Albanese's definition of religion which focuses on the social (community), material (symbols) and mythical (extraordinary) dimensions of religion best incorporates religions from around the world. Western religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism fit easily into the mold Albanese outlines, while practices like the religions of Native Americans, the African diaspora, China, and Japan manage to fit the mold in darker ways . Each of these religious practices contains elements of community, symbolism, and interaction with the extraordinary, from the Native American “checkers” ritual to the creation narrative of Christianity to the Yin-Yang symbol of Daoism. Although Indian religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, can be used as counterexamples, these religious practices ultimately touch on every aspect of the definition of Albanian. Buddhism and Jainism still recognize supernatural forces even if they are not their primary focus. Hinduism is still a community of believers even though they accept all religions as part of their own. That said, Albanese's definition of religion is quite vague. By focusing on only three religious dimensions rather than all seven, all of the religious traditions studied in this course can, in fact, be labeled