Introduction
Sociology of religion refers to the study of cultural beliefs, practices, and forms of organizations. Sociologists study religion through some of the established tools and methods. Some scholars employ quantitative research while others choose qualitative designs in studying how religion affects human behavior. In particular, the census system, content analysis, demography, and sampling are some of the methods employed under quantitative designs.
On the other hand, observation, the use of interviews, comparative analysis, and application of historical methods are some of the techniques employed in qualitative designs. In the study of religion, many issues arise, but the most fascinating ones include theoretical explanations of religion and the major features of religion. Therefore, this article will discuss the views of various theorists on religion, as well as the major features of religion.
Views of Various Theorists
Emile Durkheim was the first theorist to make use of religion in comprehending human behavior. He undertook a study among Catholics and Protestants to ascertain the rates of suicide. The study was a milestone in the academic circles because it distinguished sociology from other disciplines such as psychology.
Durkheim carried out a methodical study of religion in society by employing a positivist approach (Johnstone 9). He was mainly interested in identifying the forces that hold individuals together in the modern society. Durkheim established that religion is indeed the major unifying factor in society.
In one of his works, he established that religion is not imaginary, as many would think. In his study, he noted that religion is existent because it affects human behavior in a number of ways. Religion brings out the realities of society. This would imply that each society has its own form of religion. A supernatural power exists in society, which controls human life. The supernatural power is too strong to an extent of forcing individuals to come together to define it.
In this case, Durkheim noted that religion is the expression of collective consciousness, which is the synthesis of individual awareness. This consciousness translates to a certain form of reality. To Durkheim, simple societies, such as the Australian Aborigines, have simple religious structures, which are simply associated with particular clans and families. However, complex societies have advanced religious structures that tend to embrace universalism.
In the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber offered an alternative explanation of religion. To Weber, religion is a perfect answer to human necessity for theodicy. He noted that human beings are troubled by the fact that some forces cannot be controlled through human efforts.
In this case, human beings try to resolve issues affecting them through the worship of the supernatural. In particular, individuals are troubled with the idea that some people might suffer for long before they succeed in life. Religion is the only consolation for individuals facing various problems in the world.
Through religion, individuals have an opportunity to escape from trouble meaning that they can be relieved from untold sufferings if they worship a supernatural being. In society, people pursue salvation in the same way they pursue wealth. To Weber, religion played a critical role in the rise of capitalism in Europe. In Europe, Protestants believed in predestination implying that the position of each individual in society is already determined.
Rational Choice theory is one of the theories supported by scholars such as Weber, which explains social and economic actions (Johnstone 36). The theory states that human beings should always strive to do things perfectly. In other words, the individual should always choose the most cost-effective method when accomplishing certain aims and objectives. In society, people try to achieve their objectives using the available means and techniques.
However, the most effective technique is usually chosen because of the constraints in life. In this regard, an individual conducts a critical review of available alternatives before arriving at the most cost-effective method. Weber noted further that the relationship between religion and society is very important to sociologists because it helps in explaining the behavior of individuals in a number of ways. Religion shapes human behavior because an individual would definitely behave in a way that his or her religion permits.
Religion is understood as a belief system, as well as a social institution. It is considered a belief system because it configures people’s viewpoints. In other words, it influences an individual’s understanding of the world. Given the fact that the world is full of tribulations and intricacies, Weber views religion as a social institution since it sets the patterns of social actions, which are structured based on the values and practices of society. Individuals evaluate their actions using the values and practices generated by religion.
Since it is considered an institution, it has an organizational structure that influences the behavior of individuals in any given society. Therefore, religion is very important in examining the social and cultural context of any given human action. Understanding individual religious beliefs is not of concern to sociologists, but instead they are interested in examining the collective behavior of individuals in society, as well as how religious beliefs influence behavior.
One of the most important reasons that forces sociologists to study religion is that it is related to other social factors, such as race, age, gender, and education. In complex societies, various theorists show that some religious beliefs are associated with certain races. In this regard, religion would define social stratification of a certain society.
Members of society with similar religious beliefs would tend to identify themselves with certain behaviors. They would then tend to conduct themselves in a certain way, which would be different from the conduct of other races. For instance, a majority of members of the Arab society would be identified with Islam.
Through Islam, they have formed strong cultures that define their behavior in society. In particular, members from the Arabic race are not allowed to intermarry with other races without undergoing certain processes. In this regard, it would demand that a member from another race be converted to Islam for him or her to be accepted as a marriage partner.
Regarding age, religion influences people differently. Furthermore, age groups are affected differently by religion. Durkheim found out that youths are affected more by religion as compared to the old. This is why suicide rates are high among the youth and the middle-aged individuals as compared to the old. Equally, religion affects men differently as compared to women.
Religion is important to sociologists because it determines change in society. A religious society is reluctant to embrace new ways of doing things because change would interfere with the established customs and beliefs.
For instance, many people find it hard to utilize family planning methods, as well as the use of protection during sex because their religions do not permit. Some religious values suggest that people were created to multiply. This problem is common in the third world whereby people are still practicing beliefs associated with traditional religion.
Features of Religion
One of the main characteristics of religion is that it is a group affair. Religion is considered a group phenomenon because of certain aspects that should be understood in sociological terms. In many societies, including western cultures, emphasis is always placed on beliefs, even though other aspects of religion are also important. In this case, religion is considered as a group phenomenon because it entails educating children on what constitutes the belief system.
For instance, children are always exposed to literature that exposes them to catechism, which is the testimonial that any believer should consent. In other communities, children are expected to study the scripture in a certain stage of his or her life, which would help such a child in giving a sermon. Islam and Judaism are some of the religions that encourage their children to learn the fundamentals of the belief system.
Christianity and Judaism insist on academic and formal belief system whereby children need to undertake religious courses to equip them with the basics of belief system. Other aspects of religion that makes it a group phenomenon include customs, religious experiences, and the sense of community. These facets do not refer to the individual religion, but instead they refer to the manner in which religious groups restructure themselves in society as far as focusing on shared meaning is concerned.
Religion is a group phenomenon in the sense that it has an indispensable cognitive feature. In other words, it shapes the knowledge and the skills of the believer in a number of ways. Sociologists observe that the skills and the knowledge gained through religious customs organize personal opinions into a certain system, which serve as the basis of action.
For instance, if an individual beliefs that some form of influential wicked spirits surrounds him or her, he or she would generate evidence regarding the presence of these spirits and would consequently adopt some measures to protect him or herself.
In particular, an individual would resort to prayer, which would be conducted in accordance to the religious customs. In western societies, beliefs are treated as mere opinions that do not have substantial effect on the third party. In such societies, people rely on empirical evidence that can be tested scientifically.
Empirical evidence is referred to as scientific knowledge. In this regard, the existence of evil spirits is only real to an individual who believes in the faith. This belief shapes an individual’s experiences and actions. Therefore, an individual who believes that spirits cause sickness and the other individual who believes that germs cause diseases are similar in the sense that they both base their arguments on a certain body of knowledge.
Religion is also viewed as a group phenomenon because of the rituals, which consist of figurative actions that distinguish spiritual meanings. A ritual is a ratification of the spiritual meaning while beliefs signify the cognitive characteristic of religion. It should be understood that the two are intertwined because they both offer a detailed meaning of religion.
Rituals are mainly employed to denote the unity of the group because it brings members of a certain group together. Scholars observe that rituals play a critical role in religious convictions because they help members in remembering some of the shared meanings.
Moreover, a ritual revitalizes the consciousness of the individual, which has a significant effect to the group, as well as the individual. For an individual, he or she is able to identify him or herself with a group while the group benefits because its commitment and sense of harmony is renewed. Religion is always considered a group phenomenon because it generates some religious experiences that signify subjective engagement with the sacrosanct.
Such experiences are usually confidential and personal, but people tend to share them with other group members through expression of beliefs and rituals. Through religious experiences, an individual would definitely belong to a religious community, which is a community of memory. Religious community refers to a group that shares collective memories regarding certain beliefs.
Why People Choose to be Religious
People become religious in different ways, but most people find themselves subscribing to a belief system through birth and socialization. In fact, socialization is the main contributing factor to people’s religiousness. In some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, children are expected to adopt the religious culture through birth.
They are introduced to the basics of religious beliefs at the family level. An established education system is always established, which introduces children to religious beliefs and principles. In the Islamic religion, it is mandatory for children to study Islamic laws, which are derived from religion. Other factors that compel individuals to be religious include the fear of the uncertainty, need for validation, the desire for orderliness, and the need to belong.
People in the world have never explained the real cause of death. In this regard, people feel that they are safe when they belong to a certain religion. Moreover, people believe that religious organizations provide answers to numerous problems affecting humanity. In fact, religious organizations comfort those with problems. Regarding orderliness, it is generally believed that religion helps an individual to accomplish his or her missions peacefully.
Works Cited
Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: Sociology of Religion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.