Smart is widely known for his seven-part definition of religion, or rather scheme of study; as this

approach avoids the problem of defining altogether (Wilson,1991, Sharpe, 1983 Whatever else
religion may or may not be whether theistic or non-theistic, religions possess certain
recognisable elements, which can be studied. These dimensions vary in importance but are
almost always present. Smart divided these into "historical" and "para-historical," meaning by
the latter those dimensions that take the investigation into the experience, or inner lives, or
religious people. The "historical" can be studied empirically, the para-historical takes the student
into the realm of belief and concepts and requires dialogue and participation; "since the study of
man is in an important sense participatory for one has to enter into men's intentions, beliefs,
myths, desires, in order to understand why they act as they do it is fatal if cultures including
our own are described merely externally, without entering into dialogue with them".
Smart's sevenfold scheme of study:
1. Doctrinal, 2. Mythological, 3 Ethical. 4. Ritual, 5. Experiential. 6. Institutional and
Material (added in his 1998 text).

In conclusion, the main reason for using Ninian Smart's model is to discover the similarities and
differences between religions in which his model allows you to decipher a religion between other
religions and find how they could be alike or not alike. The main area that most religions have in
common is a pilgrimage, where pilgrims go off to a significant place to honour and worship their
God. The main difference is the way they use their laws, such as Christians say if you commit
adultery you sin against God, but in Islam if you commit adultery you could be executed or
stoned. The fact is that in Christianity even the most grievous sins can be confessed in the
sacrament of confession, but in Islam the severe punishment for crimes committed could be
considered as murder.

References
Sharpe, Eric J. (1983). Understanding Religion. New York: St Martin's Press.
Smart, Ninian (1968). Secular Education and the Logic of Religion. New York: Humanities
Press.
Smart, Ninian (2000). "Methods in My Life". In Jon R. Stone. The Craft of Religious Studies.
New York: Palgrave. pp. 1835.
Smart, Ninian; Masefield, Peter; Wiebe, Donald (1994). Aspects of Religion Essays in Honour of
Ninian Smart. New York: P. Lang.
Wilson, Andrew, ed. (1991). World Scripture: a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. St Paul,
Minnesota: Paragon House.