Instructions religiously taken (6)
I believe the answer is:
orders
'instructions' is the definition.
(an order is an instruction or command)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for orders that I've seen before include "Requests for drinks etc" , "Commands and edicts" , "Decrees, commands" , "taken by clergymen" , "Dictates, decrees" .)