Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

The sociology of religion owes much of its origin to those processes in European society that began with the era of the Enlightenment and anti-feudal bourgeois revolutions. One of the most important sources of the sociology of religion was the socio-philosophical criticism of feudal social relations and the church as a social institution (OpenStax et al. 334-338). This criticism contributed to arousing interest in questions about the social conditioning of religion and its role in society. Religion stands out from the totality of social institutions as a phenomenon of a special kind, in relation to which all other social realities are regarded as secular.

The phrase “Religion is the opiate of the masses” is attributed to Vladimir Lenin, although for the first time Karl Marx used the expression that religion is the opium of the people in his work A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, published in 1844. Marx borrowed a comparison of religion with opium from Christian socialist Charles Kingsley (OpenStax et al. 339-340). One can agree with this phrase in the sense that religion reduces the pain of social beings in an inhuman society. However, today it can hardly be said that in developed societies, religion has a ‘stupefying’ effect on people. In modern European societies, civic religiosity plays the role of a religious factor, influences collective memory in a particular nation, and promotes the regeneration and maintenance of common social and political goals. In a secularized society, civil religion continues to shape social life and gives a sense of belonging to social life, working as a tool for integration and inclusion in the national context, and also acts as a factor in the conflict in the political sphere, which is emphasized by conflict theorists.

At the same time, religious teachings everywhere imply an unequal, subordinate position of women in societyiswhich in a wider context is also due to a commitment to the patriarchal nature of social relations. In addition, religion acts as a means of social control. Emerging social relationships have built a generally accessible regulatory system that has spread throughout the social community (OpenStax et al. 337). The historical significance of religion lies in the fact that throughout the course of the development of mankind during the transition from one socioeconomic formation to another, it contributed to the establishment and strengthening of new social relations and the formation of strong centralized states.

Reference

OpenStax et al. Introduction to Sociology 2e. XanEdu Publishing, 2015.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, February 8). Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications. https://ivypanda.com/essays/christianity-practices-features-social-implications/

Work Cited

"Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications." IvyPanda, 8 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/christianity-practices-features-social-implications/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications'. 8 February.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications." February 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/christianity-practices-features-social-implications/.

1. IvyPanda. "Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications." February 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/christianity-practices-features-social-implications/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Christianity Practices, Features, Social Implications." February 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/christianity-practices-features-social-implications/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1