Formalism refers to a tendency in religious thought and practice to shift focus away from the abstract, the spiritual, the personal, or the ethical principles in a religion and toward the outward forms that embody that religion. Outward forms can refer to:
- the sacred buildings or shrines in which worship occurs
- the calendar of sacred days and times around which religious life is oriented
- the rituals through which followers can experience the sacred or be fixed in some way
- special dress, diet, language, or other behaviors unique to that religion