Sociological perspective on religion

According to Weber, people turn to religion with these questions and search for answers in different religious belief systems. According to him, that is the reason why religion will always exist in society. Sociologists of other perspectives, however, disagree.

• We will look at sociological theories of religion.
• We will discuss beliefs in society and the nature of the sociological analysis of religion.
• Then, we will move on to the sociological theories of religion.
• We will discuss the sociological theories of religion by Durkheim, Marx, and Weber.
• We will also mention the feminist theory of religion and the postmodernist theory of religion.

Beliefs in society in sociology

There exist many belief systems within society, including ideologies and religions. We have already discussed the difference between these two in our explanation of Ideology. We also looked at science as a belief system. Here, we will discuss different sociological views on religion as a belief sys

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Chapter Religion

Ron McGivern

Introduction to Religion

Why do sociologists study religion? For centuries, humankind has sought to understand and explain the “meaning of life.” Many philosophers believe this contemplation and the desire to understand our place in the universe are what differentiate humankind from other species. Religion, in one form or another, has been found in all human societies since human societies first appeared. Archaeological digs have revealed ancient ritual objects, ceremonial burial sites, and other religious artifacts. Much social conflict and even wars have resulted from religious disputes. To understand a culture, sociologists must study its religion.

What is religion? Pioneer sociologist Émile Durkheim described it with the ethereal statement that it consists of “things that surpass the limits of our knowledge” (). He went on to elaborate: Religion is “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say set a