, address the problems they aim to resolve, thereby enduring long enough to be preserved and transmitted to future generations. Science addresses the question: Science seeks to answer the question: How does the universe operate? History, on the other hand, aims to answer: What occurred? Ideas failing to furnish satisfactory answers are not recognised as scientifically or historically accurate.


Religion, on the other hand, addresses a distinct inquiry: How should we conduct our lives? Knowledge that optimally facilitates human survival and reproduction, providing meaning amidst chaos and tragedy, provides responses to this question. Religious systems have mobilised whole populations on more than one occasion. The abstraction of human experience, the nature of reality and the meaning of life as described in religious frameworks is true because it is meaningful and improves the odds of survival of the human race. Many would disagree, but I believe that religion is allegorical, and this abstraction makes it a fundamental truth as it surpasses time constraints and the specificity of historical individuals.

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