Sociological Perspectives on Religion

Religion

Religion gives meaning and purpose to life, reinforces social unity and stability, serves as an agent of social control of behavior, promotes physical and psychological well-being, and motivates people to work for positive social change.

The majority of aid work worldwide involves people of faith, including medical ministries, food aid, clean water projects, and countless other services. Many of the religious individuals and organizations that do these types of work are persecuted, arrested, or killed for their beliefs.

Sociological perspectives on religion aim to understand the functions that religion serves and its ability to promote social inequality and other problems. Those who see religion as promoting social conflict tend to view it as an expression of inequality, and those who see it as a source of morality usually believe that religion is good for society because it reinforces and strengthens social order (Emerson, Monahan, & Mirola 2011).

There are many kinds of religious practice: belief in a supreme deity, worship of celestial bodies or forces in nature, and participation in ritual and other practices. While each type of religion has its own characteristics, it is also common for people to believe in the same basic concepts or ideas.

Nevertheless, scholars often debate the nature of religion, arguing that one should not take it for granted that it is simply the result of inner states. Some, such as Smith and Talal Asad, suggest that scholars should shift their attention from hidden mental states to the institutional structures that produce them.