This research aims to shed light on the interpretation of religion by humans throughout history and the position of the philosophy of religion as presented by William James. The article seeks to identify one of the most important essential and fundamental elements in human nature, which is the essence of religion. The goal is to understand how religion is presented according to each person’s interpretation, from the perspective of the philosophy of religion with William James.
James’s philosophy of religion concerns itself with religious experience, belief, and the religious person. It opens decisively to Hermeneutics, providing a neutral philosophy of any particular religion. The research strives to identify the essence of religion, the role of interpretations in that, and the psychological approach to it. James was not interested in interpreting religion, religious truth, or religious experiences as presented in the scriptures. Instead, he was concerned with spiritual experiences and how religion influences the experience of each person, apart from the anthropological human culture or the religion that one believes to be true.