Religion is a cultural system that gives people a unified system of thoughts, feelings, and actions to follow. It also gives them an object of devotion, someone or something sacred to believe in, whether a god or a spiritual concept. Many religions also involve a code of behavior or personal morality, and most religions deal with what might be called the supernatural or the spiritual, about forces and powers beyond the control of humans. People often use the term religion to refer to a particular group of beliefs and practices, but most scholars agree that the more important thing to consider is what religion does for people. Sociologists are most interested in understanding the functions that religion serves, the inequality and other problems it can reinforce and perpetuate, and its role in our daily lives.
The word religion derives from the Latin for “to re-establish,” or to “renew.” It is an idea that has been in continuous circulation throughout human history, and it is found in almost all cultures. Some scholars suggest that religion is a set of rituals, myths, and symbols that can be used to guide and control human behavior and encourage healthy development. Others see religion as a way of coping with life’s difficulties and providing comfort, guidance, and hope to billions of people.
Some of these functions of religion include promoting a healthy sense of self, establishing social identity and stability, providing a basis for moral beliefs and behaviors, and even encouraging physical well-being. For example, some research shows that people who attend religious services regularly are healthier than those who do not.
Most of the current theories of religion were developed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and they can be divided into three general categories. The first, favored by Emile Durkheim, defines religion as whatever system of practices unites a number of people into a single moral community, whether or not those practices involve belief in unusual realities. This is a functional definition that drops the substantive element that Tylor and Herbert had included in their definitions.
Another major theory is the conflict perspective. This view argues that religion is an intrinsic component of every culture, and it has two main components: (1) the belief in a supernatural being or beings, and (2) the creation and maintenance of a community based on this belief. This conflict is said to cause tension and hostility, but it may also be a source of strength and support.
A third theory is the symbolic interactionist view. This is based on the idea that all religious activities and beliefs are constructed and interpreted by individuals, and they do not necessarily have anything to do with a particular deity or spirit. It is therefore more difficult to classify such activities as religious, though it is still possible to argue that some are.
All of the current theories of religion are useful in understanding how religion affects society. However, there are some important limitations to each. In the end, it is important to remember that religion is not only a source of comfort and hope for billions of people; it also has the potential to be a source of violence, hatred, intolerance, bigotry, and social oppression.