SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION

Sociological perspective of
Religion
 Perspective
The sociology of religion can be said to consist of
two main themes or central questions
◦ why have religious beliefs and practices been so
central a feature of culture and society
◦ why have they taken such diverse forms?
The sociology of religion poses the question of the
role and significance of religion in general, as well
as that of understanding the beliefs and practices of
particular groups and societies.
 Cont ….
The goal of sociological study of religion is to
analyze the relationship between society and
religion and gain insight into the role that
religion play in people`s lives.

Sociologists study the effects of religious beliefs

and practices on social life.
Sociologists analyze how religion is organized
and how systems of belief are related to culture,
systems and social institution.
 Definition
EMILE DURKHEIM
 He defined religion as a unified system of belief and
practices relative to sacred things
 That is to say, things set apart and forbidden.
 Beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral
community called a church, all those who adhere to them.
 Thus for him, religion is defined by three elements
◦ Belief that some things are sacred (forbidden, set off from
profane)
◦ Practices (Rituals) centering on the things considered
sacred.
◦ A moral community-a church resulting from a group`s
belief and practices.
THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVES
THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
They examine functions, dysfunctions and functional equivalents of
religion.
THEIR SENSE OF RELIGION IS THAT IT IS UNIVERSAL AND IT
MEETS THE FOLLOWING BASIC HUMAN NEEDS.
1. QUESTIONS ABOUT ULTIMATE MEANING
◦ Religions provide answers to perplexity questions about ultimate
meaning such as purpose of life. Why people suffer and existence of
an afterlife.
2. EMOTIONAL COMFORT
◦ Religion comfort people by assuring them that there is purpose to life
even to suffering
3. SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
◦ Religious Teachings and practices unite believers into community that
shares values and perspectives.
FUNCTIONALIST
PERSPECTIVE
4.GUIDELINES FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
◦ For example for the four to ten commandments
delivered by Moses to Israelites concern God and other
six contain instructions on how to live everyday life.
5.SOCIAL CONTROL
◦ It controls people`s behavior. Most norms of a
religious group apply to its members but set some
limits for nonmembers also.
6.ADAPTATION
 Religion can help people adapt to new environments.
It helps immigrants to adapt to their environment.
FUNCTIONALIST
PERSPECTIVE
.SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT
◦They sponsor education, teach prayers,
values.

8.SOCIAL CHANGE
◦Religions occationary spearhead social
change for example multipart systems
and racial discrimination
DYSFUNCTIONS OF RELIGION

1) War: History is filled with wars based on

religion for example Catholics and protestant
killed one another in Northern Ireland.
2) Religion as a justification for persecution
Beginning in the 1200s and continuing into the
1800s in what has become known as the
inquisition. (A period of prolonged and intensive
questioning) a former Roman Catholic tribunal
for discovery and punishment of heresy)
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE
It focus on the role of meaning in people`s lives especially
the ways in which people use symbols.
1. RELIGIOUS SYSMBOLS
◦ All religions us symbols to provide identity and social
solidarity for their members for example Christians use
a cross.
2. RITUALS (is defined as something that is characteristics
of rite, practice or observation particularly of a religion
e.g wedding ceremony They include kneeling, praying at
set of times, bowing, crossing oneself)
 Ceremonies or repetitive practices are also symbols
that help unite people into a moral community.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE
 3.BELIEFS:
◦ Religious beliefs include values and cosmology a unified
picture of the world. (Cosmology is the is a science of how
the universe started and how it is structured).
 For example Muslims believe that they must prostrate
themselves and face mecca five times each day.
(prostrate is lying stretched out on the ground with ones
face down).
 Mecca is the desert valley in western Saudi Arabia, is
islam’s holiest city, as it’s the birthplace of the prophet
Muhammad. Only Muslims are allowed in the city
 Jewish, Christian and Muslims belief that there is only one
God, the creator of the universe.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVE
4.RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
It refers to a sudden awareness of the
supernatural or a feeling of coming in
contact with God.
Some people undergo a mild version,
such as feeling closer to God when they
look at a mountain or listen to a certain
piece of music.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

5.COMMUNITY:Shared symbols, rituals

and beliefs unite people into a moral
community.
 CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
Conflict theorists examine how religion supports
the status quo and helps to maintain social
inequalities.
i. OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE
◦ Karl Marx said, Religion is the sign of the oppressed
creature, the sentiment of a heartless world.
◦ According to Marx , religion is an expression of
material realities and economic injustice .
◦ Thus problems in religion are ultimately problems in
the society.
◦ It is used by the oppressors to make people feel better
about the distress they experience due to being poor
OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE
 Marx argued that religion is irrational. Religion is
a delusion and worship of appearances that
avoids recognizing underlying reality. (delusion is
impression maintained despite being
contradicted by reality or rational argument,
typically as a symptom of mental disorder.)
 Religion is hypocritical, Although it might profess
valuable principles, it sides with the oppressors.
Jesus advocated helping the poor, but the
Christian church merged with the oppressive
Roman state and acquired as much property and
power as possible.

CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
ii. A REFLECTION OF SOCIAL
INEQUALITIES
◦ Conflict theorists stress that religious teachings
and practices are a mirror of a society`s
inequalities for example male dominance in our
religious leadership and authority is seen as
oppression for women.
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
Iii A LEGITIMATION OF SOCIAL
INEQUALITIES
Conflict theorists claim that religion is a mirror
that legitimates social inequalities.
 Caste system by teaching that individual who
tries to change caste will come back in the next
life as a member of lower caste or even as an
animal ( caste is the division based on
differences of wealth , inherited rank or
privilege, profession, occupation or race.
THE WORLD MAJOR RELIGIONS

JUDAISM -monotheism
The origin of Judaism is traced to Abraham who
lived about four thousand years ago in
Mesopotamia.
Jews believe that God made promise or covenant
with Abraham that they are race of chosen
people.
 Moses hold revered position in Judaism
(Liberating people from slavery)
The contemporary Judaism in US comprises three
main branches namely orthodox, Reform and
BRANCHES
1. Orthodox Jews adhere to laws espoused by
Moses. They eat food prepared in a
designated manner, observe Sabbath,
segregate males and females in religious
services.
2. Reform Judaism mostly uses the vernacular
(country language) in its religious
ceremonies and has reduced much of its
ritual.
BRANCHES
 Conservative Judaism. It falls between the two.

 No branch has continued polygyny

 Its history is marked by conflict and persecution. Thus

they were conquered by Babylon, Rome.

 The central teaching is the requirement to love God

and do good deeds.

 They consider Jerusalem their holiest city where

Messiah will appear.
CHRISTIANITY –MONOTHEISM

 Itdeveloped out of Judaism

 Christians believe that Jesus is the messiah whom God
promised the Jews.
 Herod was the ruler and when he heard that a King was
born, he sent soldiers to kill Jesus but his parents fled into
Egypt. After Herod`s death, they returned and settled in
Nazareth.
 At the age of 30 Jesus begun preaching and healing ministry
and it grow popularity that religious leaders plotted to kill
him. He was killed by romans.
 Christians believe that through his death, they have peace
with God and will inherit eternal life.
◦ They interpret the death of Jesus as a blood sacrificed for their
girls.
CONT:
The twelve main followers-apostles believed that
Jesus rose from the dead. They preached the need to
be born again and to accept Jesus as a savior.
Rome opposed it and even gave believers bodies to
Lions in the Coliseum.
so it was directed by Rome for many years until the
11th Century disagreement over doctrines and
politics.
Greek orthodoxy was established headquarters in
Turkey .
Roman Catholic grew corrupt in politics them Martin
Luther sought reformation.
ISLAM-MONOTHEISM

Followers are known as Muslims

It was founded by Muhammad who was born in Mecca
(Saudi Arabia) about 570 AD.
He married Khadija a wealth widow.
About the age of 40 he reported that he had visions from
God.
His visions and teachings were later written in a book
called Koran.
When he found out that there was a plot to kill him, he
fled to Medina where he found receptive Audience.
He established theocracy (a government based on the
principle that God is the ruler, his laws the statutes of
ISLAM
He found Muslim empire in 630 AD and returned to
mecca as a conqueror.
After his death, rose a struggle to control empire split
Islam into two branches that remain today.
a. Sunni islam is by far the largest branch of
islam followed by 85 to 90 of the world’s
Muslims. Its name comes from word sunnah
referring to the behaviour of Muhammed .
b. Shia muslims arose from a disagreement
over the succession to Muhammad and
subsequently acquired broader political
significance as well as theological dimensions.
c.
ISLAM
According to Sunni traditions ,
Muhammad left no successor and
the participants of the Saqifar
event appointed Abu Bakr as the
next inline (the first caliph).
This contrasts with the Shia view
which holds that Muhammad
appointed his son in law and cousin
Ali Ibn Abi Talib as his successor.
ISLAM
• The fundamentalism y are generally
conservative and are inclined to (a belief
that modernism threatens religion and
that faith as it was originally practiced
should be restored).
• Muslims trace their Ancestry to Abraham
who fathered Ishmael by Hagar.
• Ishmael had twelve sons from whom a
good portion of Arab world is descended.
 ISLAM
They also consider Jerusalem as Holy city.
They consider the bible as sacred but take Koran
as the final word.
 They believe followers of Abraham, Moses and
Jesus changed the original teachings and
Mohamed restored its purity.
 It is a duty of each Muslim to make a
pilgrimage (journey) to Mecca during his life
time.
 They continue to practice polygyny-however
limit to four wives.
HINDUISM-Polytheism

 It has not specific founder

 It is the chief religion of India
 The term Hinduism is Western the closest term in India
is DHARMA (LAW)
 Hinduism has no canonical scripture that is no text
thought to be inspired by God.
 They have several books including Brahmans,
Bhagavad-Gita and Upanishads expound on moral
qualities that people should strive after.
 They also delineate the sacrifices people should make.
 Hindus are polytheiststs.Thus they believe in many
Gods.
HINDUISM
They believe God Brahma created the
universe
 Shiva the destroyer
 Vishnu the preserver
These form a triad of modern
Hinduism.
A central believe is Karma, spiritual
progress.
HINDUISM
There is no final judgment but instead
reincarnation a cycle of life, death and rebirth.
(reincarnation also as rebirth or transmigration is
the philosophical or religious concept that the non
physical essence of a living being begins a new
life in a different physical form or body after
biological death
Death involves only the body and each person
soul comes back in a form that matches the
individual moral progress in previous life.
(centered on proper conduct in following the rules
of one`s caste)
HINDUISM
 If an individual reaches spiritual perfection, he or she has
attained Nirvana. (State in which there is neither suffering
, desire , nor sense of self and the subject is released from
the effects and the cycle of death and re birth.
 which marks the end of the cycle of death and rebirth
when the soul is re-united with the universal soul.
 When this occurs Maya, the Mission of time and space
has been conquered.
 Some practices have been modified as a consequences of
social protest especially child marriage
 Suttee, the practice of cremating a surviving widow along
with her deceased husband. (Burning the dead body)
BUDDAHISM

A bout 600 B.C Siddhartha Gautama

founded Buddhism.
Buddha means the enlightened one
A term Gautama was given by his disciples.
Gautama was a son of an upper Caste Hindu
ruler in North of Benanes, India.
At the age of 29 he renounced his life of
luxury and became an ascetic. (Severe self
discipline and abstention).
BUDDAHISM
Through Meditation, he discovered four truths
which emphasized on self-denial and compassion.

1. Existence of suffering

2. The origin of suffering desire

3. Suffering ceases when desire ceases

4. A way to end desire is to follow the noble

eightfold path
The noble eightfold path

I. Right belief
II. Right resolve(renounce carnal pleasure and
no harm)
III. Right speech
IV. Right conduct
V. Right occupation and living
VI. Right effort
VII. Right mindedness(contemplation)
VIII.Right ecstasy
 The final goal is to escape from reincarnation into
nonexistence or blissful peace.

 Ithas been adopted in

 Ceylon
 Burma
 Tibet
 Cambodia
 Thailand
 China
 Korea
 Japan.
CONFUCIANISM

Kung Futsu(551-479 BC)Was born in

china
Confucius (his name strung together in
English)a Public official.
He was distressed by corruption that he
saw in the government.
Confucius urged social reform and
developed a system of morality based
on peace and justice and universal
order.
CONFUCIANISM

His teachings were incorporated into

writings called Analects.
The basic moral principle of
Confucianism is to maintain right
relationships, sympathy or concern of
others.
The key is being loyal and placing
morality above self-interest called
Confucian Golden Rule.
CONFUCIANISM

Basic principle is to treat your subordinate to you

as you would like to be treated by people superior
to yourself-loyalty and respect.
He taught the middle way –an avoidance to
extremes.
Initially, it was atheistic just having moral teaching
as centuries passed, local gods were added
including Confucius himself who was declared
god.
CONFUCIANISM

Confucius teachings became basic for the

government of china.
Emphasis was on meditation until twentieth century
when government became rigid and replaced it.
Communist revolution attempted to weaken
people`s ties with Confucianism.
 TYPES OF RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION
 Within a religion, groups contrast sharply
with one another.
 These are called religious organization.
 CULT
The word cult conjures up many bizarre
images for example shaved heads, wield
music, brain washing, and ritual murder.
Cult is simply new different religion whose
teachings and practices put it at odd with the
dominant culture and religion.
They often begin with the appearance of the
charismatic leader.
 CULT
A charismatic leader is a person who
inspires people because he or she seems to
have extraordinary qualities.
 Charisma refers to an outstanding gift or
an exceptional quality people find someone
highly appealing that they are drawn to the
person and message. Christianity started
with people following the teaching of Jesus
Christ.
 CULT
Islam started with the teaching of
Muhammad
The cult meet with rejection from the
society.
The cult demands intense commitment
and its followers confronting a hostile
world.
Some cults fail, some succeed and make
history.
SECT
It is larger than cult whose members still
feel fair amount of tension with prevailing
and values of a broader society
The sect may even be hostile to the society
in which it lives
Its members remain uncomfortable with
many emphasis of the dominant culture.
 While non-members in turn tend to be
uncomfortable with members of the sect.
SECT
They emphasize personal salvation and an
emotional expression of one`s relationship with
God.
◦ Clapping, shouting, dancing and extemporaneous
prayers are hall mark of sects.
They stress on evangelism and active recruitment
of new members.
If a sect grows, its members gradually tend to
make peace with the rest of society.
CHURCH
Itis a religious group that is highly bureaucratized.
 Probably with national and international
headquarters and give directions to local
congregations, enforce rules about who can be
ordained and control finances.
 Much less emphasis on personal situation and
emotional expression.
 Written prayers likely to be read before the
congregation with God is less intense.
Children may be baptized, circumcised or
dedicated in some way to join the group
ECCLESIA

 Some groups become so integrated into a culture so

strongly allied with their government that its difficult
to tell who leaves off and who takes over.
 In state religion and government work together to
shape the society.
 There is no recruitment for citizen, everyone is a
member.
 The majority may belong to a religion in a name only.
 Religion is part of cultural identification not on eye
opening for example Sweden –Lutherans.
 Ecclesia envision God as more impersonal and remote.
ECCLESIA

Church services are highly formal

directed by ministers or priests who
undergo rigorous training.
Examples include:
◦ Lutheran Church in Sweden and Denmark
◦ Islam in Iran and Iraq .
◦ During the Holy Roman Empire, the
Roman Catholic Church.
VARIATIONS IN PATTERNS

Not all religious groups go through these

stages, some may die
Because of falling off of members or
having small members while others
succeed.
These classification are not perfectly
matched in a real world.
Some groups that became churches may
retain a few characteristics of self.