θρήσκευμα vs θρησκεία ?

Question

What is the difference between "το θρήσκευμα" and "η θρησκεία"?

I have been saying, "Τι είναι η θρησκεία σας;" but maybe this is incorrect. My book says "Το θρήσκευμα" as in "Το θρήσκευμά μου είναι χριστιανός ορθόδοξος." (He seems to be using adjectives to describe himself rather than his religion or else he'd use the neuter--something I also don't understand as I would have thought it to be χριστιανική ορθοδοξία!) . Anyway what's the difference? Ευχαριστώ πολύ.

Answer 1

Θρησκεία = Religion

According to the Oxford dictionary ( https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/religion ), religion has the following two meanings :

1) The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
Examples:
‘ideas about the relationship between science and religion’
‘...the role or power of religion and churches in society.’

2) A particular system of faith and worship.
Examples:
‘the world's great religions’.
‘Hinduism is a complex religion, and there are many paths in it.’

"Θρήσκευμα" is a subset, it only has the second meaning (ie A particular system of faith and worship ).

I would not use "Τι είναι η θρησκεία σας;”.  “θρησκεία” is female noun, so the correct way to ask is:  "Ποια είναι η θρησκεία σας;”.  You could also ask: "Ποιο είναι το θρήσκευμά σας;”