Religion or Christianity?

I have been told repeatedly and sometimes belligerently that "Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship." Now, I honestly understand the point ... but why must it be such a point of contention? Based on the Random House Dictionary, religion is "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs." The American Heritage Dictionary says it is "belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe, or a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship."

So ... how is Christianity not a religion? What I fear is that the modern church's anti-intellectualism and anti-creed stance has made it ... not a religion. Creeds and reason provide systematic methods of examining a common set of beliefs. Without a doubt, if creeds and reason are included in Christianity, then it is indeed "a set of beliefs", "reverence for a supernatural power", a "personal [and] institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship." The question then becomes "Do we not want it to be?"