Religion in an omnipotent and blinding power that pulls people into a false sense of secure unity and interdependence. In the early nineteenth century, many communities were created by a single religion where beliefs helped to answer many unknown questions. Such naivete resulted in the isolation of newcomers and a misunderstanding of people. George Eliot displayed the important of religion in "Silas Marner." Silas" loss and regain of faith and religion can be traced throughout the novel and expresses the author's intent on revealing the essence of a true religion. George Eliot divulges that religion is not entirely about believing in a higher being for a reliable source of security, but the dependence on loved ones in an individual's life that helps them discover their true self. Silas Marner's experiences with the destruction of his religious beliefs in Lantern Yard and Ravenloe along with the regaining of faith with the help of Eppie reveals the author's intent and underlying theme of religion throughout the novel.
During the nineteenth century, religion involved communities of close knit groups of people who cared only about serving their God. Both the Lantern Yard and Ravenloe towns displayed their devotion to a higher being by working, thinking, and acting according to their religious beliefs. Silas put his life and faith on the line for his community in Lantern Yard. He even felt that his fainting fits were an act of God, attempting to reveal to him that he was a, "[.] brother selected for a peculiar discipline." (Eliot, 6). He was blinded by the beliefs of his religion which eventually led to his excommunication from the church and community. Being falsely accused of murder and befriended by his good friend and wife led him to believe that, "[.] there is no just God that governs the earth righteously, but a God of lies, that bears witness against the innocent." (10).
